{"id":115211,"date":"2024-07-31T19:46:58","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T02:46:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=115211"},"modified":"2024-12-02T14:45:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T22:45:57","slug":"how-safe-is-your-ride-car-safety-ratings-and-what-they-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-safe-is-your-ride-car-safety-ratings-and-what-they-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"How Safe Is Your Ride? Car Safety Ratings and What They Mean"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column115211_d0320f-fa inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-810eaf  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-54d161\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading115211_7955e4-65\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>After putting a vehicle through a series of crash and safety tests, two non-profit organizations will determine whether or not the vehicle is fit for the road&#19968;the NHTSA and IIHS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The NHTSA&rsquo;s 5-Star Safety Ratings program is a grading system that rates vehicles on their crash protection and rollover safety. One star is the lowest rating, while five stars is the highest score.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Structural performance, injury measures, and dummy movement are the three key factors for the IIHS when testing vehicles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>A vehicle&rsquo;s safety rating is one of the most important factors to consider before making a purchase. But how exactly do governing bodies ensure that your vehicle will be able to save you from collision impact?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who&rsquo;s Rating Your Car?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Safety ratings are generally a set of scores that determine how well a vehicle fares in the event of a crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After putting a vehicle through a series of crash and safety tests, two non-profit organizations will determine whether or not the vehicle is fit for the road&#19968;the NHTSA and IIHS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">NHTSA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an organization that helps enforce vehicle performance standards and partnerships with state and local government agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By imposing performance and operation standards in vehicles, the NHTSA is helping reduce motor-related deaths, injuries, and economic losses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1970, the NHTSA was established under the provisions of the Highway Safety Act. The frontal impact protection capabilities of vehicles were the first to be tested by the NHTSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1993, the organization implemented the 5-Star Safety Ratings System in an effort to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions when it came to motor vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-frontal-crash-test-nhtsa.jpg\" alt=\"car frontal crash test nhtsa\" class=\"wp-image-115246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-frontal-crash-test-nhtsa.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-frontal-crash-test-nhtsa-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-frontal-crash-test-nhtsa-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-frontal-crash-test-nhtsa-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-frontal-crash-test-nhtsa-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-frontal-crash-test-nhtsa-150x84.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In a frontal crash test, vehicles are crashed into a stable barrier with a speed of 35 mph to represent a head-on collision between two vehicles of the same weight class.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings Program<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The NHTSA&rsquo;s 5-Star Safety Ratings program is a grading system that rates vehicles on their crash protection and rollover safety. One star is the lowest rating, while five stars is the highest score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crash Tests<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The NHTSA has come a long way since it first implemented a series of frontal crash tests in 1978 and side crash tests in 1996. Over the years, the organization continued to add more types of crash tests to ensure that new vehicles are deemed fit for the road in the event of a collision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are the different types of crash tests the NHTSA conducts for vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frontal Crash Test<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>In a frontal crash test, vehicles are crashed into a stable barrier with a speed of 35 mph to represent a head-on collision between two vehicles of the same weight class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These vehicles have dummies in the driver&rsquo;s and passenger&rsquo;s seats that are secured with seat belts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the collision, the dummies are evaluated for head, neck, chest, and leg injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Side Barrier Crash Test<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>A side barrier crash test essentially represents an intersection-type of collision, which is a lot like a vehicle getting T-boned by an oncoming vehicle that didn&rsquo;t yield at a stop sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During this test, a moving barrier weighing approximately 3,015 lbs. crashes into a standing vehicle at a speed of 38.5 mph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The head, chest, abdomen, and pelvis of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/the-history-of-crash-test-dummies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"dummy driver and passenger\">dummy driver and passenger<\/a> are then evaluated for injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Side Pole Crash Test<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>A side pole crash test depicts a scenario where a vehicle crashes into a nearby pole after the driver makes a turn and loses control of the wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When conducting this test, the vehicle is angled at 75 degrees and pulled sideways at a speed of 20 mph where the driver&rsquo;s side collides with a pole that has a diameter of 25 cm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Head, chest, lower spine, abdomen, and pelvis injuries are evaluated during this test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rollover Resistance<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>The NHTSA also evaluates a vehicle&rsquo;s rollover resistance as it maneuvers through a sharp curve at a certain speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The NHTSA uses a Static Stability Factor (SSF), which is an at-rest laboratory measurement that determines how top-heavy a vehicle