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NHTSA’s safety rating system called outdated, misleading

On Behalf of | Feb 15, 2020 | Car Accidents

Perhaps you were hurt in a New Jersey car accident. If your vehicle achieved a 4- or 5-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, then one consolation is that your injuries could have been worse. But then, this may not always be the case as the rating system has recently come under fire for being outdated.

Improvements to Crash Tests Needed

The federal agency bases its rating system on crash tests, and in fact, it had been a leader in this field since the 1970s. However, a report published in October 2019 criticizes it for now lagging behind Europe, Asia and Latin America in the matter. Europe crash tests its vehicles four times as much as the U.S. before determining a safety rating.

There is a clear need for new crash test procedures and ratings for the safety technologies that have recently come out, such as pedestrian detection. The NHTSA, for its part, continues to promise these additions, but lack of funding and other obstacles are in the way of fulfillment.

How FARS Data Can Benefit Drivers

The report only addresses the safety rating system, but car buyers naturally want to rely on more than that when making a decision. This is why some experts recommend making the Fatality Analysis Reporting System more accessible to the average driver. FARS data shows how a given vehicle holds up in real-life collisions.

A Lawyer for Personal Representation

Regardless of the extent of your injuries, they might come at a steep financial cost. If the car accident was caused by the negligence of another motorist, you might want to have legal assistance when seeking to receive a settlement for your medical expenses and other losses.

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