MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Every year the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveals its top safety winners.
From small SUVs to large pickup trucks, today’s vehicles are better at protecting drivers and passengers.
This year 101 models earned a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS. That’s 11 more than last year.
The Hyundai Motor Group, which includes KIA and Genesis, leads the way with 21 awards. The Volkswagen group also owns Audi and earned 11. Volvo was given 10 of the top awards.
CLICK HERE for the list of this year’s winners.
Cars continue to improve both in terms of how well they protect the occupant if you get involved in a crash and the increasing amount of technology that is on the vehicle to help prevent a collision to begin with,” said IIHS President David Harkey.
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Harkey says automakers are also receiving high marks for better headlights.
“It has to provide really good visibility for the driver and keep the glare reduced for the oncoming driver,” he explained.
But car companies will have to try harder to earn an award next year. The IIHS is going to adopt tougher standards including a new side impact test. Harkey says it will be a “much tougher test run at a higher speed and with a heavier barrier.”
And pedestrian crash prevention systems will also undergo tests at night.
“A lot of pedestrian fatalities occur at night, and so it’s really important that these systems that are designed to prevent pedestrian collisions work well at night,” Harkey said.
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Harkey believes tougher tests will lead to improved safety features that can save lives.
