
Industry makes progress on standard autobrake
Dec 17, 2020 — Ten automakers are ahead of schedule in fulfilling a voluntary commitment to equip nearly all new light vehicles with automatic emergency braking.
Dec 17, 2020 — Ten automakers are ahead of schedule in fulfilling a voluntary commitment to equip nearly all new light vehicles with automatic emergency braking.
Nov 19, 2020 — Attention problems grow as drivers get more comfortable using partial automation.
Oct 15, 2020 — Sidewalk riding may be controversial, but it's protecting e-scooter riders from crashes with motor vehicles.
Oct 1, 2020 — Better health, safer vehicles and various policy interventions have prevented a spike in crashes as a result of the aging U.S. population.
Sep 3, 2020 — Large trucks with forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are much less likely to rear-end another vehicle, IIHS researchers found in a new study.
Aug 12, 2020 — Teens crash 4 times as often as adults — and more often in smaller, older vehicles.
Jul 23, 2020 — The U.S. has made little progress against alcohol-impaired driving since the 1990s. Technology could offer the next big breakthrough.
Jun 23, 2020 — Convertibles may look more dangerous than other cars, but crash statistics tell a different story.
Jun 16, 2020 — SUVs, which make up an increasingly large share of the vehicle fleet, are more likely to kill pedestrians than cars. Fresh designs haven't changed that.
Jun 4, 2020 — Human error plays a role in virtually all crashes, but self-driving cars may have trouble avoiding the same mistakes.
May 28, 2020 — Among late-model vehicles, small cars and minicars remain the most dangerous, according to new driver death rates calculated by IIHS. Nearly half of the 20 models with the lowest death rates are luxury SUVs.
May 19, 2020
— Many vehicles allow parents to monitor or control aspects of their teen’s driving, but salespeople often require prompting before they bring up these systems with prospective buyers.
Apr 9, 2020 — Centerline hardening can dramatically reduce close calls between vehicles and pedestrians.
Mar 12, 2020
— IIHS issues research-based safety recommendations for the design of partially automated systems.
Dec 19, 2019 — Pedestrian fatalities on U.S. interstates and other freeways rose 60 percent from 2009 to 2018. Most of those killed were trying to cross the freeway in urban areas.
Dec 17, 2019
— Audi and Volvo have joined Mercedes-Benz and Tesla in equipping all their light passenger vehicles with front automatic emergency braking.
Dec 3, 2019 — Automakers are making safety improvements faster than ever, but they still take decades to filter into the broader U.S. fleet.
Nov 21, 2019
— The IIHS side crash test has led to lifesaving improvements but is no longer challenging automakers. Engineers are working on an update that will raise the bar for side crash protection.
Oct 10, 2019 — Today's SUVs aren't a major threat to occupants of smaller vehicles, new IIHS research shows. Pickups, on the other hand, still represent an outsize danger when they crash with cars, and the weight imbalance is a likely reason.
Aug 15, 2019 — Bike lanes separated from the roadway by physical barriers make cyclists feel safer, but many of them have a high risk of injury.
Jun 20, 2019 — Many of today's vehicles can stay in a lane and maintain a set following distance with minimal driver input. But some drivers are confused about the limitations of these systems.
Jun 20, 2019 — For the most part, drivers are using today's automation where it was intended — on interstates and other freeways — though some individuals may be using it outside of the intended domain.
Apr 25, 2019 — A new study of crashes in which belted rear-seat passengers were killed or seriously injured suggests better restraint systems are needed.
Apr 25, 2019 — IIHS engineers are trying out new crash test configurations as they develop procedures for future evaluations.
Apr 25, 2019 — Persistent audible belt reminders are no less effective than interlocks and may raise fewer concerns for drivers, new research suggests.
Apr 4, 2019 — Rising speed limits over the past 25 years have cost nearly 37,000 lives, including more than 1,900 in 2017 alone, a new IIHS study shows.
Feb 21, 2019 — The latest crash avoidance evaluation from IIHS focuses on systems that can detect and brake for people on foot.
Feb 21, 2019 — Automatic emergency braking does a good job preventing typical front-to-rear crashes, but the technology could be enhanced to address less-common types of rear-end crashes.
Jan 24, 2019 — Few drivers use the automatic settings for the iPhone's "Do Not Disturb While Driving" feature.
Nov 1, 2018 — A pair of IIHS crash tests shows why teen drivers should be steered away from minicars and small cars. Updated used vehicle recommendations help families find alternatives.
Oct 18, 2018 — Crashes are up as much as 6 percent in Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, compared with neighboring states that haven't legalized recreational marijuana, new research shows.
