How much interior head room space is needed for optimal driver safety?

Q. My husband is 6 feet tall, and we find that the distance between the top of his head and the roof in most sedans is roughly 2 inches. What should the distance be for optimum safety?—Susan Berowitz Mountainside, NJ

A. Two inches of head room is fairly typical, and adequate. Keep in mind that seat belt pretensioners deploy during a crash, pulling you down into the seat. And the headliner is designed to provide some protection in case of impact. The best bet is to look for a car that does well in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety roof strength testing.

—Consumer Reports