<P> In the United Kingdom, the modern classic definition is open to the discretion often by Insurance Brokers and Insurance Companies who regard a Modern Classic as a vehicle that is considered collectible regardless of age . The usage of the vehicle limited to recreational purposes or restricted mileage is also taken into account . </P> <P> Drivers of classic cars must be especially careful . Classic cars often lack what are now considered basic safety features, such as seat belts, crumple zones or rollover protection . On September 10, 2009, ABC News' Good Morning America' and' World News' showed a U.S. Insurance Institute of Highway Safety crash test of a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu in an offset head - on collision with a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air sedan . It dramatically demonstrated the effectiveness of modern car safety design, over 1950s X-frame design, particularly of rigid passenger safety cells and crumple zones . The 1959 Chevrolets used an X frame design which lacked structural rigidity; had the IIHS used a pre-1958 Chevrolet with a Unibody design, the results would have been much better . Vehicle handling characteristics (particularly steering and suspension) and brake performance are likely to be poorer than current standards, hence requiring greater road - awareness on the part of the driver . In certain areas of the United States, using a classic car as a daily vehicle is strongly discouraged and may even be considered illegal in some places . </P> <P> The British AA motoring association has urged motorists using or driving near classic cars to pay particular attention to safety . The issue received particular public attention following a 2013 case in which a driver in a hire 1963 MGB was killed immediately in a collision with a taxi . </P> <P> Retro - styled (color - coded with chromed buckles) 2 - point and 3 - point seat (safety) belts are manufactured according to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). However, most classic car bodies (manufactured before the late 1960s) did not include safety belts as standard equipment, and do not include readily available reinforced mounting points, on the vehicle body, therefore it can be problematic to install such equipment properly: specific studies and calculations should be performed before any attempts . Proper installation is critical, which means locating attachment points on the body / frame, assuring the strength by proper reinforcement, and following the seat belt installation instructions properly to reduce the risk of malfunction or failure . Some classic car owners are reluctant to retrofit seat belts for the loss of originality this modification implies . There have also been instances of cars losing points at shows for being retrofitted with seat belts . </P>

How old does a car have to be historic