mrraider

If you do, try to hit it head on!

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Target fixation.

It works!

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

T-Bone accidents are scary and have a real world potential for death and serious injury. Most square rear end accidents are minor and generally at traffic lights or stops signs or during stop and go traffic. The high spec rear end accidents are often offset accidents because the offending driver is making an attempt to avoid the collision. It's rare other than on YouTube Russian drives do you see a high speed square Rear end collision. Also, telephone pole impacts are common because when you think about it there is a telephone pole every so many feet on the side of the street. Anyone that veers off the road for whatever reason has a good chance of hitting a pole when it's every 50-100 yards or so

I guess people experience and perception is different depending on where you live and how your roads at build. Where I grew up in the country on a d Island, you have telephone/electric line poles all along the side of the road. Many of the roads are single lane divided roadways. Trees also line the side of the road. Most single car accidents are cars going off the road and hitting something on the side of the road.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

I would tend to agree. I'be only rear ended someone 3 times. That sounds like a lot, but the first time was after HS graduation and I fell asleep at a stop sign and rolls into the car in front of me. The 2ns time was in stop and go traffic and I stopped, but the car behind me rear ended me and pushed me I to the car in from of me. The 3rd time we were driving at highway speed. A car on the left lane cut in front of the car in front of me and came to a virtual stop trying to make an illegal right turn. The car in front of me barely had time to hit the brakes nd rear ended the car. I had some time to react, hit my brake and swerved to the left and clipped the car on the left side with my front right corner. Damage was to my right headlight, fender and bumper area. But that does show most accidents are overlapping edge to edge and not full square impacts.

My sisters accident in a CRV ironically was on the freeway driving in the left lane. The car next to her in the middle lane was side swiped causing that car to hit my sister sending her into the cement barrier at a 30-45 degree angle impacting the divers front edge first.

84Cressida

While I know they're far from alone in being caught off guard by this and it would not stop me from getting in one of their cars, it is pretty frustrating how Toyota/Lexus does not have one vehicle out of 5 tested that gets higher than a poor rating.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Same here. I never look at a cars safety rating when looking for a car to buy. Unless it's something crazy like exploding gas tanks on a Pinto or something. I grew up wearing no seatbelts, sitting on the lap of my mom in the front seat. Sure, it's it safe, but truthfully it's very low on my car buying Check list.

ydooby

About time!! Hopefully the new midcycle changes can arrive soon enough.

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...-crash-ratings

Toyota hustles to remedy low crash ratings
Midcycle changes to boost vehicles' small overlap safety

August 26, 2013 - 12:01 am ET
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Toyota Motor Corp. is racing to make its cars stronger in frontal crash tests after some vehicles, including the RAV4 compact crossover, were stung by poor safety ratings.

Engineers at the Toyota Technical Center here have been reworking designs since last year, said Osamu Nagata, CEO of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc. and head of all local manufacturing and r&d.

Toyota plans midcycle vehicle changes so the cars perform better in so-called small overlap frontal crash tests, he said.

The tests, performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, simulate what happens when a driver crashes the left front quarter of his vehicle into an object such as a tree or pole.

They are not yet included in the federal government's five-star ratings. But researchers say they are responsible for an outsized share of driving deaths. The IIHS ratings have become a major marketing factor for brands that perform well.

In December, the Toyota Camry and Prius V fared at the bottom of the field among mid-sized sedans tested and were rated poor, the lowest designation. In July, the RAV4 racked up another poor rating despite getting updates to improve stability and padding.

"We are now implementing some design countermeasures to improve our small overlap results," Nagata said in an interview.

Fixes will be made "as soon as possible" to the RAV4 and other vehicles, Nagata said. He did not identify other nameplates.

"Each vehicle has its own countermeasure schedule," Nagata said. "As soon as designs are ready and parts are fixed, we'll have running changes for any vehicle, not only the RAV4."

Toyota would not say which vehicle gets the next upgrade. Nagata did not give details of the changes. But fixes likely will include strengthening structural parts, he said.

"We will make sure the customer feels safe," Nagata said. "Some products are still best safety picks under the IIHS recommendations, so this is our additional challenge."

Toyota spokeswoman Cynthia Mahalak said 21 Toyota, Lexus and Scion models were named 2013 Top Safety Picks by the IIHS.

But cars performing poorly in the small overlap test can still receive top-pick status if they perform well in the IIHS's four traditional tests. To get the best rating of Top Safety Pick+, the vehicle needs a good or acceptable small overlap result.

By that measure, only the Scion tC qualifies.

IIHS began using the tests last year but telegraphed the change to carmakers in 2009, institute spokesman Russ Rader said. Some manufacturers, including Honda Motor Co. and Subaru, were quicker to incorporate design changes than others, he said.

The IIHS released its latest batch of small-car test results this month. But it delayed testing of the Toyota Corolla because a redesigned car is coming to market soon.

Rader said the IIHS is testing the Corolla this month and will release its small overlap appraisal in a few weeks.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Well that makes me a tad uneasy hah!

ydooby

The 11-year-old XC90 (which went into production in August 2002) just got a GOOD rating in the latest small overlap crash test!! Freaking amazing Volvo!!! A true model example of engineering for safety rather than safety score!
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/vehicle/v/volvo/xc90

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

That's most excellent. Always loved the XC90 when it offered the 4.4L Yamaha V8. Excited to see what's in store for this new generation!

84Cressida

They've no doubt made changes to pass the test. Don't be delusional, a 2002 XC90 would not do well.

ydooby

Pretty sure that there has to be enough evidence for the IIHS to be convinced that there had been no structural change since the model's introduction, to the point that they'd retroactively apply the rating to the vehicle's previous model years.

I8ABMR

when you have kids this stuff means more and more. Never even considered rating like this when I bought my previous cars while I was buying. Now its at the top of my list when buying. Good to see Toyota trying to remedy the issue fast

RXSF

Well the XC kind of skidded off the barrier, which seems to be the case for many cars that get a Good rating.

Also, they probably did make changes, apparently its not that difficult. A lot of 2013 mercedes cars were getting poor and then they did something, so now the 2014s get good ratings

Blackraven

I'm excited about the next-generation XC90 as well.

Actually, I'm excited about anything from Volvo.