Roof Crush - Standards Lacking
A new investigative report by 10tv.com brings to light a major issue regarding safety standards of a car's roof and its ability to withstand crush during a rollover. The testing has not been adequate but beyond that the standard which is currently in place,
"which has been in effect since the early 1970s, has been a total, ineffective disaster," according to Bryon Bloch, an automobile expert who has testified in courts across the U.S. about how weak roofs have led to serious injuries.
For years there has been talk about raising the standard, however, there are constant delays.
The NHTSA acknowledged that the standard was not good enough in 2005. That was when the agency announced that it should be improved from 1 1/2 to 2 times
Nearly four years later, the NHTSA has not improved the standard, Aker reported. Instead, it has issued a trail of statements announcing postponements, such as one from October saying, "We must ensure that any final rules we issue are as successful as possible... we need more time to complete a new roof strength standard."
In the meantime, while we are waiting for the standards to be reviewed and final changes made, as 10tv.com reports, "As many as 10,000 people are killed and 16,000 are injured in rollover crashes."
