The IIHS has added three more cars to the top crash worthy list, barring Tesla Model S along with two other cars.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or IIHS has given the designation for Top Safety Pick Plus for three cars, namely, Lincoln Continental, Mercedes Benz E Class and Toyota Avalon. However, others like the Tesla Model S, the Ford Taurus and the Chevrolet Impala did not make the cut.
Crash Testing
The IIHS is the automobile safety arm of the insurance industry. It is a non-profit service that auto insurers fund for testing crash worthiness of cars and trucks as well as SUVs in order to determine whether they are crash worthy.
Failing the Test
According got David Zuby, the VP of IIHS, the three cars mentioned above, the Tesla, the Taurus and the Impala did not succeed in the overlap front tests given to them. This is a test that has been given right from the year 2012. It tests the ability of the vehicle in handling collisions on the front driving seat and simulates the collision of the car hitting a telephone pole. In order to survive such a collision, the car or the vehicle needs a sturdy structur for its safety cage, so that it doesn’t get crushed.
Tesla Model S Stands Out
The Tesla’s failure to pass the said test stands out from the rest. This is because the car is a luxury one coming at a high price. It is also completely electric and Elon Musk, the CEO has been repeatedly mentioning that the car should be made safer.
According to Zuby, the Tesla Model S has a weak safety belt. The dummy driver moved too much in front during the overlap test in the crash situation. The dummy ended up hitting its head on the car’s steering wheel. The Impala had a good structure during the overlap test, but the head of the dummy was not protected fully. As for the Taurus, which was also tested for the small overlap, the dummy driver’s movement was controlled, but the lower leg was exposed and suffered injuries.
The Successful Ones
The Lincoln Continental, the Mercedes Benz C Class and the Toyota Avalon were the successful ones in the overlap test. They had the correct timing for airbags and the tension in the seatbelt was also perfect. They were able to clear the safety ratings successfully, according to Zuby. The cars are now part of the Kia Cadenza group, falling among the Top Safety Pick Plus cars and vehicles. These are the cars belonging to the big car group. The rating offers consumers more choices while selecting the type of car they wish to purchase.
Ranking for All Cars
The IIHS offers safety rankings for all cars, such as small ones like Toyota Yaris as well as the bigger ones, such as Honda Ridgeline. However, it is the bigger cars that offer great protection to passengers as well as the driver. According to Zuby, it is because of this that the top safety ranking accorded to the larger car categories is much safer than the same ranking according to the small car groups. Larger cars are generally safer than smaller cars.