IIHS Tests Show Bumper Rules Should Apply to Light Trucks

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) thinks bumpers on light trucks should be at the same height as those on cars and petitioned the federal government for a bumper regulation. Car bumpers must be 16 to 20 inches off the ground, so when cars collide the bumpers engage and absorb most of the impact’s energy. Similar regulations don’t apply to SUVs, pickups and vans because regulators long thought bumpers could compromise the vehicles’ utility. IIHS crash tests show that bumpers don’t match up in SUV-to-car crashes, resulting in thousands of dollars of damage to both types of vehicles. The tests also show that bumpers don’t affect SUVs‘ off-road performance or utility on loading ramps.

NETSWork is an e-newsletter published twice monthly (on the 1st and 15th) by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS). NETSWork in its entirety is available only to NETS members. To receive NETSWork become a NETS member.