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What do Crash-Test Scores Mean?

What do Crash-Test Scores Mean?
 
Safety usually plays a large factor in someone’s car buying decision. However, many people don’t really understand what the safety ratings that a vehicle receives really mean. Read ahead to learn about the different crash test ratings and how they should effect your car buying decision.
 
There are two main groups that perform tests to measure how safe a vehicle is in an automobile crash: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHSTA).
 
The IIHS uses a four-scale rating system (poor, marginal, acceptable and good) to measure how well a vehicle will perform in a crash. The two front, side, roof and head restraint tests are used to help determine what the safest cars on the market are. The IIHS awards a “Top Safety Pick” award to vehicles who are well-above average in its class.
 
The NHTSA uses a five-point scale to rate a vehicle’s safety with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. The NHTSA uses a front, side and roll-over test to measure a car’s crashworthiness. With today’s technology, it is strongly recommended that you buy a vehicle with scores of 4’s and 5’s.
 
If a vehicle is given a good rating from both the IIHS and NHTSA, you should feel comfortable driving it. It is recommended that you stay away from and cars that perform poorly from either group.