Automobile safety is defined as “the study and practice of vehicle design, construction, and equipment to minimize the occurrence and consequences of automobile accidents.”  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) developed the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) in 1979 designed to encourage the general public to demand improved safety of the automobile industry.

The goal of the NCAP is to “enhance occupant safety by generating market demand for safety features and performance that go beyond Federal requirements.”  The program devised tests to determine the crashworthiness of a vehicle including front impact, side impact and rollover resistance, and implemented a rating system.

No significant changes have been made to the testing criteria since the tests were proposed in 1979.  Beginning with the new car model year for 2011, both testing and rating criteria will be enacted with manufacturers expected to comply.

Consumer advocates and companies have conducted additional testing for their rating purposes.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts tests for their rating using a scale of good, acceptable, marginal, or poor.  IIHS uses the following criteria when rating vehicles:

• Full-frontal, and offset-frontal  crashes at 40 mph  to assess a vehicle’s structural design.
• Side crash tests are used to determine occupant protection when smaller-sized vehicles are in a side wreck with either SUVs or pickup trucks.
• Rear crash tests are conducted to test the effectiveness of the seat and head restraint protection against whiplash.
• The Institute's roof strength rating system is designed to assess the sturdiness of vehicles in the case of rollover crashes.
• Bumpers are tested for damage assessment during low-speed collisions.

 

Research indicates that five times more protection is afforded drivers and passengers when riding in those cars with the highest safety ratings.  When determining which vehicle to purchase for you and your family, consider the vehicle's government safety rating. 

Vehicle Safety Statistics (based on 2004 data)

• Nearly 85% of all car accidents involve cars that run off the road, rear-end a car, are changing lanes, or cross the path of another vehicle.
• A wreck involving cars that run off the road or cross the path of another vehicle account for approximately 55% of the fatal crashes, and 82% of injuries.
• Rear-end car wrecks comprise the largest group of accidents, according to 2004 data.
• Approximately 46%, or 11,459, of serious injuries occurred in vehicle-to-vehicle side impact wrecks with the impact at 20 mph or less.

 

Sources:

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Safer Car.gov

More Information:

• Car Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Rollover Accidents
• Truck Accidents