Automotive
The brand new Honda Accord has established its dominance in guaranteeing passenger security throughout the midsize automotive section, outpacing its rivals by a big margin.
In current crash knowledge launched by the Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS), the Honda Accord stands out as the one midsize sedan to realize the best total score of “good” for rear-seat passenger security. This accolade locations it forward of six different midsize sedans evaluated. The IIHS rankings reveal that the Subaru Outback follows go well with with an “acceptable” score, whereas the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry accept a “marginal” score. Sadly, the Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Volkswagen Jetta are deemed as subpar with a “poor” score.
IIHS President David Harkey acknowledged within the report that within the majority of midsize automobiles examined, the rear dummy skilled a problematic situation the place it slid ahead beneath the lap belt, a phenomenon referred to as “submarining.” This prevalence may end up in the lap belt driving up from the pelvis onto the stomach, thereby growing the chance of inside accidents. The three autos that obtained poor scores displayed measurements indicating possible accidents to the top, neck, chest, and extreme belt forces within the rear dummy.
The IIHS not too long ago launched a brand new crash check referred to as the “reasonable total entrance crash check,” which measures the affect when the entrance corners of two autos touring in reverse instructions collide at 40 mph. This new check highlighted that in newer autos, rear-seat passengers sporting seatbelts face the next threat of deadly damage than these seated within the entrance. Moreover, the IIHS now employs a crash check dummy the scale of a small lady or a 12-year-old baby within the rear seats to extra precisely signify the typical passenger profile.
To obtain a great score, a car should exhibit minimal threat of damage to the top, neck, chest, or thigh, as noticed with the second-row dummy, and preserve a correct place through the crash with out experiencing submarining. The Honda Accord, backed by IIHS knowledge, demonstrated an absence of heightened damage threat and efficient management of the dummy’s movement by the rear restraints.
In distinction, the Altima and Camry, each rated as marginal, showcased submarining of the rear dummy beneath the lap belt, accompanied by the shoulder belt transferring towards the dummy’s neck. The poor-rated Sonata, K5, and Jetta displayed measurements indicating potential head, neck, and chest accidents, in addition to extreme belt forces. Within the K5 and Sonata, the rear shoulder belt additionally shifted in direction of the neck.
The 2023 Honda Accord, priced at just below $27,300, is all-new for the mannequin yr, positioning itself barely greater when it comes to value in comparison with its rivals, excluding the Subaru Outback, priced at $28,895. Regardless of the Accord’s excellence, the midsize sedan market has been diminishing each within the U.S. and globally, as shoppers gravitate in direction of crossovers and smaller SUVs. The shift is clear within the rise of SUV gross sales, reaching a market share of 41.3% globally and 54% within the U.S. for all gentle autos bought.
Nonetheless, this pattern in direction of SUVs and crossovers raises considerations amongst security advocates. These bigger autos are inclined to pose a higher hazard to pedestrians and cyclists as a result of their elevated dimension and weight. A examine printed within the Journal of Security Analysis highlighted that whereas SUVs and vehicles accounted for under 26.1% of pedestrian and bicycle owner collisions, these incidents resulted in 44.1% of all fatalities.
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