When trying to find the safest car for your families there are two organizations whose tests matter. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), and the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.) Both groups were formed after the publication of the book “Unsafe at Any Speed” which raised concern across America as to the safety of their vehicles. Although the companies were formed in the 1960’s they did not perform their first crash test until 1978 for the NHTSA and 1995 for the IIHS.

Both companies now perform front and side crash test ratings for consumers, although both sets of test vary by organization. Additionally the NHTSA offers a roller-over crash test which is well known in the SUV community. The IIHS also tests seat and head restraints in rear crashes, as well as “fender benders.”

The company select vehicles to test based off the same relative standards. They evaluate what cars are popular in the market at the present time, as well as vehicles that have been modified from their previous structures, and body styles. This means that although most vehicles of the current model year are tested by the organizations, some are not.

As many times as consumers are made aware of their car’s “crash test rating”, many are not aware of what that specifically means. To understand the level of stars your car received, you must understand how the scores are calculated. One main difference between the two frontal crash tests is that the NHTSA crashes the vehicle head on at a fixed 35 mph. The IIHS however conducts the test at 40 mph on only one side of the front of the vehicle.

Another difference is between the terms of familiarity to the consumer. The stars rating which most advertisements refer to is the system used by the NHTSA. The stars are determined by the percentage chance for injury. Also these ranges fluctuate depending on the crash test, for instance 5 stars in a frontal test means there is a 10 percent or less chance of injury, whereas for the side impact test it symbolizes 5 percent of less chance of injury. The IIHS though uses terms for ratings including the best performance as good, and the worst as poor.

With these differences it is important to consider both testing organizations before purchasing your vehicle and to know exactly what their words and stars mean. With this knowledge it is possible to find a safe vehicle for your family.