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New NHTSA safety regs let automakers skimp on roof standards

GasBuddy Blog -- Rollover accidents are not frequent so you may be wondering why the federal government is worrying about your car's roof...
It's because rollover accidents, while only accounting for 3 percent of serious crashes,are actually involved in 33 percent of all vehicle-occupant deaths.

In the U.S. about 10,000 people die each year in rollover accidents and 24,000 are severely injured. We can certainly reduce those numbers and obviously a key factor in how well a vehicle can protect you in a rollover is the strength of its roof.

Under prior standards, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted roof-crush tests by pressing down on a plate against the edge of a vehicle's roof. The roof has to...

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Submitted Apr 10, 2012 By: PD

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Donatelo Champion Author Dayton Posts:1,115 Points:290,865 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 12, 2012 7:56:56 AM Ignore Donatelo Report Abuse k
bevmill Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,557 Points:595,570 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:20:52 PM Ignore bevmill Report Abuse nice knowing this info.
sparky808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:2,976 Points:593,835 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 11:38:04 AM Ignore sparky808 Report Abuse Thank you for posting.
greenfog Champion Author Illinois Posts:6,470 Points:1,634,270 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 11:24:21 AM Ignore greenfog Report Abuse don't cut safety for fuel economy, that is asking for trouble down the road.
Rehorsehay All-Star Author California Posts:871 Points:45,925 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 11:07:34 AM Ignore Rehorsehay Report Abuse Not good!
Soglaos Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:2,770 Points:736,485 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 10:36:28 AM Ignore Soglaos Report Abuse Repeat
JXQW Champion Author Kansas City Posts:2,787 Points:683,325 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 10:20:53 AM Ignore JXQW Report Abuse that comes to more expensive cars ...
IrishCowboy Champion Author Fort Wayne Posts:1,431 Points:569,130 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 10:09:58 AM Ignore IrishCowboy Report Abuse Of all the places to cut corners...
GBFWB72 Sophomore Author Florida Posts:114 Points:663,980 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 9:56:43 AM Ignore GBFWB72 Report Abuse Have you noticed the bad side effect of these new roof crush standards already? The A-pillar on cars is now huge and takes up a great deal of your forward sightlines. To me that is more of a safety issue not being able to see out to avoid accidents than the very small chance of beign in a roll-over accident. Hopefully more manufacturers start going with less higher strength steel in those areas to get the A-pillars down in size liek they used to be so you can actually see out of cars anymore. Sure a tank is safe to drive, but do you really want to drive looking out of a little metal gun slit?
Cheepo Champion Author Tampa Posts:9,874 Points:3,124,980 Joined:Apr 2003	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 9:34:34 AM Ignore Cheepo Report Abuse No DarthDadJr, this all happened under barrack hussein!!!!
zaq001 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,955 Points:1,468,100 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 9:33:28 AM Ignore zaq001 Report Abuse (o , O)??? Eyebrows raise
DarthDadJr Champion Author Virginia Posts:7,297 Points:1,517,370 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 9:32:45 AM Ignore DarthDadJr Report Abuse Look forward to more of this kind of change if Republican's are in charge after November...
ciimike Champion Author Nevada Posts:4,638 Points:1,061,310 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 9:25:18 AM Ignore ciimike Report Abuse Should I be more worried having glass sun roofs on my vehicles?
mikerroy Champion Author Albuquerque Posts:2,541 Points:715,945 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:53:04 AM Ignore mikerroy Report Abuse This is probably due to Americans having such hard heads.
bicycler Champion Author Ontario Posts:14,815 Points:2,598,445 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:47:41 AM Ignore bicycler Report Abuse Interesting
bell05 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:9,230 Points:1,871,635 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:47:26 AM Ignore bell05 Report Abuse Yesterday's article.
mberg Champion Author Houston Posts:3,782 Points:955,505 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:42:05 AM Ignore mberg Report Abuse The good news is that car safety has improved remarkably over the last few decades. Let it continue!
TonyPSU Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,511 Points:689,555 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:41:35 AM Ignore TonyPSU Report Abuse Trade off for reduced weigth
cmsense Champion Author Columbus Posts:1,358 Points:165,345 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:41:18 AM Ignore cmsense Report Abuse Got that.
nozzle46 Champion Author Little Rock Posts:6,680 Points:1,470,775 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:39:34 AM Ignore nozzle46 Report Abuse not to worry. If we elect a new repub president all safety regulations will be dismantled.
esorsd Champion Author St. Louis Posts:5,713 Points:1,633,765 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:35:46 AM Ignore esorsd Report Abuse WHY IS THIS??????
dlzastera Champion Author Minnesota Posts:4,485 Points:1,018,370 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:35:30 AM Ignore dlzastera Report Abuse How about inintentive driving?
LQQKGAS Champion Author Phoenix Posts:2,647 Points:1,191,120 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:33:41 AM Ignore LQQKGAS Report Abuse Fiberglass and aluminum foil is not very strong.
