Airbags are essential, lifesaving devices that have prevented tens of thousands of deaths. More airbags, one might assume, would provide even greater protection. That isn’t always the case, a recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study shows. One increasingly common type of airbag — the knee airbag — has a negligible effect on injury risk […]
HLDI Reports Ford F-150 Repair Costs Remain Steady Despite Aluminum Parts
While repair costs have not increased due to aluminum, analysis shows longer time to repair vehicles and higher claim frequency. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) reports that Ford’s switch to aluminum for the body of the F-150 pickup hasn’t resulted in higher repair costs, in part because the company is pricing the aluminum parts […]
10 Manufacturers Report More than 50% of 2018 Vehicles Had Automatic Emergency Braking Systems
Ten automakers report equipping more than half of the vehicles they produced between Sept. 1, 2017, and Aug. 31, 2018, with automatic emergency braking (AEB), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced today. This is the second update of manufacturer progress toward equipping every new passenger […]
IIHS Reports Autobraking Systems Reduce Accidents But Could Be Improved
In the latest edition of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Status Report, the organization reports on the results of a new study into the performance of auto braking systems designed to reduce collisions. According to the report, when it comes to preventing typical front-to-rear crashes, automatic emergency braking is a proven winner. But, […]
IIHS Announces State Farm’s Angela Sparks to Chair 2019 Board of Directors
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced the election of Angela Sparks as the 2019 chair of its Board of Directors. She is the third woman to head the IIHS Board since the Institute’s 1959 founding. Sparks is vice president and actuary, State Farm Insurance Companies. She succeeds William L. Windsor Jr., who served as […]
IIHS Report Raises Concern on Headlight Replacement Costs
Latest edition of Insurance Industry for Highway Safety’s Status Report examines headlight performance and collision repair cost. Minor crashes can result in big headlight collision repair bills. The cover story in the latest edition of the Insurance Industry for Highway Safety (IIHS) Status Report examines improvements in headlight performance that, while benefiting safety, are often […]
IIHS Finds GM Front Crash Prevention with Autobrake Cuts Collisions Over 40%
An Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study of General Motors vehicles with optional front crash prevention systems adds to the evidence that forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking prevent crashes. GM vehicles with autobrake and forward collision warning had 43 percent fewer police-reported front-to-rear crashes of all severities and 64 percent fewer front-to-rear […]
Collision Claims Up 6% in First States that Legalized Recreational Marijuana
Crashes are up by as much as 6 percent in Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, compared with neighboring states that haven’t legalized marijuana for recreational use, new research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) shows. The findings come as campaigns to decriminalize marijuana gain traction with voters […]
IIHS-HLDI Launch Educational Website for Science Teachers, Students
A new educational website from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety applies physics and biology concepts to the real world of cars and car crashes. IIHS-HLDI in the Classroom is a free, online resource featuring hands-on science activities designed by science educator Griff Jones, Ph.D., a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science […]
IIHS Questions Conclusions from Tracy Crash Test Data on Safety of Non-OEM Parts
Following examination of publicly-available results, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety stands by its previous statements that cosmetic parts are irrelevant to crashworthiness and that non-OEM structural parts can meet OEM performance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) issued an advisory last week examining the publicly-available results from crash tests conducted by the Tracy […]