Chicago car accident lawyers would like to draw attention to the results of an interesting test concerning automobile safety.
The increasing awareness of safety among consumers renders tests such as this crucial factors influencing buyer decisions. Americans are responding to the alarming and dangerous number of accidents on our roadways, many of which are due to negligent or impaired drivers.
Midsize cars are middle of the class only in size; their safety ratings rank the best among all vehicles. These cars are already considered a better choice for city-dwellers because of their smaller sized body, greater fuel efficiency and overall monetary value.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted various tests recently of the 2013 models of 18 moderately priced midsize cars. The major difference was revealed in the small overlap test, which measures the frontal crash safety performance. These 18 midsize cars fared better than more expensive but similar sized luxury cars.
In the small overlap test, 13 of 18 midsize models performed well enough to earn ratings of “Acceptable” or “Good.” In involving luxury cars only 3 models out of 11 performed similarly well.
The insurance industry finances these tests, which are an important benchmark in determining safety standards. This could, and often times does, influence buyer decisions. These tests were conducted first on high-end luxury cars because they are usually the first to incorporate safety developments. Surprisingly, however, the lesser priced mid-sized cars performed significantly better.
Among the 18 cars, the Suzuki Kizashi and the four-door version of the Honda Accord were given the highest rating, “Good.” 11 of the models earned the “Acceptable” rating: the Accord two-door model, the Nissan Altima four-door, Nissan Maxima, the Kia Optima, Ford Fusion, Subaru Outback, Subaru Legacy, Volkswagen Passat, Chrysler 200 four-door, Mazda 6 and Dodge Avenger.
3 earned a marginal rating: Volkswagen Jetta, the Chevrolet Malibu and the Hyundai Sonata. The worst rating of “Poor” was reserved for the hybrid Toyota Prius V and the popular Toyota Camry.
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The highway safety institute states that the small overlap test is a severe test which replicates the impact caused by the colliding of a vehicle’s front corner with a tree or even another vehicle. The test subjects 25% of the vehicle’s driver-side front end into an impact with a rigid and static barrier at a speed of 40 mph.
Cars such as the Honda Accord four-door maintained a reasonably large survival space for the driver even at such an immense impact. The “Poor” rating received by the Toyota Camry is surprisingly because of its widespread popularity. In fact, many of the midsize cars that fared poorly or marginally in the safety rankings have lost some of the respectability they’ve held in the market and in public conception. Among the more expensive and luxurious cars tested in the earlier 2012 model year group, the Acura TL and the Volvo S60 received the highest rating. Illinois car accident lawyers and wrongful death attorneys will make sure that these results do not go unnoticed.
For American consumers safety should be given as much, if not greater, importance as luxury and fuel efficiency. This will be highlighted by reputable car accident lawyers representing the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm.
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