Category: Blog

Corporate Auto Safety Standards & New Car Assessment Programs (NCAP)


Corporate Auto Safety Standards & New Car Assessment Programs (NCAP)

November, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
Present Day Story

Kudos to IIHS and NPR for an article on designs of vehicles by auto companies. IIHS conducted a frontal crash test of two Nissan vehicles.  Watch video of the test of a Nissan vehicle designed to meet U.S. standards with airbags and a Nissan designed and built without airbags for sale in Mexico.  See http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/11/20/502346360/crash-test-dummies-show-the-difference-between-cars-in-mexico-and-u-s?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20161127&utm_campaign=bestofnpr&utm_term=nprnews

The NPR Goats and Sodas article notes:“Nissan isn’t the only carmaker with different safety options for different markets. A 2017 Chevrolet Spark sold in the U.S. comes with 10 airbags. The same version sold in Mexico doesn’t come with any airbags, and like the Tsuru, it scored zero stars in crash tests.  Latin NCAP, along with its affiliate Global NCAP, has crash tested dozens of cars. Hyundai, Nissan, Renault, Suzuki, Datsun, Ford, Fiat, Kia, Volkswagen and others have all sold zero-star cars in middle- and low-income countries around the world. Many of the vehicles in question lack basic safety features that have been mandatory in the U.S. and European Union for almost two decades….

We reached out to Nissan for comment. A Nissan spokesman said the company was aware of the “car-to-car crash demonstration” test and noted: “Nissan vehicles meet or exceed safety regulations for the markets in which they are sold. The Tsuru has been one of the most popular subcompact vehicles in Mexico for more than three decades due to its affordability and its proven reliability. Nissan Mexico recently announced it will discontinue Tsuru production in May 2017.” He added that Nissan in Mexico has incorporated safety features in its current vehicle lineup.

When we asked GM about safety disparities, a spokesman told Goats & Soda that all of its cars will meet minimum safety standards by 2019, and that “front dual airbags and three-point seat belts in all seating positions [will be] standard” on eight models by 2018.”

Past Nissan NCAP Story

Years ago Nissan failed a NHTSA crash test and sent a couple of engineers to complain that we had not tested their car properly.  We reviewed the test and said that the test was performed properly.  They protested that we had not connected the shoulder belt properly by passing it through a small plastic positioning hook at the latch.  The Nissan engineers were not happy when we told them that we were not permitted under the test procedures to perform that additional step in the buckling up of the dummy.  
Weeks later the Nissan engineers returned showing that they had made modifications and how their new test results compared with all other manufacturers. They showed us a plot of crash test results from all manufacturers ranked from best to worst.  Then with great visible pride they pointed out their new results to be right in the middle.  Shocked, I blurted out “You aimed for and achieved mediocrity in safety?”
Past Honda NCAP Story
Evidence of the safety importance of NCAP tests were documented in a 1993 NHTSA Report to Congress.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/NCAPReporttoCongress1993.pdf
The origin of NCAP testing began at NHTSA under the leadership of Joan Claybrook during the late 1970’s.  At the time, Honda had launched the 1979 Civic.  In one of our first tests, the 1979 model Honda Civic failed.  The following year we crash tested the 1980 Honda Civic, and it too failed.  Honda then made several safety modifications beginning with the 1981 Civic model that resulted in passage of the crash tests in what was the new NCAP Program.
A decade later, I was managing a NHTSA program at the University of Miami studying crashes, injuries, treatments, and outcomes.  We had a serious crash involving a 1981 Civic where the driver surprisingly survived.  Knowing of the improvements made by Honda to the 1981 Honda Civic, we decided to investigate whether there was statistical evidence of life saving in the real world experience of vehicles with the safety improvements.
The 1993 NHTSA Report to Congress on NCAP has the safety story on the 1981 Honda Civic.  See pp. 79 – 82.  The Report describes physical changes in the 1981 Civic that had been made after the 1979 and 1980 Civics had failed the new NCAP tests.   The crash test data of the 1981 safety improvements to reduce forces to the head and chest is shown Table 5.  Table 6 shows the real world results of the improvements in reducing the fatality rates by 42% based on 1982-1988 FARS Data. This is a specific example of the importance of crash testing to stimulate safety features that result in significant reductions in fatalities.  Unfortunately, the NHTSA Report to Congress did not include that I was told, by Honda’s Chief Engineer, that the costs to Honda for these mechanical improvements amounted to about $13.60 per vehicle.
Lou Lombardo

 

Crash Victim Story


Crash Victim Story

November, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

The NY Times carries a story of a crash victim that describes some of the consequences of crashes that we can and must work to prevent, treat, and rehabilitate.

