It is common to hear car and truck commercials claim that their new vehicle received a top safety rating. They always follow these claims with statistics and test results, making their claims seem credible. You might wonder how easy it is to receive a top safety rating or where these ratings are even coming from. If you have wondered this in the past, then this article will help you understand the origin of these ratings and will give you a full list of 2014’s top safety rated cars.
The IHSS, or Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, provides safety tests and ratings for vehicles each year. In an attempt to encourage vehicle manufacturers to develop safer cars, “IIHS tests evaluate two aspects of safety: crashworthiness, how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash; and crash avoidance and mitigation, technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity.” The IIHS crash tests are conducted at the Vehicle Research Center in Ruckersville, VA, and help consumers pick the best models.
To qualify for 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests, as well as a good or acceptable rating in the small overlap front test.
To qualify for 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle must meet the TOP SAFETY PICK criteria, plus earn a basic, advanced, or superior rating for front crash prevention.
We’ve made it more difficult for manufacturers this year. Following a gradual phase-in, the small overlap crash is now part of our basic battery of tests, and good or acceptable performance should be part of every vehicle’s safety credentials. We also felt it was time to offer extra recognition to manufacturers that are offering a proven crash avoidance technology.
Hopefully this article has helped you see why and which cars are the safest on the road. At Christensen & Hymas, we encourage you to always drive safely. However, we know that sometimes accidents happen that you can’t prevent, and in these cases, it is best to be in a vehicle that will keep you and your family safe. If you have been injured or experienced the loss of a loved one in an accident and need help dealing with insurance companies, please let us help you.