5 Star Crash Ratings Are Going to Be Tougher to Get

[stevewaclo]

Hello All:

No one else seems to using this feature of the Club website much, so until I'm chased off, here goes:lol:.

Short version: NHTSA is concerned 5 Star Crash Test Ratings, especially regarding frontal crashes, have become too common among manufacturers. While that's a good thing, indicating dramatic improvements in crash safety, it's getting really difficult to use those ratings to compare the crash worthiness of various brands.

Solution: A new rating system will be introduced with the 2011 models that is likely to sow massive confusion within the buying public as tightened standards, as well as the addition of a new side impact test, will cause some cars and trucks to score lower than the virtually identical previous year's model. WTF??

As car guys and gals, we have a lot of responsibility to help keep our less enthusiastic brethern and sistern informed of developments in the field of automobiles, so here's an article that spells the situation out in detail. And yes, this will be on the final:lol:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/automobiles/28IMPACT.html

[Cody]

Without reading the article, the speed that the cars are traveling or the force with which they are being smashed should simply be increased to make the tests harder.

[Kevin M]

Without reading the article, the speed that the cars are traveling or the force with which they are being smashed should simply be increased to make the tests harder.

Since the weight of a given car is constant, you just said the same thing twice. :p

F=ma

[Cody]

Well, I was assuming that sometimes a solid massive object is sent toward the car to replicate what it's like when a bus hits the car, etc. The testers could send this object faster or increase it's mass to increase the force of the impact.

[sperry]

Stupid NHTSA is stupid. They should just add a 6th star to the ratings. Problem solved.

[S2kreno]

Well, I was assuming that sometimes a solid massive object is sent toward the car to replicate what it's like when a bus hits the car, etc. The testers could send this object faster or increase it's mass to increase the force of the impact. Agreed, the two things aren't the same. A bus test is better because it exposes the vulnerability of smaller and lighter cars when some drunk dork in an Escalade hits them. If a little car gets 5 stars on the bus test it would really mean something. Since I had my back and my Impreza destroyed by a drunk dork in a Suburban in 2000, this is a pet peeve with me.