Car Accidents
Safest Electric Cars to Drive in 2023
Many people are drawn to electric cars due to the comfort and convenience they offer. Besides saving money on gas, electric cars are reliable and safe, receiving high ratings on crash tests. Undoubtedly, not all electric cars have the same safety rating, and it is important to conduct thorough research before purchasing any type of electric vehicle.
If you have been injured in an electric vehicle accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the car accident attorneys at TK Injury Lawyers today to find out how we can help you.
Safety Tests for Electrical Cars
In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), overseen by the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), conducts safety tests for electric vehicles. The Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) is the NHTSA’s in-house laboratory that performs safety studies. The center analyzes any defects in vehicles in order to comply with federal regulations.
The NHTSA assigns each vehicle an overall score using a five-star rating system based on frontal crash safety, side crash safety, and rollover protection.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent organization, performs its own vehicle safety testing. The IIHS evaluates two areas: crashworthiness and crash avoidance/mitigation. Crashworthiness assesses how well a vehicle will protect its occupants in the event of a crash, while crash avoidance/mitigation assesses to what degree a vehicle’s technology can lessen the severity of a crash.
The IIHS runs a series of tests to determine a vehicle’s safety in a variety of situations. To determine a vehicle’s crashworthiness, the IIHS runs frontal crash tests, side crash tests, roof strength tests, and head restraint and seat tests. Ratings range from poor to good, or basic to superior.
Electric Vehicle Crash Worthiness
Electric vehicles offer several driver-assist technologies, such as blind spot warnings, lane centering assist, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning with pedestrian assist.
Although technology enhancements make driving safer today, 40% of electrical vehicle (EV) users made lower body injury claims when involved in a collision.
But why would this be the case? One explanation could be the weight of an electric vehicle. An electric vehicle has a battery that is located in the bottom center of the vehicle. Since electric cars generally have a lower center of gravity, the impact of an EV crash can be more deadly to anyone in its path.
The experienced car accident attorneys at TK Injury Lawyers will be able to review your accident claim to evaluate to what degree an electric vehicle contributed to your injuries.
Safest Electric Cars
The electric vehicles that made the top of the NHTSA and IIHS lists are:
- Tesla Model 3: the NHTSA gave the Tesla an overall five-star rating, and the IIHS gave this electric vehicle a superior score for active safety measures, recognizing its automatic emergency braking system
- Lexus ES300h: both the IIHS and NHTSA gave this electric vehicle high ratings; the NHTSA gave this car an overall five-star rating, and the IIHS gave it “Good” ratings on crash-worthiness tests and “Superior” and “Advanced” scores on front crash prevention.
- Toyota Prius Prime: the NHTSA gave this vehicle an overall five-star rating, and the IIHS gave it a “Superior” rating for front crash protection in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian categories.
- Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: the Mitsubishi vehicle received an overall five-star rating from the NHTSA, receiving its highest rating in side crashes. The IIHS gave the vehicle “Good” ratings on all crash-worthiness categories except “Head Restraints and Seats” and a “Superior with optional equipment” rating for front crash prevention for the vehicle-to-vehicle category.
- Toyota Sienna: the NHTSA gave this car an overall five-star rating, and the IIHS gave this EV “Good” ratings for all tests for crash-worthiness and even a “Good +” for seat belts and child restraints. This EV received a “Superior” rating for front crash prevention in the vehicle-to-vehicle and an “Advanced” rating in the vehicle-to-pedestrian category.
An Austin Car Accident Attorney Working for You
As a road user, you rely on your electric car to safely transport you to your destination. When an electric vehicle fails to live up to its safety score, you need a car accident attorney who can conduct a thorough investigation into your case. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.
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