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Originally Posted by jinsatx
I don't worry too much about the side impact IIHS ratings as this test is really subjective and can give you a false sense of security. While frontal and rear collision tests by both the IIHS and Govt. pretty much cover wherever a car can be hit, the side impact test is really kind of subjective. What are the odds of being in a side impact collision exactly at the B pillar area, as there is so much more area that can be affected. How would the tested cars fair if they were hit just above the drivers door toward the fender area, or, more toward the rear door than the drivers door, etc. etc.? Maybe some that passed would fail and vice versa. Just my opinion, but I think ramming a car at an exact spot for side impact is an imperfect real world test. Just wonder how many manufactures beefed up this part of the car just to pass the test and if you get hit a foot in front or behind the test area you'd be dead, hmmmm. Front and rear testing is probably pretty accurate, especially with the govt. doing head on and the IIHS doing offset, as there isn't much more area that can be tested.
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You raise some interesting questions. I think the data probably already exist on which types of side impacts are the most dangerous--wouldn't the insurance companies already know that? My guess is that B-pillar impacts are most dangerous for front seat occupants, and C-pillars for rear occupants, but I'm sure the data must exist as compiled from accident reports. Maybe one of the techs who work on crash tests will read and respond to this thread, or maybe one of us knows such a tech who might venture an opinion. I suspect that if B-pillar results were unrepresentative/unimportant, the manufacturers of low-scoring cars would be shouting this from the rooftops. BTW, I think we can be fairly certain that Nissan didn't worry too much about passing the side impact test, based on current results. For the younger set, maybe a few broken ribs and a broken leg wouldn't be too worrisome, but I personally would prefer to avoid such consequences.