Kia Motors, a South Korea automaker, lead The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's annual list of the safest new vehicles. This list is primarily used for reference by safety minded auto buyers looking to buy a new car.

IIHS recognized 66 vehicles this past week with its "top safety pick award" for the 2011 model year, the most-ever awarded by the insurance group. This number was more than double the 27 vehicles selected last year.

Kia was recognized for the upgrades made to their Optima midsize car, the Forte and Soul small cars, and the Sorento and Sportage SUVs…

Kia has decided to add 1000 new jobs at an auto plant in West Point, Georgia, and it is having a positive effect on the area. The automaker started producing the Kia Sorento last year. This October, Santa Fe was added to the production line. Jeff Lukken, the mayor of nearby LaGrange, says the town has a lot to be happy about:

"In 2009, we lost four textile plants," Lukken says. "In 2010, we lost another textile facility and two more manufacturing plants here. So, I can't imagine what LaGrange would look like had it not been for Kia…