is. The SSF also determines whether a vehicle is vulnerable to tipping over when making a sharp turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">IIHS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Founded in 1959, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) started off as a non-profit organization much like the NHTSA. The organization is also geared towards supporting highway safety efforts to reduce deaths and injuries caused by vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a decade, the IIHS was converted to an independent research organization that focuses on vehicle crash avoidance and crashworthiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from crash tests, the IIHS also tackles issues surrounding motor vehicle safety, including alcohol-impaired driving, truck driver fatigue, seat belt use, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The IIHS doesn&rsquo;t implement the same safety ratings program as the NHTSA, but the organization&rsquo;s criteria also holds vehicle and passenger safety to a high regard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Structural performance, injury measures, and dummy movement are the three key factors for the IIHS when testing vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-crash-test-dummy-injury-measure-iihs.jpg\" alt=\"car crash test dummy injury measure iihs\" class=\"wp-image-115247\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-crash-test-dummy-injury-measure-iihs.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-crash-test-dummy-injury-measure-iihs-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-crash-test-dummy-injury-measure-iihs-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-crash-test-dummy-injury-measure-iihs-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-crash-test-dummy-injury-measure-iihs-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-crash-test-dummy-injury-measure-iihs-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-crash-test-dummy-injury-measure-iihs-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-crash-test-dummy-injury-measure-iihs-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The IIHS also tracks dummy movement during a crash to gather data on occupants that have varying qualities in terms of height, weight, and seating position, among others.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Structural Performance<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>For the IIHS, a vehicle&rsquo;s structural integrity is determined by the amount of intrusion into the occupant compartment (both in the interior and exterior areas) after a crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The amount and pattern of intrusion will determine how efficient the vehicle&rsquo;s front-end crush zone is at managing crash energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Injury Measures<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Like the NHTSA, the IIHS places dummies inside the cabin when testing vehicles. These dummies have sensors that determine the likelihood of an occupant sustaining injuries in the event of a crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sensors in the head, neck, chest, legs, and feet of the dummies are capable of indicating stress levels on those body parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dummy Movement<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The IIHS also tracks dummy movement during a crash to gather data on occupants that have varying qualities in terms of height, weight, and seating position, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When tracking dummy movement, IIHS technicians put greasepaint on the dummies&rsquo; heads, knees, and lower legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the crash test, the technicians can identify which parts came into contact with the dummies based on the paint and high-speed film footage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crash Test FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out these frequently asked questions (FAQs) on car safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which cars do the NHTSA and IIHS test?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These organizations generally test models that come out every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does the NHTSA compute the overall vehicle score?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The NHTSA calculates the probability of occupants suffering an injury during frontal and side collisions, as well as the probability of injury based on rollover resistance ratings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is my vehicle safe even without a safety rating?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Even without a safety rating, vehicles sold in the US are generally certified by manufacturers, stating that they&rsquo;ve complied with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>A vehicle&rsquo;s safety rating is one of the most important factors to consider before making a purchase. But how exactly&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-safe-is-your-ride-car-safety-ratings-and-what-they-mean\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":115242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3769,53,3950],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2607,3269],"class_list":{"0":"post-115211","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-automotive-world","8":"category-features","9":"category-for-the-car-owner","10":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Safe Is Your Ride? 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Find out how car safety ratings are given and how governing bodies conduct crash tests.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-safe-is-your-ride-car-safety-ratings-and-what-they-mean\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-08-01T02:46:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-02T22:45:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/car-safety-ratings-meaning.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1334\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/how-safe-is-your-ride-car-safety-ratings-and-what-they-mean\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/how-safe-is-your-ride-car-safety-ratings-and-what-they-mean\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. 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She is an eclectic writer with a varied repertoire in the automotive industry, writing numerous product round-ups and reviews, how-to-guides, and research pieces with a focus on daily drivers and recreational vehicles. When she\u2019s not writing about lift kits and paint chip solutions, you can find her hanging out in New Hampshire with her family and her car-hating cats.\",\"knowsAbout\":\"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"\\\/blog\\\/our-team\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/lisaconant\\\/\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/lisa-conant-b7317b163\\\/\"}],\"headline\":\"How Safe Is Your Ride? 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