Auto Insurance Research Org. Announces New Safety Pick

Montgomery -- Free-Press-Release.com-- Oct 18, 2011 -- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the new Fiat 500 a top safety pick, an indication that owners of the model may have an easier time finding cheap Alabama car insurance and coverage in other states.

The 2012 version of the vehicle is one of only two minis to earn the nonprofit research organization’s top honor. The 500 and the Ford Fiesta join dozens of larger vehicles designated top safety picks this year.

Although that designation does not guarantee lower premiums for anyone driving a new Fiat 500, cars that have extensive safety features and below -average injury and damage claim costs may be considered less risky to insure.

Auto insurers generally set first-party policy rates higher for owners of vehicles that are more susceptible to occupant injury and subsequent medical bills and do not include safety features that have been proven to save lives and reduce injuries.

Before bestowing any honors, IIHS researchers run a battery of tests to determine how well vehicles will protect drivers and passengers in a crash, rating performance on each test either good, acceptable, marginal or poor.

Cars and trucks must earn the highest rating on all four tests and have electronic stability control (ESC), which uses computer-controlled braking of individual wheels to help drivers keep control when a vehicle is in danger of leaving the roadway and possibly rolling over, to earn the top award.

The Fiat 500 got top marks from IIHS researchers for its performance in front, side, rollover and rear impact evaluations, and for being outfitted with ESC as standard equipment.

The safety award applies to 2012 Fiat 500s that were manufactured after July 2011, due to a modification of the driver’s seat structure that improved occupant protection in rear-end and frontal crashes, according to IIHS. The earlier edition of the vehicle was rated marginal for its performance in simulated frontal crashes.

Source: http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/Rulemaking/Rules/Associated%20Files/ESC_FR_03_2007.pdf

Federal safety officials have high hopes for ESC systems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates they could reduce single vehicle crashes involving cars by more than one-third and those involving SUVs by nearly 60 percent.

To learn more about this and other coverage issues, readers can go to http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/alabama/ where they will find informative resource pages and a helpful rate-comparison generator.

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Online Auto Insurance
Gregor McGavin
http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/