Minivans come up short in protection for back seat passengers in crash tests
MIAMI - Minivans are popular with parents, but new research shows they may come up short at protecting passengers in the back seat.
In a new round of crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), four types of minivans were smashed into a barrier at 40 miles per hour. The vehicles did a good job protecting the driver, but all received a low grade when it came to back seat safety.
"The results are disappointing because customers buy minivans to transport their families," said Jessica Jermakian, IIHS' vice president of vehicle research.
She said the testing found that seat belts in the back either put too much pressure on the chest or slid up, increasing the risk of abdominal injuries.
According to the IIHS, the risk of fatal injury is 46 percent higher for people in the back of the vehicle.
SUVs and mid-size cars also failed to achieve a good grade in earlier research. It's important to stress vehicles are 'not' less safe than before, the test is new and exposing the issue for the first time.
"We expect the automakers to put in better belt technology," said Jermakian.
The group wants back belts to have the same pretensioners and load limiters you find in the front seat.
"A pretensioner tightens the belt on the occupant, coupling them to the vehicle and helping them ride down the crash and the load limiter reduces the forces on the chest," said Jermakian.
The IIHS stressed that those improvements could make these vehicles even safer.
