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The boat-tail can help, even if it isn't particularly impact-absorbing. If people see that the end of your car is "back there", they will likely be trying to stop "back there" instead of closer to the main part of the structure of the car.
Four-point belts are not so great most of the time. Unless you get them mounted correctly, and always use them correctly and in the right position, they may do more harm than good. Five-point (or six-, or even seven-point!) restraints are preferred in the racing world mainly because the "sub straps" keep the lap belt in position where it is actually effective. And racing harnesses are meant to be worn tight, too tight to easily look over your shoulder like you would do when backing up. So they present their own problems on the street.
Some good safety mods you can make for very cheap are:
- Leaving buffers between you and other cars on the road, especially in front of you.
- Always plan a way out of any situation you think it may be possible for you to get into.
- Keep your eyes moving around, looking for developing situations that can become problems.
- Make sure your horn works and is good and loud.
- Make sure your lights all work.
Extra padding on interior parts of the car may help a little, but probably not a whole lot.
A roll cage is good at keeping anything outside form intruding into the passenger space, but it's also really good at breaking any body parts that come in contact with it. Like skulls. (And you'd be amazed at how far your seat belts stretch in a wreck!) So they aren't generally a very good thing to have in a street car. Most roll cages assume a complete set of safety systems, and if you're missing one or two they can do more harm than good.
Much like saving gas, the cheapest and most effective things to do are to change the way you drive.
-soD
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