Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Non-standard Crash Test is Rare and Extreme

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI., (April 14, 2009) smart USA Distributor LLC (www.smartusa.com) is the exclusive distributor of the smart fortwo in the United States and Puerto Rico. The president of smart USA, Dave Schembri, has issued the following statement related to the Insurance Institute’s test:

“This non-standard crash test performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) simulates a crash situation that is rare and extreme. The test used an extremely high crash severity which is unlikely to occur in real world crashes. In fact, less than 1% of all crashes fall within these parameters.

The test conducted by the IIHS was not consistent with how federal regulators evaluate vehicles in crash tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that cars and trucks of all sizes meet stringent safety requirements.

The smart fortwo meets or exceeds all U.S. government crash test standards, including a 5-star side crash rating, and previously earned the highest scores for front and side crash worthiness from the IIHS in its standard test. The smart fortwo is equipped with advanced crash avoidance and crash protection safety systems, including electronic stability program (esp®), and a reinforced steel safety cage called a tridion safety cell, which is standard equipment on all models.

For the past decade, smart has a proven track record of safety with approximately one million cars on the road in 37 countries. People drive small cars for many reasons, not just fuel economy as the IIHS states. People choose small vehicles because they are generally more environmentally friendly, a great value, they provide for greater driving and parking options in congested urban areas and many consumers tell us they are simply more fun to drive.”

To see real-world safety testimonials from smart owners visit www.safeandsmart.com.

To learn more about the facts of the smart fortwo and its safety management systems, click here

To view a pdf of smart USA’s response to the recent test results, click here.