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November 15, 2005
ANOTHER AUTO SAFETY RATINGS SYSTEM?
According to U.S. News and World Report, a Connecticut non-profit group, Informed for Life, has released what it terms as “combined RISK scores” for many 2006 model-year vehicles. The group's scores are said to use a calculated composite of NHTSA and IIHS crash ratings, weighted according to actual fatality risk in accidents, along with known factors that raise the fatality risk in vehicles, like weight, the presence of stability control, and the presence of a side-curtain airbag. The group’s founder, a mechanical engineer, reportedly believes that the ratings now published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety are inadequate; "Automakers have figured out that safety is a selling point," he is quoted as saying. Referring to the frequent mention of crash ratings in ads, he stated: "Five stars is such a small part of the overall picture. You need to be looking at so much more." The group’s ratings and an explanation of their system can be found at Informed for Life.
Posted by MVHAP at November 15, 2005 10:20 AM