Vehicle Safety Features and Car Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, is the federal agency responsible for crash testing vehicles to determine safety ratings for consumers. Every year the NHTSA releases a report on vehicle safety features and vehicle crash worthiness. The report breaks down vehicles by class, and rates their crash worthiness based on the safety features they possess, how well each model holds up and the likelihood of injury to the car’s occupants in the event of an accident. The NHTSA conducts different crash tests, such as frontal crash testing, side-impact crash testing, and rollover crash testing to. The NHTSA rates how well each car holds up using a one to five star rating system, one being the lowest rating and five being the highest.

For its frontal crash testing, the NHTSA crashed the vehicles into a fixed object at 35 miles per hour. The NHTSA reports this as being the equivalent of a head-on collision with another vehicle moving at the same speed. The test measures the impact such an accident would have on the occupant’s head, legs and chest. Seatbelts are the most effective safety feature when it comes to frontal collisions, according to the NHTSA. Seatbelts prevent the driver from colliding with the steering wheel, dashboard and windshield. Frontal airbags, while ineffective in preventing injury in side impact or rollover crashes, are an important safety feature with frontal crashes. However, Frontal airbags can also cause serious injury or death if the occupants fail to wear their seatbelts or if they maintain a ten inch distance between their chest and the airbag. Some new models have advanced airbag systems that automatically take into account the occupant’s size and weight, seat position and the severity of the crash.

For the side impact crash test, the NHTSA impacted the test cars with a 3,000 pound object to simulate an accident. The NHTSA reports that 60 percent of fatalities associated with side impact crashes suffered brain trauma. The NHTSA estimates that side impact air bags would reduce the number fatalities from side impact crashes by around 1,000 a year.

For its rollover testing, the NHTSA measured the likelihood of a rollover for each model. The two main factors in their testing were the car’s maneuverability, and how top heavy the car was. The NHTSA estimates that 10,000 people die each year in the United States because of rollover crashes. In a rollover accident, occupants can be thrown from the car. According to this report, wearing a seatbelt is the best way of reducing the chance of fatality in the event of a rollover. Electronic Stability Control is a new technology being implemented to prevent rollovers. Cars with this safety feature are equipped with sensors that can detect a rollover from over steering or under steering. To prevent a rollover, the Stability Control enables a break to keep the car on track.

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