ICBC releases rear-crash protection ratings

Only 40% of current car models provide adequate protection from neck injury or whiplash, according to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC)s rear-crash protection ratings of 2007-model passenger cars.Seat/head restraint designs in 22 cars are rated good, but 59 other cars are rated marginal or poor.Tests were conducted by members of the International Insurance Whiplash Protection Group, using the ICBC-developed Head Restraint Measuring Device. The best-rated 2007 vehicles include all Volvos, Audi A4 and A6, Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego, Nissan Sentra and Versa, Saab 9-3, and Subaru Impreza and Legacy Outback.Seat/head restraints in the Chrysler 300, Kia Amanti and Nissan Altima went from acceptable to poor ratings compared with earlier versions tested in 2004.Increases in catastrophic injuries are driving up claims costs in B.C. but less severe injuries are decreasing partly due to auto manufacturers improving seat designs in response to insurer testing, John Gane, ICBC vehicle safety and research manager, said in a statement.Car seats were first measured for head restraint geometry. Seats with good or acceptable geometry are then subjected to a dynamic crash test that simulates a stopped vehicle being rear-impacted by another vehicle of the same weight going 32 km-h.