Sep 27, 2018 — Seven years after IIHS found serious shortcomings in the rear underride guards of most semitrailers, the eight largest North American manufacturers are now making rear guards capable of preventing deadly underride in a range of scenarios.
Sep 13, 2018 — A new IIHS survey shows Ford’s MyKey system, which allows parents to control things like top vehicle speed when their teenagers are driving, is catching on. However, more than a third of respondents said they didn't know their vehicle was equipped with the system.
Aug 28, 2018 — A 5 mph drop in the speed limit makes city streets safer for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists alike. A look at Boston's experience.
Aug 7, 2018 — On-road and track tests of adaptive cruise control and active lane-keeping show performance can be inconsistent in typical driving situations.
Aug 7, 2018 — A deadly crash of a Tesla Model X demonstrates the operational limits of advanced driver assistance systems and the dangers of putting too much trust in them.
Jul 24, 2018
— AAA, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Safety Council have collaborated on a checklist that provides practical instructions for planning, implementing and evaluating red light camera programs.
Jun 26, 2018 — New evaluations based on a collaboration between IIHS and Virginia Tech help cyclists find the safest helmets.
May 8, 2018 — Pedestrian deaths have jumped 46 percent since 2009. The increase has been mostly in cities and suburbs, away from intersections, on arterial roads and in the dark.
May 8, 2018 — Subaru's dual-camera crash avoidance system has cut the rate of likely pedestrian-related insurance claims by 35 percent, HLDI found.
May 8, 2018 — The average claim payment for injuries to motorcyclists has risen 40 percent since Michigan weakened its helmet law six years ago.
Mar 29, 2018 — Two new IIHS studies bolster the case for expanded use of alcohol interlocks.
Feb 22, 2018 — Two rear autobrake systems earn the highest rating of superior, and four earn the second-highest rating of advanced in the first IIHS evaluations of rear crash prevention systems.
Feb 22, 2018 — Rear autobrake bundled with rear parking sensors and a rearview camera can cut backing crash rates by more than 75 percent, new IIHS research shows.
Feb 15, 2018 — The Institute recently shared an advisory on aftermarket repair parts with its member companies as part of periodic updates on topics of particular interest to insurers.
Nov 21, 2017 — IIHS is using a new, specially designed dummy for booster evaluations. Manufacturers can use this new tool in the design process to ensure boosters provide proper belt fit.
Oct 19, 2017 — Crash avoidance features on passenger vehicles could prevent or mitigate more than 8,000 crashes with motorcycles if the systems were designed to detect them.
Aug 29, 2017 — An aftermarket device that attaches to the sides of a tractor-trailer successfully prevented a midsize car from sliding underneath the trailer in a 40 mph crash test conducted by IIHS.
Aug 23, 2017 — Lane departure warning and blind spot detection are helping to prevent the type of crashes they were designed to address, new IIHS research shows.
Aug 23, 2017 — A rear automatic braking system from General Motors is reducing crashes reported to insurers.
Aug 3, 2017
— Adults know children must be properly restrained, but when it comes to their own safety, many mistakenly believe safety belts are optional in the rear seat. In a recent IIHS survey, more than a quarter of adults said they don't always buckle up when riding in the back.
Jun 22, 2017 — Collision claim rates have increased 3 percent in Colorado, Oregon and Washington, after recreational marijuana use was legalized in those states.
Jun 22, 2017 — Among vehicles with crash avoidance features, lane maintenance systems are turned off nearly half the time, a new study shows.
May 25, 2017 — The risk of dying in a crash in a late-model vehicle has gone up slightly because of the stronger economy. A new study predicts traffic deaths will fall only slightly over the coming years, given current economic forecasts.
May 25, 2017 — Summer and early fall are the most dangerous times of the year on the nation's roads. Fatalities also are higher on weekends and certain holidays.
Mar 1, 2017
— Five North American semitrailer manufacturers earn the new IIHS Toughguard award recognizing rear underride guards that are designed to prevent a range of deadly underride crashes.
Feb 1, 2017 — Alcohol-impaired driving offenders are less likely to reoffend after their interlocks are removed if they have been referred for treatment, a recent study found.
Dec 8, 2016 — IIHS has adjusted the way it accounts for glare in its headlight evaluations.
Dec 8, 2016 — Serious truck defects triple the risk of a crash. Long hours behind the wheel are another major factor.
Nov 17, 2016 — The Mifold Grab-and-Go Booster is a highly portable belt-positioning device, but isn't really a booster.
Nov 17, 2016 — An IIHS study of police-reported backing collisions shows that rearview cameras cut such crashes by 16 percent. Older drivers benefit the most.
Nov 10, 2016 — Self-driving vehicles are coming, but they won't supplant human drivers for decades to come. Automation can reduce crashes, but so can focusing on tried-and-true countermeasures.
