Word: nhtsa
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 2000-2009
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...what about those statistics? The NHTSA rollover ratings are based on a proportional comparison between a vehicle's center of gravity and the width between its tires. Generally, SUVshave a higher center of gravity, which means they are more susceptible to rollovers, particularly if they skid or "trip" on a soft shoulder or a pile of snow...
...NHTSA ratings aren't a comprehensive measure of a vehicle's tendency to flip--or a complete indicator of safety either. True, single-vehicle rollovers cause more fatalities than any other accident (a quarter of the roughly 40,000 deaths yearly). But in other crash statistics, like those for front or side collisions, SUVs are safer than cars. And they provide a commanding view, which is partly why SUVsremain the fastest-growing segment of the market, and the Explorer the most popular...
More important, the NHTSA ratings are static, which means they do not take into account how a car handles. Consumers Union, the nonprofit organization that publishes Consumer Reports, last week criticized the ratings for this reason. Increasingly, the top-selling SUVs have a battery of onboard systems that help prevent a rollover, including antilock brakes, independent suspensions and computerized monitoring systems that adjust power to each wheel when a skid begins...
...been in development since 1996, long before the tire crisis was visible. (Indeed, plaintiffs' lawyers are probing that process for evidence of Ford's culpability.) It has a longer and wider wheelbase, which make it more stable and, by the way, earned it three rollover stars in the NHTSA calculations. By the end of this year, the Explorer will be available with a battery of safety systems, from electronic tire-pressure monitors to "AdvanceTrac," which automatically corrects for a loss of traction or stability...
With the help of such legislators as Senator Patrick Leahy, who has proposed legislation to expand NHTSA's scope, NHTSA may soon be able to change the way it does business. But as often occurs with such underfunded agencies, nothing happens until the bodies start piling...