Sorting Out the Vehicle-Safety Testing Programs
Why There Are Two Rating Systems, and What That Means for Consumers
The federal government's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) began in 1978, and is undergoing a major revision in 2010. But it's not the only vehicle-safety testing and rating program in the U.S. Since 1995, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a nonprofit research and communications organization funded by auto insurers, also has been crashing cars with the aim of improving their safety (and lowering repair costs).
The two organizations perform different tests, and report the results differently: The New Car Assessment Program, which is administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), ... Back to article
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