Rear Crash Prevention and Cost Testing

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently conducted a rear crash prevention evaluation for small sport utility vehicles (SUVs), addressing the low-speed backing crashes that make up a large portion of insurance claims. Seven out of eight tested SUVs performed commendably in these evaluations.

The Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Subaru Forester earned the highest rating of superior. Meanwhile, the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4, and Volkswagen Taos achieved advanced ratings. The Hyundai Tucson, however, received a basic rating.

David Harkey, President of IIHS, emphasized the importance of rear automatic emergency braking systems, which are not required by law and thus less common than rear cameras. “Rear automatic emergency braking systems are far more effective in preventing crashes than other types of solutions,” he stated.

Since 2018, the IIHS has been testing rear crash prevention systems, periodically updating their ratings. Their rating scale includes basic, advanced, and superior levels. Vehicles with only parking sensors or rear cross-traffic alert systems earn a basic rating. For those with rear automatic emergency braking, performance in three tests using a passenger vehicle target and one test using a bollard determine their rating.

The comprehensive evaluation includes 24 test runs at 4 miles per hour, with systems assigned points based on their ability to avoid the target or reduce speed to less than 1 mile per hour before impact.

Rear automatic emergency braking is notably effective, significantly reducing the frequency of claims for vehicle damage. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) found that rear automatic emergency braking reduces claims for damage to other vehicles by 29 percent and to the policyholder's vehicle by 9 percent. A combined system of rear cameras, parking sensors, and rear automatic emergency braking can reduce police-reported backing crashes by 78 percent.

However, the latest tests revealed varying effectiveness among rear automatic emergency braking systems. Vehicles like the Ford Escape consistently avoided collisions, while others, such as the Hyundai Tucson, failed to slow or avoid collisions in many scenarios. Despite its proven benefits, rear automatic emergency braking was standard on only 23 percent of model year 2023 passenger vehicles, with optional availability on another 32 percent.

#IIHSTests #SUVSafety #CrashPrevention
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