NCAP Crash Tests Vehicles, Rates Their Safety, and Reports the Results to the Public

NHTSA conducts three types of tests in NCAP: a full frontal crash test, an  angled side crash test, and a rollover test. NCAP Conducts Three Tests—Full Frontal, Side, and Rollover

Every year NHTSA tests new vehicles that are predicted to have high sales  volume, have been redesigned with structural changes, or have improved  safety equipment. U.S. NCAP Differs from Other Crash Programs in Testing, Rating, Reporting, and Government Involvement

We identified four other programs that crash test vehicles and report the  results to the public—the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety  (Insurance Institute) program in the United States and NCAP programs in  Australia, Europe, and Japan. All of the programs shared the U.S. NCAP  goals of providing manufacturers with an incentive to produce safer  vehicles and providing consumers with comparative safety information on  the vehicles they plan to purchase. The U.S. NCAP is the only  program to conduct a vehicle rollover test. Further, each program  except the Insurance Institute uses stars to convey the test results, and  some programs combine individual ratings into summary ratings in an  effort to make it easier for the public to understand crash test results. However, the program is at a crossroads where it will need to change to  maintain its relevance. The usefulness of the current tests has been eroded  by changes in the vehicle fleet that have occurred since the program began. NHTSA  also has opportunities to enhance the presentation and timeliness of  information provided to consumers. NCAP Has Encouraged Improvement in Vehicle Safety and Provided the Public with Vehicle Safety Information

NCAP testing has contributed to more crashworthy passenger vehicles and  NHTSA has informed the public of test results. NCAP frontal and side crash test results have improved to a point where  there is little difference among most vehicles’ ratings. Using this higher barrier has  resulted in different scores than NHTSA’s NCAP. All types of vehicles can roll over. Conclusions

While NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program has contributed to making  safer vehicles, it is at a crossroads where it will need to change to remain  relevant. While we believe there are opportunities to enhance NCAP by developing  approaches to better measure the interaction of large and small vehicles  and occupant protection in rollovers, rating technologies that help prevent  crashes from occurring, and using different injury measures to rate the  crash results, there are challenges that must be considered and addressed  before changes can be implemented. In addition, NHTSA will need to enhance the timeliness of testing and  presentation of the New Car Assessment Program information. Recommendations for Executive Action

We recommend that the Secretary of Transportation direct the  Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to examine  the future direction of the New Car Assessment Program to maximize its  value in providing an incentive for manufacturers to improve vehicle safety  and informing the public about the relative safety of vehicles. To compare NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program with other programs  that test vehicles and report vehicle safety results to the public, we  researched literature and interviewed NHTSA officials to identify three  foreign New Car Assessment Programs (in Australia, Europe, and Japan)  and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as a domestic program. Figure  45 shows how the program communicates its overall and pedestrian ratings  to consumers on the Internet.
Why GAO Did This Study

In 2003, 42,643 people were killed and more than 2.8 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Efforts to reduce fatalities on the nation's roadways include the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program. Under this program, NHTSA conducts vehicle crash and rollover tests to encourage manufacturers to make safety improvements to new vehicles and provide the public with information on the relative safety of vehicles. GAO examined (1) how NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests vehicles, rates their safety, and reports the results to the public; (2) how NHTSA's program compares to other programs that crash test vehicles and report results to the public; and (3) the impact of the program and opportunities to enhance its effectiveness.

What GAO Found

NHTSA conducts three types of tests in the New Car Assessment Program--full frontal and angled side crash tests and a rollover test. Each year, NHTSA tests new vehicles that are expected to have high sales volume, have been redesigned with structural changes, or have improved safety equipment. Based on test results, vehicles receive ratings from one to five stars, with five stars being the best, to indicate the vehicles' relative crashworthiness and which are less likely to roll over. NHTSA makes ratings available to the public on the Internet and through a brochure. Other publications, such as Consumer Reports, use NHTSA's test results in their safety assessments. GAO identified four other programs--the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's program and the New Car Assessment Programs in Australia, Europe, and Japan--that crash test vehicles and report the results to the public. They share the goals of encouraging manufacturers to improve vehicle safety and providing safety information to consumers. These programs conduct different types of frontal and side crash tests, and some perform other tests, such as pedestrian tests, that are not conducted under the U.S. program. Only the U.S. program conducts a rollover test. The other programs measure test results differently and include more potential injuries to occupants in ratings. They also reported their test results differently, with all summarizing at least some of the scores or combining them into an overall crashworthiness rating to make comparisons easier. NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program has been successful in encouraging manufacturers to make safer vehicles and providing information to consumers. However, the program is at a crossroads where it will need to change to maintain its relevance. The usefulness of the current tests has been eroded by the growing number of larger pickups, minivans, and sport utility vehicles in the vehicle fleet since the program began. In addition, NCAP scores have increased to the point where there is little difference in vehicle ratings. As a result, the program provides little incentive for manufacturers to further improve safety, and consumers can see few differences among new vehicles. Opportunities to enhance the program include developing approaches to better measure the interaction of large and small vehicles and occupant protection in rollovers, rating technologies that help prevent crashes, and using different injury measures to rate the crash results. NHTSA also has opportunities to enhance the presentation and timeliness of the information provided to consumers.