Sep 1, 2016 — Trauma centers in Michigan are seeing more head injuries after the state rolled back its helmet law, new research shows.
Sep 1, 2016 — Drivers who crash as a result of drifting out of their lanes often are asleep, suffering a medical emergency, or blacked out due to drug or alcohol use.
Sep 1, 2016 — Electronic stability control saved an estimated 4,100 lives in 2010-14, an updated federal analysis has found.
Jul 28, 2016 — Red light camera programs in 79 large U.S. cities saved nearly 1,300 lives through 2014, new research shows. When such programs are shut down, the rate of fatal red-light-running crashes shoots up 30 percent.
Jun 23, 2016 — Vehicles that provide good protection for drivers in small overlap crashes don’t always offer the same protection to front-seat passengers, a new IIHS study shows.
Jun 23, 2016 — A study of speed limit increases in Utah adds to the evidence that raising limits leads to higher travel speeds and more people exceeding the new limit.
May 24, 2016 — High-horsepower vehicles are more likely to exceed the speed limit and have higher mean speeds than more sedate engines, IIHS researchers have found.
Mar 30, 2016 — The first IIHS headlight evaluations find only one midsize car with a good system available.
Mar 30, 2016 — Observations in Michigan show that most drivers don't turn on their high beams when they should, even on the darkest roads.
Mar 17, 2016 — Automakers representing 99 percent of the U.S. auto market have committed to making front crash prevention with automatic braking standard on virtually all new vehicles by 2022.
Feb 26, 2016 — A historic mandate for electronic logs is bringing trucker work-rule compliance into the 21st century. The change comes more than 29 years after IIHS first petitioned for it.
Jan 28, 2016 — Both autobrake and forward collision warning are helping drivers avoid a pitfall of driving on congested roads, an IIHS study shows.
Dec 10, 2015 — An IIHS analysis of data from a large naturalistic driving study provides new evidence that cellphones and other distractions raise the odds of a crash.
Nov 10, 2015 — An updated HLDI-IIHS analysis shows that injury rates are 11 percent lower in rear crashes when vehicles are equipped with good head restraints compared with poor ones.
Oct 1, 2015 — A speed-camera program in a large community near Washington, D.C., has led to long-term changes in driver behavior and substantial reductions in deaths and injuries.
Sep 11, 2015 — The commitment by a group of major vehicle manufacturers was announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation and IIHS. It represents a big step toward making crash avoidance technologies widely available.
Aug 26, 2015 — Insurance data show that vehicles with front crash prevention have lower rates of claims for damage to other vehicles and injuries to people in other vehicles.
Jul 30, 2015 — The 2015 Ford F-150 crew cab earns a Top Safety Pick award, but the extended cab version falls short for small overlap protection.
Jul 30, 2015 — The Ford F-150 crew cab scores high marks for crashworthiness, but the aluminum-body pickup costs more to repair after minor crashes than its steel-body predecessor.
Jun 18, 2015 — For the first time, IIHS has rated vehicles on how easy it is to install child restraints in them. The results aren't great.
Jun 18, 2015 — These explanations about LATCH weight limits, center seating positions and other issues can help clear up confusion.
May 12, 2015 — Well-publicized checkpoints are a proven tool to reduce impaired driving, but few law enforcement agencies conduct them regularly, an IIHS survey shows.
Mar 31, 2015 — Graduated licensing is reducing fatal crashes among teen drivers, but many states could do much better if they strengthened their laws.
Mar 31, 2015 — A new study looks at the types of crashes bicyclist detection systems would need to address in order to be most effective at reducing deaths and injuries.
Mar 3, 2015 — Using voice commands to make calls and perform other tasks helps drivers keep their eyes on the road, but it doesn't eliminate visual distraction completely.
Mar 3, 2015 — The fatality rate among drivers age 75 and older has improved because they are involved in fewer crashes per mile traveled and are surviving side impacts more often.
Jan 29, 2015 — Drivers of late-model vehicles are a third less likely to die in crashes than they were a few years ago, but the gap between the best and worst vehicles remains wide.
Nov 20, 2014 — Two cars sold in India, Nissan's Datsun Go and the Maruti Suzuki Swift, fall short of minimum safety standards, new crash tests show.
Nov 20, 2014 — Antilock brakes can benefit high-risk and low-risk riders, a new HLDI study that categorizes motorcyclists based on auto claims rates shows.
Nov 6, 2014 — Nine of 10 parents move their children out of a booster seat before they're big enough for safety belts, a Safe Kids survey shows.
Oct 24, 2014 — A new study by IIHS and Virginia Tech helps clarify the risk of cellphone use behind the wheel and offers insight into other distracting behaviors that drivers engage in.
