From the President: Why Safety Always Needs a Champion

We tend to trust that the products we bring into our homes won’t harm our families, and assume the technologies around us have been designed with our well-being in mind. Much of the time we’re right—but that can create the dangerous illusion that safety takes care of itself. It doesn’t.

The history of consumer protection is filled with products that improved because groups like Consumer Reports tested them—and worked with companies and governments to ensure products are designed with your safety in mind. As technology evolves ever faster, the need for independent scrutiny has never been greater.

Nowhere is this clearer than in the auto world. Modern vehicles are equipped with sophisticated crash-avoidance technology and occupant protection. But some have distracting touchscreen controls, or don’t offer certain safety technologies as standard features. We recently introduced our safety verdict to make it quick and easy to compare safety features and performance among vehicles, and to identify models that excel and those that should be skipped.

CR also explores safety in some of the most important decisions consumers make, like planning for retirement amid economic uncertainty and steering clear of the hype around dietary protein.

All these articles reflect a broader truth: Safety is about more than avoiding harm. It’s about having trustworthy information that helps us protect our health, our finances, and our families. Whether we’re choosing a new vehicle, saving for the future, or deciding what to put on our plates, we all deserve independent guidance we can rely on. Consumer Reports is committed to delivering it.