| For anyone that puts auto safety as a priority when | | | | Safety conducts a frontal-offset crash into a |
| it comes to purchasing new cars and trucks should | | | | deformable barrier that reacts like another vehicle. |
| understand that certain models perform differently in | | | | This type of test gauges how only half of the |
| a crash. Learning what the new auto safety | | | | vehicle's front end absorbs crash energy. |
| information is will benefit each and every person | | | | The NHTSA testers perform head on car crashes |
| seeking to purchase a safe vehicle. New vehicles are | | | | with firm solid objects, the results will never show |
| safer than vehicles in the past, however; their crash | | | | the real outcome of a collision, as most crashes do |
| worthiness varies by individual models even in the | | | | not head a solid object head on. Anther test they |
| same vehicle class. | | | | perform include chance-of-injury stat's based on |
| Two different sources perform auto safety tests in | | | | trauma to the test dummies' torsos, not their heads. |
| the US one is nonprofit trade groups and the other is | | | | In reality, a passenger's head is more susceptible to |
| government agencies. All new cars and trucks in the | | | | injury in a side impact and head injuries are more |
| US must meet and pass Federal Motor Vehicle | | | | serious and many times fatal. |
| Safety Standards. The form includes that new | | | | As you are shopping for your new car, the |
| vehicles must, meet a standard of 30-mph frontal | | | | information of these tests may not be available yet |
| and 33.5-mph side-impact compliance crash tests | | | | because it is still pending or the vehicle may not be |
| however, the safety of these vehicles above this | | | | eligible. The majority of the times, convertibles are |
| standard varies. One thing you must understand is | | | | not normally tested for this very reason. Results for |
| that the results for all models cannot be compared. | | | | new or recently re-engineered models are likely to |
| Unit-to-unit comparisons of frontal crash-test ratings | | | | appear months after the vehicle goes on sale |
| are valid only within a vehicle class or between | | | | because both agencies purchase their test subjects |
| models of comparable weight within 250 pounds class. | | | | from dealerships, just as consumers do. NHTSA |
| These tests will show how a car would stack up in a | | | | tends to note if a vehicle is TBT (to be tested) or if |
| collision with another car of the same model and not | | | | results are pending or under review; IIHS gives no |
| compared with a larger or smaller vehicle or a lower | | | | clue as to future reports. |
| or higher riding vehicle. Studies have shows that a | | | | Nevertheless, cars and trucks are safer today than in |
| heavier vehicle will protect its passengers better than | | | | the past. Modern technology has helped with all |
| a lighter one if all the factors tested were equal, | | | | phases of car safety. However, you must remember |
| however, they never are. Because of this, a large | | | | that the crash worthiness does vary. Therefore, if |
| vehicle a Poor rating is not necessarily safer than a | | | | you wish to have the fasts vehicle on the road but |
| small vehicle with a Good rating. | | | | you are concerned about safety it would be in your |
| You do need to understand that agencies test | | | | best interest to compare safety ratings and |
| differently, as the Insurance Institute for Highway | | | | performance test in within the same models. |