What's really behind @IIHS_autosafety and @NHTSAgov crash tests: https://t.co/jMGA1g9HPA pic.twitter.com/rENZsjC6di
— U.S. News (@usnews) September 7, 2016
As a proud Beaumont-area parent, you always do what's best for your family. When it comes to buying a car, that means finding the safest fortress on four wheels.
It can be hard to know what is best when it comes to safety, though. Visit any automaker's website, and you'll find pages glorifying their vehicles' safety features -- even if the ratings aren't there. Even looking at ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) can be confusing, because the two organizations often do not agree on which vehicles deserve their highest awards.
So what does a Top Safety Pick mean, compared to a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating?
Comparing the IIHS and NHTSA
The IIHS conducts five basic safety tests, and rates performance in each test on a scale of Poor, Marginal, Acceptable, and Good. If a vehicle performs exceptionally in all five categories, it earns a Top Safety Pick. With the addition of superior collision-prevention technology, it can earn a Top Safety Pick+.
The NHTSA conducts four safety tests, including two side-crash tests which are averaged into a single side-impact rating. The NHTSA rates vehicles in each test on a scale from zero to five stars. Exceptional performance in all three categories results in a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating.
Which is a better indication of safety?
Both! If a vehicle performs well in IIHS testing, but fails NHTSA testing miserably, then it may be safe in some crash-scenarios, but there is a chink in its armor.
The IIHS conducts offset front crashes, in which less than half of the vehicle's front-end is struck. Many models will pass the NHTSA's head-on front crash test, but fail in the small- or moderate-overlap IIHS tests. The IIHS conducts a single side-crash test with a simulated 3,300-pound vehicle at 31mph. Many vehicles will perform well in this test, but fail the NHTSA's 39-mph side-impact test, or the NHTSA's 20mph side-impact with a pole test.
Now that you know how to interpret safety ratings like a professional, put your skills to work on our used cars in Nederland at Philpott Pre-Owned Super Center. If you want a particular model, let us know what it is, and we'll find it for you!