Investing in reliable dividend stocks can be an excellent strategy for risk-averse investors.The stock market is riskier than bonds, a high-yield savings account, or just keeping your money in cash. But it's important to understand that some stocks are far safer than others (although never risk-free).When searching for safe stocks, some characteristics to consider are the company's industry and whether it has a business model and balance sheet that can hold up well during an economic downturn. Another facto ...