Original moderate overlap front
Discontinued test
The moderate overlap front test represents an offset crash between two vehicles traveling in opposite directions at a little under 40 mph each. The original version of the test had only one dummy in the driver seat and did not evaluate back seat protection.
The severity of a frontal crash depends on the vehicle’s weight, so ratings in this test can only be compared among vehicles of similar weight.
How the test was run
- A vehicle travels at 40 mph into a stationary barrier with 40% of the vehicle’s front overlapping.
- A Hybrid III dummy representing an average-size male is belted in the driver seat.
How vehicles were evaluated
- We measured intrusion into the occupant compartment at key locations.
- Sensors in the head, neck, chest, legs and feet of the dummy recorded injury risk.
- High-speed film and greasepaint helped us see the movement of the dummy during the crash so we could evaluate how well the seat belt and airbags worked.
Why we stopped conducting this test
An updated version of the test was introduced in 2022, and the original version was phased out.
Original moderate overlap front test protocol and technical information
For details on other current and discontinued tests, visit the About our tests page.