Red7002011 Champion Author Mississippi Posts:3,307 Points:663,745 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:33:06 AM Ignore Red7002011 Report Abuse Really!
BEGTWO Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,921 Points:719,470 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:32:01 AM Ignore BEGTWO Report Abuse I wonder how the new cars with the glass roofs play in this?
RockCity Champion Author Denver Posts:7,885 Points:1,422,885 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:31:29 AM Ignore RockCity Report Abuse Where is the skimp part, perhaps?
PhilnTX All-Star Author Dallas Posts:656 Points:432,105 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:31:03 AM Ignore PhilnTX Report Abuse Drove up on a rollover 4 months ago. Chevy Tahoe was upside down in a ditch and the driver was crawling out of the window. Wasn't wearing a seat belt. The roof of the SUV was touching the steering wheel. Driver was bleed from multiple cuts and scalp wounds. From the accident site, it appeared that he ran off into the soft curb, lost control, rolled it 2 or 3 times until it stopped on its roof. I thought the Tahoe held up pretty good. The rear glass was still intact, but the windshield and the glass in both sides of both sets of doors was shattered.
BlueVanGroup Champion Author Colorado Posts:7,184 Points:1,523,680 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:30:47 AM Ignore BlueVanGroup Report Abuse Convertibles would have difficulty passing these tests.
sydb7 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,537 Points:1,915,755 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:30:02 AM Ignore sydb7 Report Abuse Rollover safety first!
slgas Champion Author Houston Posts:6,005 Points:1,557,565 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:29:43 AM Ignore slgas Report Abuse Safety first. And if the new rules increase car prices a few hundred dollars, fine. I'm not ready to die.
Rick01 Champion Author Utah Posts:8,992 Points:2,357,600 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:28:56 AM Ignore Rick01 Report Abuse Should have left well enough alone.
DutchTreatMI Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:3,290 Points:746,940 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:28:55 AM Ignore DutchTreatMI Report Abuse Safety is a good thing.
Ticoman54 Champion Author Miami Posts:7,021 Points:1,487,045 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:27:56 AM Ignore Ticoman54 Report Abuse Old article...please replace it with a new one.
preacherboyFL Veteran Author Orlando Posts:444 Points:124,960 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:26:51 AM Ignore preacherboyFL Report Abuse :/
drawee Champion Author Texas Posts:2,280 Points:443,085 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:23:38 AM Ignore drawee Report Abuse k
Fitwit Champion Author Stockton Posts:6,378 Points:1,352,050 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:23:28 AM Ignore Fitwit Report Abuse Sometimes it's better to leave good enough alone. Maybe they should have just left the standards as they were.
byoftDad Champion Author Columbus Posts:4,452 Points:1,233,375 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:23:24 AM Ignore byoftDad Report Abuse Roll your car over and die.
1fuelish1 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:14,790 Points:1,848,945 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:20:57 AM Ignore 1fuelish1 Report Abuse More people are likely to die because they are not wearing seat belts than because the car rolled over and crushed them.
bart_reed Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:3,949 Points:780,655 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:20:49 AM Ignore bart_reed Report Abuse Put roll bars in the vehicle frame. Safety first.
grammamNV Champion Author Nevada Posts:2,335 Points:372,425 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:19:51 AM Ignore grammamNV Report Abuse ok then
1stClicker Champion Author Texas Posts:5,291 Points:2,238,570 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:19:02 AM Ignore 1stClicker Report Abuse I think the 3% rollover accidents is a low figure. We have a lot of rollover accidents in my area.
dave1745 Champion Author Gary Posts:1,262 Points:733,650 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:18:45 AM Ignore dave1745 Report Abuse good
IUVidiot Champion Author Indiana Posts:3,565 Points:704,460 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:18:01 AM Ignore IUVidiot Report Abuse Ok
Dr Gas Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:3,265 Points:358,080 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:16:20 AM Ignore Dr Gas Report Abuse How many times to you hear about a ONE car rollover! And this can happen on a cloudy no ice day, so weather isn't a factor - yep it's a drivers problem!
scrossi Champion Author Indiana Posts:3,859 Points:1,043,515 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:13:54 AM Ignore scrossi Report Abuse True dblchek.
VernonOR Champion Author Oregon Posts:2,890 Points:733,495 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:12:39 AM Ignore VernonOR Report Abuse It's all about the dollar when it comes to safety. With Americans dwindling incomes manufacturing are more concerned about the cost of the vehicle.
ibhenry Champion Author San Diego Posts:1,536 Points:456,445 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:12:25 AM Ignore ibhenry Report Abuse So build a steel box on wheels, sheesh....
madison8359 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:8,972 Points:1,588,320 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:10:49 AM Ignore madison8359 Report Abuse It is always something. I would guess it is difficult and expensive to engineer and manufacture a vehicle that humans cannot kill themselves in, we are a very inventive species.
Helms Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:4,835 Points:1,733,975 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:10:01 AM Ignore Helms Report Abuse proof positive the "government goes stupid!"
CTarp Champion Author Texas Posts:1,234 Points:603,880 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:09:46 AM Ignore CTarp Report Abuse not good