Just 15 vehicles qualify for the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award from IIHS after the requirements were strengthened to include good-rated headlights and good or acceptable passenger-side protection in small overlap front crashes.
Another 47 vehicles earn the TOP SAFETY PICK award, which now requires acceptable or good headlights. In contrast, headlights weren’t factored in for 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK, and an acceptable headlight rating was enough to bump a 2017 award winner into "plus" territory.
The inclusion of a passenger-side crash test is a first for any IIHS award. The Institute developed the passenger-side small overlap front crash test after it became clear that some manufacturers weren't paying sufficient attention to the passenger side as they made improvements to achieve better performance in the driver-side small overlap front test.
Parking crashes usually don’t result in serious injuries, but repair costs can quickly mount, along with the hassle of going without the family vehicle while waiting for the body shop to finish work. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has launched a rear crash prevention ratings program to help consumers identify models with the technology that can prevent or mitigate low-speed backing crashes. Two systems earn the highest rating of superior, and four earn the second-highest rating of advanced.
Rear crash prevention encompasses several technologies. Parking sensors issue warning beeps and/or seat vibrations when the equipped vehicle gets too close to another vehicle or object directly behind it, or, in some cases, in front of it. Rear cross-traffic alert warns drivers of approaching vehicles that might cross their path as they back up. Rear automatic emergency braking systems detect objects behind a reversing vehicle and may automatically brake if the driver doesn’t heed alerts to stop.
IIHS engineers evaluated rear autobrake systems on six popular 2017 model vehicles — the BMW 5 series sedan, Cadillac XT5 SUV, Infiniti QX60 SUV, Jeep Cherokee SUV, Subaru Outback wagon and Toyota Prius hatchback.
Under the three-tier rating scheme, models with optional or standard rear crash prevention systems are rated superior, advanced or basic. Ratings are determined by whether the vehicles have available rear autobrake and, if so, how it performs in a series of car-to-car and car-to-pole tests with different approach angles. The availability of parking sensors and rear cross-traffic alert also is factored in.
The Outback and XT5 earn a superior rating when equipped with optional rear autobrake, parking sensors and rear cross-traffic alert. The Cherokee, 5 series, QX60 and Prius earn an advanced rating with this optional gear.
In a new round of evaluations, 5 of 7 small SUVs earn good ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for occupant protection in a passenger-side small overlap front crash.
The ratings bring to 16 the number of small SUVs the Institute has evaluated in the passenger-side small overlap front test, which was introduced in 2017 to encourage manufacturers to offer the same level of protection for front-seat passengers as drivers in this type of crash.
The BMW X1; Chevrolet Equinox and its twin, the GMC Terrain; Jeep Compass and Mitsubishi Outlander earn good ratings in the passenger-side small overlap front test. The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport earns a marginal rating, and the Ford Escape earns poor. For the 2018 model year, the Equinox shed weight to join the small SUV size class. Earlier models were classified as midsize.
None of the newly rated 2018 models earns better than acceptable marks for structure. (The Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 are the only small SUVs evaluated so far to earn good ratings for structure in the passenger-side small overlap front test.) The Outlander Sport is marginal, and the Escape is rated poor. Both the Outlander Sport and Escape allowed too much intrusion into the occupant compartment on the right side.
Just over half of 2018 model vehicles evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety are available with headlights that do an adequate job of lighting the road at night and limiting glare for oncoming drivers, but most good-rated headlights are optional or bundled with other features that can raise the price of the vehicle.
Since IIHS released its first headlight ratings for passenger vehicles in 2016, most manufacturers have focused on improving this key safety component. That year, only 2 of 95 headlight systems on 2016-model vehicles evaluated earned a good rating.
For the 2018 model year, the best-available headlights on 32 of 165 models evaluated earn the highest rating of good, and the best-available headlights on 58 models earn the second-highest rating of acceptable. Thirty-two models have only marginal-rated headlights, while poor-rated headlights are the only ones available for 43 models.
Nearly five dozen 2019 models meet stricter criteria to qualify for a 2019 TOP SAFETY PICK+ or TOP SAFETY PICK award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The 30 first-tier “plus” award winners earn the highest rating for passenger-side protection in a small overlap front crash and have good-rated available headlights, while the 27 winners of the second-tier award qualify with an acceptable or higher rating in the newest IIHS crash test and the nighttime headlight evaluation.
All 57 vehicles in this elite group earn good ratings in the Institute’s five other crashworthiness evaluations and have an available automatic emergency braking system that rates advanced or superior for front crash prevention.
IIHS now requires a good rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test to earn a 2019 TOP SAFETY PICK+ versus an acceptable or good rating for the 2018 award. An acceptable or good rating in the passenger-side test is a new criterion to earn a 2019 TOP SAFETY PICK.
This marks the sixth time that IIHS has raised the bar to earn the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award since introducing it in the 2013 model year to recognize vehicles that offer a superior level of safety. The TOP SAFETY PICK accolade launched in the 2006 model year to help consumers identify vehicles with the highest ratings. Over the years, IIHS has added to and strengthened criteria for both awards to encourage manufacturers to speed up safety advances.
The world became less peaceful for the second consecutive year, according to the fourth annual Global Peace Index (GPI) published today. As the global economy continues to falter, this year’s data shows an intensification of conflicts and growing instability linked to the downturn that began in 2008, with several countries seeing sharp increases in homicides, violent demonstrations and fear of crime.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/iep/42434/
The Art Institutes announces its search to find the next winners of the Passion for Fashion Competition. The call for entries is open to high school students throughout the U.S., Canada (excluding Quebec) and Puerto Rico. High school seniors with a passion for fashion design or the business side of fashion are encouraged to submit an entry. Entries must be postmarked by November 19, 2010.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/artinstitutes/45670/
Cities will never be the same. With more than 5 billion people projected to live in cities in 2030, there is a need for innovative ways to meet the challenges related to climate change and maintain a livable environment. The year 2010 is by the UN designated to be “The International Year of Biodiversity”, which represents an opportunity to highlight the role of biodiversity and ecosystems in reducing the effects of climate change.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/svenskainstitute/46297/
Despite the fact that Christmas is long past, New Yorkers are experiencing reindeer sightings all over the city. Turns out, an equipment upgrade at the North Pole has led to unexpected – and welcome – career changes for Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/toyotanyc/48045/
The Art Institutes, Superfly Presents and A.C. Entertainment are excited to announce that The Art Institutes schools and the 2011 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival have formed a creative partnership. A first-of-its-kind partnership, students from Art Institutes schools will contribute creative services to North America’s largest music festival in a project dubbed “Student Studio: Bonnaroo.”
Central to the creative partnership as a part of “Student Studio: Bonnaroo,” Art Institutes students will embark on a series of 15 festival projects ranging from creating merchandise design, to shade structure design concepts and creation of a sustainable fashion line. Upon completion, the student work will be utilized during Bonnaroo festival weekend, June 9 – 12. The Art Institutes projects will also be displayed on Bonnaroo.com and other digital channels.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/artinstitutes/49651/
The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Women, a collaboration of Vital Voices Global Partnership, the Avon Foundation for Women and the U.S. Department of State, today presented a new initiative to address gender-based violence: the Gender-Based Violence Emergency Response and Protection Initiative.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7137251-avon-foundation-for-women-vital-voices-global-partnership-with-fergie
