What to look for when Reading a Crash Test Rating

Crash test ratings inform consumers of how well a vehicle will protect them in the event of a crash. Crash test ratings use a scale of one to five stars with five stars being the highest score. The rating concept is simple; the more stars a vehicle has, the safer it is in an accident. When reading a crash test rating though, there are certain things you should look for in order to fully understand how safe the vehicle actually is.

Here are some important factors to consider:

1. Is the rating for a frontal or side impact test?

Most vehicles have one rating for a frontal impact crash test and another rating for a side impact crash test. You may want to give the side impact rating more consideration because side impact accidents cause more serious injuries and fatalities than frontal impact accidents.

2. Which organization provided the crash test rating?

Here in the United States, the two major organizations that provide crash test ratings are the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Some people believe that IIHS crash test standards are better than NHTSA crash test standards but it is probably best to form your own opinion by comparing the methods used by both groups.

If you want a crash test rating based on better standards than those of the NHTSA and IIHS, you may want to consider a vehicle's rating according to the Euro NCAP. Euro NCAP stands for European New Car Assessment Program and it also uses a five star, crash test rating scale. Its testing methods and standards are more stringent and provide a better indicator of a vehicle's crash worthiness.

3. What do the crash test figures show?

Crash tests scientifically measure forces on the human body, and a typical crash test report will include figures for thoracic trauma, femur load, chest and pelvis deceleration, and head injury. These figures are what you should look for in order to assess the safety of two similar vehicles that have identical star ratings. The vehicle that has better (lower) figures is the safer one.

Now, a final word about crash test ratings. Most auto manufacturers boast about the crash test safety ratings of their vehicles but you should take their safety claims with a grain of salt. It is not difficult for a new vehicle to achieve a four star crash rating or better with the testing methods currently used. Ninety-five percent of 2006 model year vehicles received a four or five star rating in frontal crash tests from the NHTSA.

Better methods of crash testing are currently being developed and implemented by auto manufacturers, and by groups such as the NHTSA and IIHS. Don't take anything for granted though. Do your homework. Compare ratings, compare methods used, and read the details when evaluating a crash test rating. Your safety depends on it.

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