The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has implemented an array of new collision tests to help buyers choose the safest vehicles available for themselves and their families. One test in particular known as the small overlap frontal crash test is already making headlines in the automotive world.
The small overlap frontal crash test is performed by striking 25% of the car’s driver side front end against a 5-foot-tall barrier while traveling at a speed of 40mph. The barrier is designed to reproduce the damage done to a car in an accident where the front end hits another vehicle, a tree, or other object. Surprisingly, many luxury vehicles are holding up the worst when exposed to this new test. Among the high end luxury vehicles that performed poorly were the Lexus IS 250/350, the Mercedes Benz C-class, the Lexus ES 350, and the Audi A4 which all rated as poor.
President for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Adrian Lund, reports that nearly 10,000 fatalities result from frontal crashes each year. He hopes that more stringent testing will result in cars being built to better protect passengers and drivers. In order to reduce the number of fatalities from frontal end crashes, Adrian Lund suggests building cars with a stronger cage to secure occupants in the vehicle. Mr. Lund goes on to say, “It’s Packaging 101. If you ship a fragile item in a strong box, it’s more likely to arrive at its destination without breaking. In crashes, people are less vulnerable to injury if the occupant compartment remains intact.”
For additional information about the new testing requirements including videos of the crash tests as well as how other vehicles compared, visit http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr081412.html. If you or a loved one has sustained injuries or death from an auto accident in Atlanta, Georgia area, please call The Hendon Law Firm, LLC right away to discuss what to expect following a serious injury. We will help you get the settlement or judgment you deserve from a Georgia car wreck or Georgia tractor trailer truck case.
