Tough Contest For IIHS Top Safety Picks

“Our crash tests cover the most common kinds of real world collisions. Designating Top Safety Pick winners based on the tests makes it easier for consumers to identify vehicles that afford the best overall protection without sifting through multiple sets of comparative test results.”

The statement above is actually one given out by Adrian Lund, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) president. And Lund mentioned such as part of the organization’s announcement on the top vehicles that took home Top Safety Pick awards for the year 2007.

According to the organization, they were able to take thirteen vehicles which very much deserved the awards. In fact, the thirteen vehicles chosen were comprised of four cars, two minivans, and, yes, seven sport utility vehicles. The IIHS also does claim that the Top Safety Pick awards are not just given out to those vehicles with the best safety features. For example, if they were examining a Mazda B26, then the IIHS would not simply dwell on the fact that the pickup has the most durable Mazda B26 pickup parts when involved in crash tests. The IIHS would actually make sure that each and every inch is covered in their crash tests and data.

For the IIHS, they are actually looking for the best vehicles that are able to actually protect people to the utmost level. In fact, the organization also sees to it that not only are people protected on aspect but passengers are protected from the front, the rear, and the side during such types of crashes. One thing that the IIHS is sure about, all vehicles which would like to take home the Top Safety Pick award should come equipped and mounted with the electronic stability control, or ESC, feature.

Lund does further explain, “The idea of tightening the criteria for the award is to encourage more vehicle safety improvements. Last year, a car could win with an acceptable rating in the rear test instead of the highest rating of good, and ESC wasn’t considered. Now, it’s tougher to win, and some of the 2006 winners don’t meet the criteria for this year’s awards because the manufacturers haven’t improved the head restraints from acceptable to good or don’t offer ESC.”

Margaret Adams is the present manager of the largest auto manufacturing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This 35 year old maiden is a certified car enthusiast.