Crash Tests & Your Safety

Today's combination of congested roads, aggressive drivers, and increased variety of automobiles leads to the inevitable: accidents. Passenger vehicles are now designed to be more crashworthy than ever – thanks, in large part, to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
For more than 25 years, the IIHS has researched cars and drivers in order to improve safety for vehicles and passengers. Much of this research is done with crash testing. In 1992, the IIHS opened its own crash testing facility, equipped with specialized technologies to perform, film, and analyze the results of virtually any kind of crash.
IIHS crash tests are complex and precise. Among other factors and variables, their tests use:
Various-sized cars with different weights, closely resembling the real assortment of vehicles on the road.
Mannequins ("dummies") equipped with sensors and measuring devices that closely mirror human responses to a multitude of impacts.
Whole vehicles and vehicle parts (air bags, head rests - even sun visors!) that are closely examined for effectiveness.
Diverse crash speeds, impact angles, and circumstances.

Test results tell auto manufacturers how to improve crash resistance and safety design for new models. And, as more safety features become standard, many new passenger vehicles are equipped with safety features once considered "extras."
For more information on the IIHS,