IIHS top safety rating given to 3 cars

By Butler Prather LLP on July 10, 2017

Georgia residents who are looking to purchase a new carmay be interested to learn that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave three vehicles the highest rating for crash worthiness. These vehicles were the Lincoln Continental, the Toyota Avalon and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan. However, three other vehicles that were also tested did not make the cut.

One of them was the Tesla Model S, which has been touted as one of the safest cars. However, the Model S failed to pass the small overlap front test, which determines the car’s ability to handle an impact coming from the front driver-side corner, such as would happen if a driver crashed into a telephone pole. This test particularly looks at the structural integrity of the vehicle’s safety cage, which is what the driver and passengers actually sit in.

According to the IIHS, the Model S did not have a strong enough safety belt. Additionally, the dummy that simulated a driver moved too far forward during the crash, causing the dummy’s head to hit the steering wheel. The two other vehicles that did not pass the test, the Chevy Impala and the Ford Taurus, also left certain areas of the dummy unprotected during the crash test.

A car accident can happen in the blink of an eye and leave those involved with life-threatening injuries regardless of how safe the vehicle is. If it can be determined that another driver was responsible, a personal injury attorney may assist with pursing a full recovery for victims using evidence such as the police report and any available witness testimony.