Many New Cars Fail Tougher IIHS Crash Test

For years, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has suggested that there was a need for new and tougher crash tests implemented for new vehicles coming to the market. IIHS has released a revised version of the frontal crash test, called the small-overlap frontal crash test, which puts more structural stress on cars to expose weaknesses that can cause severe injuries to passengers in real-world auto accidents.

Today, the IIHS will release the results of its first round of testing using this new standard. The safety research group tested 12 midsize cars, with the following results:

Good Ratings

• Acura TL
• Volvo S60

Acceptable Ratings

• Infiniti G

Marginal Ratings

• Acura TSX
• BMW 3 series
• Lincoln MKZ
• Volkswagen CC

Poor Ratings

• Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• Lexus IS 250
• Lexus IS 350
• Audi A4
• Lexus ES 350

In the new test, a quarter of the vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side crashes into a 5-foot-tall barrier at 40 mph, simulating what happens when the front corner of a car hits on object, whether that object is another vehicle, utility pole or tree.

These types of accidents mostly affect a vehicle’s outer edges; however impact from a collision of this nature will often push the front wheel into the foot well, resulting in foot and leg injuries.

Every year, there are more than 10,000 fatalities as a result from frontal crashes. This new test hopes to offset this statistic by forcing manufacturers to focus more on the vehicles’ structure.

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If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Mobile or Baldwin County, you may be able to pursue compensation to recover losses related to the collision. Our Mobile auto accident lawyers at the Citrin Law Firm, we offer free consultations for auto accident victims to begin exploring their legal options.

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