NEW OFFSET CRASH TESTS SPREAD ALARM, NOT FACTS

With an alarming warning that "your car may not be as safe as you think", ABC's "Dateline" recently unveiled the results of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) offset barrier crash tests at 40 mph. Of 14 midsize cars tested, only three - Chevy Lumina, Ford Taurus GL, and Volvo 850 - scored well enough on the leg-injury portion to earn a "best pick" rating. Several auto makers pointed out, though, that while IIHS and "Dateline" chose to underscore poor results in injuries to the lower legs, the show glossed over the important fact that all 14 vehicles received "good" marks in the category of fatal or serious injury to head and chest-which is where NHTSA places its highest priority. NHTSA said they do not have enough funds to conduct offset crash tests, and when asked if they would use additional funding for offset crash tests they said no. They would use the funds to investigate side impact crashes. The other 11 models tested, in descending order, scored poorly for structural intrusion of engine and chassis components and metallic supports into the passenger cabin: Toyota Camry, Subaru Legacy, Honda Accord, Mazda Millennia, Saab 900, Ford Contour, Volkswagen Passat, Chevrolet Cavalier, Mitsubishi Gallant, Chrysler Cirrus, and Nissan Maxima.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00272094
• Corporate Authors:

  Petersen Publishing Company

  8490 Sunset Boulevard
  Los Angeles, CA  United States  90069
• Authors:
  • Nikkel, C
• Publication Date: 1995-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 27
• Serial:
  • Motor Trend
  • Volume: 47
  • Issue Number: 8
  • Publisher: Petersen Publishing Company
  • ISSN: 0027-2094

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash tests; Fatalities; Head; Injuries; Leg; Midsize automobiles; Side crashes; Thorax; Vehicle front end
• Identifier Terms: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Chest injuries; Head injuries
• Old TRIS Terms: Leg injuries
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00743784
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-042 291
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 10 1997 12:00AM