IIHS Raises Safety Bar in 2024, Recognizing Advancements and Pushing for Improvement

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced tougher requirements for its coveted TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards in 2024. This year, only 71 models achieved these prestigious designations, with 22 earning the top honor (TOP SAFETY PICK+) and 49 receiving the second-highest (TOP SAFETY PICK).

The most significant changes involve rigorous testing in three key areas:

Pedestrian Front Crash Prevention: Vehicles must now achieve an "acceptable" or "good" rating in a revised version of this test, reflecting the growing number of pedestrian fatalities on roads.
Updated Moderate Front Overlap Crash Test: This tougher test replaces the original evaluation in the TOP SAFETY PICK+ requirements, demanding improved vehicle performance in head-on collisions.
Small Overlap Front Crash Protection: To qualify for either award, vehicles must still excel in this critical test, which simulates a 25% overlap collision on either side of the front.

While the overall number of award recipients decreased this year, some categories saw impressive representation. Small, midsize, and midsize luxury SUVs each boast five TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners. Midsize luxury SUVs dominate overall, claiming 12 TOP SAFETY PICK awards in addition to their TOP SAFETY PICK+ honors.

The IIHS emphasizes that these stricter criteria aim to motivate automakers to continuously refine their safety technologies. The updated moderate front overlap test, for instance, also assesses rear-seat occupant protection using an additional dummy and metrics aligned with the most common rear-seat injuries.

Similarly, the tougher pedestrian front crash prevention standards reflect the rising pedestrian death toll, which reached its highest level since the early 1980s. Furthermore, the IIHS has standardized all evaluations using the "good/acceptable/marginal/poor" scale for improved clarity and consistency.

By increasing the bar for safety, the IIHS hopes to incentivize the automotive industry to prioritize innovative technologies that safeguard not just drivers and passengers, but also vulnerable road users like pedestrians. This latest update highlights the institute's ongoing commitment to pushing for safer vehicles on the road.