The NY Times story also describes how it has set up a small fund to help the needy.   This is something we need to do much more of.  Please read it athttp://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/nyregion/neediest-cases-car-accident.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fneediest-cases&action=click&contentCollection=nyregion&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection Under Joan Claybrook at NHTSA in the late 1970’s, I had a small part in studies of the importance of consequences of crashes on people.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/effects-on-families
Imagine what we could do to end these tragedies if more such stories of crash victims could be produced and organized into a political force for setting a Vision Zero Goal.
Lou Lombardo

 

Crash Victims Beware! The Doctor Maybe Too Tired To Save Your Life


Crash Victims Beware! The Doctor May Be Too Tired To Save Your Life

November, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

On every average day in the U.S.A. today about 100 Americans die of injuries from vehicle violence.  Another 400 Americans suffer serious injuries (burns, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, etc.) from vehicle violence.

For 20 years I have worked to improve care for crash victims.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/home/urgency

Today, medical “experts” are recommending emergency physicians work 24 hour shifts.  See https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/first-year-doctors-would-be-allowed-to-work-24-hour-shifts-under-new-rules/2016/11/04/c1b928c2-a282-11e6-8832-23a007c77bb4_story.html#comments

Thankfully, in this month of Thanksgiving, the American public is being warned.  Public Citizen reports: “Nov. 4, 2016Proposal to Allow First-Year Resident Physicians to Work 28 Hours in a Row Puts Residents, Patients, Public at Risk of Serious Injury, DeathAmericans Overwhelmingly Oppose ACGME Work-Hour Proposal WASHINGTON, D.C. − A proposal to allow first-year medical residents to work 28 hours in a row without sleep is a dangerous step backward and, if implemented, would expose residents, their patients and the general public to the risk of serious injury and death, Public Citizen said today. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) today proposed a new set of requirements for the number of hours worked by resident physicians. The proposal removes the five-year-old 16 consecutive-hour limit on first-year resident work shifts and allows them to work up to 28 hours straight without sleep, while caring for patients. The proposal comes amid intense pressure from dozens of physician groups to do away with the limit. “Study after study shows that sleep-deprived resident physicians are a danger to themselves, their patients and the public,” said Dr. Michael Carome, director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group. “It’s disheartening to see the ACGME cave to pressure from organized medicine and let their misguided wishes trump public health.” See http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/pressroomredirect.cfm?ID=9048

U.S.A. or U.$.A.

Lou Lombardo

 

End of Daylight Savings Time – Increase Your Safety

 

End of Daylight Savings Time – Increase Your Safety

November, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
You can increase your safety by 10%.

In 1961, my wife was in a white VW Beetle.  She stalled coming out of a shopping center at night and was struck on the driver side by a car coming over a hill.  The driver swerved to the right and struck the VW just behind the driver side door.  Luckily, my wife was not physically injured but she was  badly shaken.  I had picked white as the color because it would be cooler (no air conditioning). I was not thinking safety back then.

During all my years working on safety I could not get NHTSA to do analyses on fatality rates by car color.  Only after I left NHTSA did researchers in Australia do such research and found that white cars were 10% safer.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/blog/blog-enddstincreasesafety/

In 2015, I was pleased to learn that white had become the most popular car color on the planet.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/consumersbuyingmorewhitecarsandgreatersafety/

For the year 2015, no one can be pleased to learn that NHTSA recorded: *  The Nation saw 2,348 more fatalities from motor vehicle crashes in 2015 than in 2014—a 7.2-percent increase.  For pedestrians and cyclists color is also important for safety.

