Safety Institute Releases Side Impact Test Results: Toyota Avalon, Hyundai Azera Fare Well

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Washington DC June 19, 2006; The AIADA newsletter reported that The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently conducted a study of side crash tests that simulate an impact from an SUV or pickup truck.

Eight large family cars were tested, and the Toyota Avalon and Chevrolet Impala both earned top ratings of good, with the Hyundai Azera and Buick Lucerne earning the second highest rating.

The study comes at a time where more fatal accidents occur in cars struck in the side (51 percent) than in the front (44 percent). This contrasts with the past when more deaths occurred in frontal crashes. "The change reflects the big improvements manufacturers have made in frontal crashworthiness in response to Institute and federal government frontal crash test programs," said IIHS president Adrian Lund. "These new crash test results show that the same improvements are beginning to be made for protection in serious side impacts."

The release also noted that side airbags are now standard in more cars. Nearly 40 percent of 2006 passenger vehicle models have standard side airbags with head protection, compared to 23 percent in 2003. The IIHS side test is based on performance in a crash test in which the side of the vehicle is struck by a barrier (which represents the front end of a pickup or SUV) moving at 31 mph. Overall ratings reflect injury measures recorded on two crash test dummies, assessment of head protection and counter measures, and the vehicle's structural performance during the test.