IIHS and HLDI News

IIHS testifies before US House subcommittees on cellphone laws and distracted driving

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testified November 4 before a joint hearing of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection and the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet.

The cumulative evidence from various types of studies points toward cellphone use as a risk factor for crashes and impaired driving performance. While studies have reached different estimates of the magnitude of the risk, well-controlled research that verified phone use in large samples of crash-involved drivers found that the risk of crashing was 4 times higher when a driver was talking on either a hand-held or hands-free phone.

Seven states and the District of Columbia have banned hand-held cellphone use while driving, but the effects of these laws on hand-held use is mixed. Moreover, the effect on safety isn�t clear. Many drivers still use hand-held phones where use is banned, and other drivers may switch to hands-free devices, which doesn�t help, since the crash risk with either type of device is about the same. Preliminary data from insurance claims for collision suggest no apparent reduction in crash risk after states enacted hand-held bans.

Full text of testimony (PDF)

Status Report: Vol. 44, No. 9

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Cover story: cellphone laws

IIHS 50th anniversary celebration, featuring test comparing crashworthiness then and now

2010 Buick LaCrosse and 2010 Nissan Versa earn Top Safety Pick award

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse and the 2010 Nissan Versa are the Institute's newest Top Safety Pick award winners. To qualify for Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute's front, side, and rear tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. Criteria to win are tough because the award is intended to drive continued safety improvements such as top crash test ratings and the rapid addition of electronic stability control, which is standard on the LaCrosse and optional on the Versa.

"Recognizing vehicles at the head of the class for safety helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices without having to sort through multiple test results," says Institute president Adrian Lund.

New Institute ratings for the Buick LaCrosse | Nissan Versa

Illinois allows low-speed vehicles on more roads

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Illinois will allow low-speed vehicles on any road with a posted limit of 30 mph or lower, effective January 2010. Previously, individual communities had to adopt laws to permit the use of low-speed vehicles on local roads. To compare low-speed vehicle laws in all states, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/LowSpeedVehicles.aspx

3 midsize SUVs earn Top Safety Pick award

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The 2010 Cadillac SRX and the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, also sold as the GMC Terrain, are the Institute's newest Top Safety Pick award winners. To qualify for Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute's front, side, and rear tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. Criteria to win are tough because the award is intended to drive continued safety improvements such as top crash test ratings and the rapid addition of electronic stability control, which is standard on the SRX, Equinox, and Terrain.

New Institute ratings for the Cadillac SRX | Chevrolet Equinox | GMC Terrain

New survey results: stop anyone impaired by alcohol from driving any vehicle, public says

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

ARLINGTON, VA — People are ready to prevent any driver from starting a vehicle after drinking too much alcohol, even though the technology to do it isn't available yet. Responding to a new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety survey, people across the nation said they like the idea of using advanced technology to stop drunk drivers from operating their vehicles. About 2 of 3 respondents deem this a good or very good idea, assuming the technology is reliable. More than 40 percent would want such devices in their own cars if offered as an option. Drinkers and nondrinkers alike favor the concept.

Status Report: Vol. 44, No. 8

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Alcohol detection devices for all drivers garner widespread support

Regulating light truck bumpers gets a look-see from NHTSA

Amber is a better color than red for rear turn signals

Camera enforcement case summaries are available at iihs.org

Better truck brakes are on tap

Crash deaths continue to decline, though deaths of motorcyclists keep bucking the overall trend

Updated auto insurance loss facts

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Comparative loss information under six coverages, from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI)

3 vehicles earn Top Safety Pick award

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

2010 models of the Dodge Journey, Lincoln MKT, and Mazda 3 are the Institute's newest Top Safety Pick award winners.

New Institute ratings for the Dodge Journey | Lincoln MKT | Mazda 3

37,261 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Institute has updated Fatality Facts, an annual summary of fatal crash information from the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

IIHS makes state law table and interactive map describing medium-speed vehicles available online

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In September 2008, NHTSA denied a petition for rulemaking to create a new class of motor vehicles known as medium speed vehicles (MSV). The petitioners proposed that MSVs have a top speed of 35 mph and that they be held to less stringent safety standards than passenger cars. NHTSA, taking environmental and fuel consumption issues into consideration, denied the request due to increased risk of death and injury.

Despite NHTSA's denial of the petition, 9 states (Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington) have adopted a definition of "medium-speed vehicle (MSV)" and all except Colorado allow MSVs on specified portions of their public roads. Colorado's law states that medium-speed vehicles cannot be titled or registered until the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has adopted safety standards for vehicles that operate at greater than 25 mph but less than 45 mph.

For details, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/mediumspeedvehicles.aspx

New York strengthens booster seat law

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

New York joins 26 other states in requiring children at least 7 and younger to be in a booster seat, effective Nov. 24, 2009. For details on child restraint laws in all states, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/childrestraint.aspx

New York strengthens graduated driver licensing law

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:00 GMT

New York has strengthened its GDL law by eliminating the limited school license, thereby requiring all young drivers to hold the learner's permit for at least 6 months. The supervised driving hour requirement has increased from 20 to 50 hours and the passenger restriction allows only one instead of two passengers. These changes become effective Feb. 22, 2010. For details, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/graduatedLicenseIntro.aspx

New York bans text messaging by all drivers

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

New York joins 17 other states in banning text messaging by all drivers, effective Nov. 1, 2009. For details on cellphone and texting bans in all states, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/cellphonelaws.aspx

2010 Subaru Legacy and Outback earn Top Safety Pick award

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The 2010 Subaru Legacy and Subaru Outback are the Institute's newest Top Safety Pick award winners.

New Institute ratings for the Subaru Legacy | Subaru Outback

2010 Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring earn Top Safety Pick award

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The 2010 Dodge Avenger and its twin, the Chrysler Sebring, are the Institute's newest Top Safety Pick award winners.

New Institute ratings for the Dodge Avenger | Chrysler Sebring

Smart Fortwo rates good for roof strength; test is designed to assess & compare occupant protection in rollover crashes

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

ARLINGTON, VA — The Smart Fortwo has the strongest roof and the Chevrolet Aveo has the weakest among 2009 micro and minicars recently tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Smart earns the highest rating of good compared with acceptable for the Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Mini Cooper, and Toyota Yaris. The Aveo is rated marginal.

Illinois raises truck speed limit on interstates

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Illinois' speed limit for large trucks will increase from 55 to 65 mph on interstate highways to align with the current limit for passenger vehicles, effective Jan. 1, 2010. Nine other states (Arkansas, California, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Texas, and Washington) have lower speed limits for large trucks than for passenger vehicles. To compare speed limits in all states, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/speedlimits.aspx

IIHS bolsters case for regulating light truck bumpers

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has provided additional data to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in support of extending federal bumper rules to SUVs, pickups, and vans. IIHS petitioned the agency in 2008 to upgrade the standard to reduce vehicle damage in low-speed collisions.

Comment in full (PDF)

3 small cars earn Top Safety Pick award

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The 2010 Honda Insight, 2010 Kia Soul, and 2010 Toyota Prius are the Institute's newest Top Safety Pick award winners.

New Institute ratings for the Honda Insight | Kia Soul | Toyota Prius