*  Pedestrian fatalities increased by 466 (a 9.5-percent increase) and are at their highest number since 1996.
*   Pedalcyclist fatalities increased by 89 (a 12.2-percent increase), and are at their highest level since 1995.
Years ago the Federal Highway Administration published a poster for the public with the statistic that 60% of pedestrian fatalities occur between the hours of 6:00pm and 6:00am.  The “Be Safe, Be Bright” poster shows distances at which pedestrians can be seen wearing clothing of different colors – and retro reflective materials.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/besafe.php
Be brighter and be safer.
Lou Lombardo

Engineering Paths To Vision Zero Crash Deaths


Engineering Paths To Vision Zero Crash Deaths

November, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Too many Americans do not yet know about Vision Zero – the magazine that carries valuable information on how much good can be done by engineering safer vehicles.

The January 2017 issue of Vision Zero is available online this Thanksgiving day in America.  See article about Adrian Lund (head of IIHS) written by Byron Bloch at http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/6664faa8#/6664faa8/16

Many worthy articles on how engineers can move us closer to ending vehicle violence thanks to the publisher Tony Robinson and his staff.

Thanks,

Lou

 

Lifelong Republican Questions Anti – regulation Policies


Lifelong Republican Questions Anti – regulation Policies

November, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

This is worth reading and heeding.

http://annaleahmary.com/2016/11/lifelong-republican-questions-party-support-of-industry-profit-vs-bipartisan-solutions-to-save-lives/

Lou Lombardo

 

Rating Auto Insurance Companies


Rating Auto Insurance Companies

November, 2016

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports rates auto insurance companies and found USAA, Amica, and NJM had the highest Reader Scores.  See http://www.consumerreports.org/products/car-insurance/ratings-overview/
NY Times

Now the NY Times published an article on auto insurance that gives useful information to consumers citing work created by a crash victim.  The same three auto companies were found to be highly rated.

“There’s a conflict here between shareholders and policyholders,” Mr. Karr said. “We’re showing how companies have run their businesses, and that’s not always in the interest of the policyholder.”

 

The ValChoice study divided the auto insurance market into three types of companies. The largest group — 48.3 percent — are publicly traded corporations like Allstate, Geico (which is part of Warren E. Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate) and Progressive.

 

Among mutual companies, there are two different business models. Some companies return earnings to their policyholders in the form of dividends, while others do not pay dividends but keep the earnings at the company.

Mutual companies that do not consistently pay dividends to auto policyholders make up 42.3 percent of the market; Liberty Mutual is one of them.

 

Those that do pay dividends are the smallest subset of the market, with approximately 8 percent, ValChoice said. Also sometimes known as reciprocal insurance exchanges, they include USAA, the Automobile Club of Southern California, Amica Mutual and NJM Insurance….

 

When shopping for insurance, consumers often focus solely on price. Figuring out the differences in claims payment histories at companies is much harder to do because the data is not readily available and requires significant digging to unearth. Analyzing the data, Mr. Karr said, can give consumers a better idea of the value they are receiving for the insurance premiums they pay.

 

“The paid loss ratio is such a direct measure of the actual value of an insurance policy,” said Mr. Karr. “If I’m paying money for insurance, it tells me how much is likely to come back to me if I have an accident.”

In essence, Mr. Karr said, consumers who buy from companies whose claims payments are lower are paying for lesser coverage. That value loss can add up to billions of dollars.

 

Charles M. Chamness, chief executive of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, agreed. “Mutuals exist to serve policyholders and allow management to focus on service and longtime financial security,” he said.

Mr. Karr got the idea to start ValChoice after he was hit by a car and had trouble getting his medical bills paid by insurers.

“When I came away from it, I thought there was a lot people who needed to know about the operating characteristics of these companies,” Mr. Karr said. “People are mandated by law to buy insurance; they should be able to get quality information about what it is they are buying.”  See 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/business/the-kind-of-car-insurer-that-gives-consumers-the-best-value.html?emc=eta1

 

ValChoice

You can get a free report on your insurance at ValChoice.  See https://www.valchoice.com/

Lou Lombardo