Safety ratings give you an idea of a vehicle's crashworthiness. The NHTSA, which issues the most widely respected ratings annually, uses a five star system. What exactly do the ratings mean? Our Brannen Motor Company team has the basic rundown for you.
More Stars, More Safety
Vehicle safety ratings indicate how safe a vehicle is for occupants in the event of an on-road collision. There are four tests that correspond to the most common collision types:
- Frontal crash
- Side barrier
- Side pole
- Rollover
During crash tests, experts load male and female dummies into vehicles and send the vehicles careening at different angles and speeds toward a simulated collision. Based on the post-collision condition of occupants, test experts issue ratings of one to five stars. Ratings include collision effects on both front and rear vehicle occupants.
Other Vehicle Safety Info
In addition to star ratings for crash tests, the NHTSA also recommends driver assist tech for each vehicle tested and rated. Some of the tech is standard. Some of it is available.
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