Oct 24, 2014 — Even with strong enforcement, bans on handheld phone use and texting aren't reducing crashes reported to insurers, a new HLDI analysis shows.
Oct 9, 2014 — Headlights that swivel in response to steering input help drivers see objects on dark curvy roads earlier, a new IIHS study finds.
Jul 16, 2014 — Teens' high risk of crashing is amplified by certain vehicles, and teens are more likely than other drivers to have the least safe types of cars, new studies show.
Dec 19, 2013 — A recent study provides more evidence that graduated driver licensing cuts fatal crashes among 16 and 17 year-olds and identifies components with large benefits.
Oct 30, 2013
— Personal vehicles are almost twice as likely to be vandalized on Oct. 31 as on an average day, HLDI finds. Other holidays with high vandalism claim numbers are July Fourth and New Year's Day, while Thanksgiving and Christmas have below-average claim numbers.
Sep 27, 2013 — Seven midsize vehicles earn top marks under the new test program, which aims to help consumers decide which systems to consider. The ratings program is based on research by HLDI showing that forward collision warning and autobrake systems help drivers avoid front-to-rear crashes.
Sep 27, 2013 — IIHS conducted two demonstration crash tests at different speeds to show how autobrake can reduce damage even when a crash can't be avoided.
Sep 27, 2013 — Dealers of two brands that did well in the Institute's small overlap front crash test say the good ratings brought in customers and boosted sales.
Jul 9, 2013 — The Ford F-250 pickup has the highest rate of insurance claims for theft of any 2010-12 vehicle, replacing the Cadillac Escalade at the top of the list. The Escalade is now at No. 6 on HLDI's list of vehicles with high theft rates.
Jun 27, 2013 — Car buyers in the U.S. benefit from a safety marketplace where there is a wealth of consumer information. The story is different in developing markets, but some groups are helping them catch up.
Jun 6, 2013 — With more data confirming the safety value of antilock brakes on motorcycles, IIHS and HLDI have formally petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require the technology on all models.
Apr 25, 2013 — A strap meant to prevent a child restraint from tipping forward in a crash is ignored by lots of parents. A new IIHS study finds top tethers are used just over half of the time.
Mar 14, 2013 — Modern semitrailers for the most part do a good job of keeping passenger vehicles from sliding underneath when they crash into the backs of trucks. But the trailers fail to prevent potentially deadly underride in crashes involving only a small portion of the truck's rear, new IIHS tests show.
Jan 24, 2013 — A new study of red light cameras in Arlington, Va., shows that cameras reduce red light violations, with particularly large decreases for violations that occur at least 1½ seconds after the light turned red.
Nov 17, 2011 — The odds of being injured in a crash are 25 percent lower for people in hybrids than people traveling in the nonhybrid versions of the same vehicles, a new HLDI study indicates.
Aug 18, 2011 — Tried-and-true strategies such as safety belt and helmet laws and lower speed limits don't grab headlines, but they still have the potential to save many lives.
Jun 30, 2011 — Two-thirds of drivers in 14 big cities with longstanding red light camera programs support their use, a new IIHS survey indicates. The strong public support confirms that red light camera opponents, while vocal, are a minority.
Feb 1, 2011 — Red light cameras saved 159 lives in 2004-08 in 14 of the biggest U.S. cities, a new IIHS analysis shows. Had cameras been operating during that period in all large cities, a total of 815 deaths would have been prevented.
Jan 19, 2011 — Drivers of vehicles that perform well in the Institute's side-impact crash test are much less likely to die in a real-world left-side crash than drivers of vehicles that do poorly, a new analysis finds. The study includes only passenger vehicles with side airbags, demonstrating that airbags, while crucial, are far from the whole story in side crash protection.
May 20, 2010 — More states are allowing a relatively new breed of vehicle on public roads, but crash tests by IIHS show why the mix of low-speed vehicles or minitrucks and regular traffic is a deadly combination. These vehicles don't have to meet the basic safety standards that cars and pickups do, and they aren't designed to protect their occupants in crashes.
Mar 15, 2008 — The rate of neck injury complaints is lower in cars and SUVs with seat/head restraint combinations that are rated good by the Institute than those rated poor.
Feb 7, 2004 — Drivers of vehicles with good frontal ratings from the Institute are about 74 percent less likely to die than drivers of vehicles rated poor, a new study shows.
May 19, 2001 — Highway safety used to be about asking people to "please drive safely." Fortunately, a more scientific approach won out.
May 19, 2001 — Most demonstrable improvements in driver behavior come from traffic safety laws. Belt use, motorcycle helmet use and travel speeds are clear examples.