Driving Safety: IIHS proposes tougher roof crush guidelines

Brooks Schuelke

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This month Injuryboard is focusing on driving safety, and it appears to be timely. One of the most important parts of driver safety is being in a safe vehicle, and yesterday, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced that it will require automakers to dramatically increase the strength of vehicle roofs to receive the institute’s top safety pick. Starting in the fall, IIHS will require automakers to have a 4.0 rating (meaning roofs can withstand a force equal to four times the vehicle’s weight) to receive the top rating.

But the IIHS is not the only regulating body advocating tougher standards. In January, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration unveiled a new policy that would require vehicles to withstand 2.5 times their weight, up from the current standard of 1.5.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers support the NHTSA regulations, but remain skeptical about the IIHS standard. Because auto manufacturers usually change design to improve their rating, this IIHS proposal might increase safety for all.