It’s easy to take for granted the small improvements in automotive safety made each year. But as this video demonstrates, automotive safety has come a long way over the past half-century. In celebration of the organization’s 50th anniversary, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) pitted a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air against a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The results are startling.
As the video below demonstrates, the occupants of the newer vehicle would fare much better than those riding in the classic Bel Air.
“It was night and day, the difference in occupant protection,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “What this test shows is that automakers don’t build cars like they used to. They build them better.”
The goal of the Institute is to make unbiased, scientific safety research available to consumers. However, the data they provide from crash tests and other studies is only a part of what they do. IIHS also challenges automakers to make better, safer vehicles each year. And, after more than 50 years, the organization’s work continues to make driving a little safer.
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