New Safety Ratings for Cars updates obsolete system

[warthog1984]

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator David Strickland today unveiled an enhanced 5-Star Safety Ratings System for new vehicles and released the safety ratings for the first model year 2011 vehicles tested under the program. The upgraded ratings system will now evaluate side pole crash testing and crash prevention-technologies. And, for the first time, it will use female crash test dummies to simulate crash scenarios involving women, not just men.

“More stars equal safer cars,” said Secretary LaHood. “With our upgraded Five-Star Safety Ratings System, we’re raising the bar on safety. Through new tests, better crash data, and higher standards, we are making the safety ratings tougher and more meaningful for consumers.”

Vehicle safety ratings range from 1 to 5 stars, with 1 star being the lowest and 5 stars the highest. Because so many vehicles had reached the highest rating under the old rating criteria, and because the new standards are much more rigorous, not all previously rated 5-star vehicles will remain at 5 stars.

The new 5-Star Safety Ratings System evaluates the safety of passenger cars, SUVs, vans and pickup trucks in three broad areas – frontal crash, side crash, and rollover resistance. For model year 2011, NHTSA will rate 24 passenger cars, 20 sport utility vehicles, two vans and nine pickups under the new ratings system.

“We want consumers to embrace these new safety technologies as a way to make vehicles safer,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland. “We believe electronic stability control, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning offer significant safety benefits and consumers should consider them when buying a new car.”

One of the most significant changes to the ratings program for consumers is the addition of an Overall Vehicle Score for each vehicle tested. The Overall Vehicle Score combines the results of a frontal crash test, side crash tests and rollover resistance tests and compares those results to the average risk of injury and potential for vehicle rollover of other vehicles.

NHTSA recommends consumers consider vehicles with crash avoidance technologies that meet the 5-Star Safety Ratings minimum performance tests, such as forward collision warning (FCW), lane departure warning (LDW), and electronic stability control (ESC). All of the 2011 model year vehicles currently rated have ESC as standard, except for the Nissan Versa, in which it is optional.

More information, including the full list of newly-rated vehicles is available at the official website for the Federal government’s 5-Star Safety Ratings Program, www.safercar.gov. At Safercar.gov, consumers can also find comprehensive information about safe driving, vehicle defects, safety recalls, and passenger safety.

[xcel]

Hi Marc:

I wonder if the NHTSA did this to keep up with the Jone's... Namely, the IIHS and their Top Safety Pick and Roof Crush Strength test?

I like the three new additions however. As it stands, the 24 cars the NHTSA has rated on the new system, only the 2011BMW 5-Series and 2011 Hyundai Sonata have made the 5 star cut.

What is worrisome however is the V2011 Nissan Versa on which the LEAF Is based. It only received a 2 star rating, the lowest of any car tested this year.

Wayne

[RobertSmalls]

All this safety equipment sounds expensive and bad for the MPG. Maybe the latest round of standards are worth the price, and maybe they're not. I wouldn't know how to tell. But I do know that at some point, they need to stop raising the bar.

I don't think I like radar and optical driver attention aids like the lane departure system. I expect many people will rely on them and abuse them, so they can divide their attention while they're supposed to be focused on driving.

[JusBringIt]

When people think they're too safe they will be more prone to these extracurricular activities unfortunately.

I don't understand how they expect automakers to be meeting all these breakthroughs all at the same time? I honestly don't think we'll all be driving around in school-buses getting 50mpg in the city anytime soon, so as some point someone has to say to hell with it. Just because it's a two star doesn't mean it's any less safe. Accidents aren't predictable, so what makes the safety of a car itself predictable? Probability changes yes, but employ more people and spend the money on driver education.

Fixing a brake pedal when the person forgets to brake doesn't really reduce collisions. Once the learning curve goes into effect, people stop looking out for the danger and depend on the cars themselves.

[Damionk]

I would have liked to see them move away from the star rating, not because there is anything wrong with it, but that the average person may not know about the changes to the crash tests and assume that cars are not as safe as they were the previous year. Hopefully there will be plenty of publicity to raise awareness. If not now, then when there is a public out-cry on why are cars are suddenly unsafe.

(I know, run on sentence, too tired to fix it, so deal.)