When purchasing a new or used vehicle, do consumers look at the safety standards and testing? Some feel that is one of the most important, while others are more concerned with the outside look and color. Safety crash tests should be a high priority when looking to purchase a vehicle. There is precious cargo being transported in that auto, you.
The vehicle-testing program NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) has been doing these safety tests since 1978. They are administered and supervised by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). This agency is responsible for all vehicle safety standards, and their testing is one of the most stringent when it comes to testing each car body.
Major revisions began in 2010 for NCAP. The aim is to continue to improve the safety of the vehicle, and to try and lower the repair costs. They use the star system when they are grading the vehicles. Five stars are considered the best. Potential consumers can find complete detailed information in the Consumer reports guide. It will give most of the information you may be looking for. It is important to do your car safety homework when contemplating the purchase of a vehicle.
Some advocates are unhappy that NCAP is just now overhauling their system to catch up with the ever-changing car market. Some of the additional testing or revised testing is NCAP has begun to use smaller passenger dummies when performing the crash tests. Researchers realized that most of the crash dummies where not representing a diverse populace.
Another aspect that has been added is after the crash test is complete, a NHTSA engineer assesses and records a fully injury report. They measure the force that the impact had on the head, abdomen, chest, pelvis, and lower spine in hopes of getting the knowledge of what these crashes would do to the passengers and driver. They have also revised the criteria for side-impact tests on all upcoming 2011 models.