Raising The Bar On Auto Safety

ARLINGTON, VA (WWJ) - As cars and trucks become safer, it's getting a lot tougher to stand out from the crowd. But, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given 22 vehicles designation as Top Safety Pick Plus.

"Safety technology is evolving, and we're raising the bar for our top awards," said Institute CEO Adrian Lund.

To be a Top Safety Pick Plus, a vehicle has to pass all of the institute's crash tests, and have a system that warns drivers of impending collisions. 17 other vehicles have the Top Safety Pick designation, meaning they pass the tests, but don't have the extra technology.

That means 39 vehicles cited for excellence in safety, compared to a peak of 130.

"This is good news," said Lund. "The state of the art in terms of protecting people in crashes is evolving."

[Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Picks List]

Ford's Fusion, and its Lincoln sister the MKZ, were the only American brand vehicles on the Top Safety Pick Plus list. It's a list that's dominated by Asian brands.

"Honda is really leading the charge here with 6 of the 22 models that get the Top Safety Pick Plus award," said Lund.

Lund stressing that vehicles left off the list are not unsafe, and said he expects more vehicles to add technology that adds to overall safety.

The Institute recently added a tougher crash test that simulates a collision with a telephone pole or tree. It caused a lot of vehicles to fall off of the Top Safety Pick list.

As vehicles continue to become safer, Lund says the Insurance Institute will raise the bar as they measure what it takes to be the best of the best.

Connect with Jeff Gilbert
Email: jdgilbert@cbs.com
Facebook: facebook.com/carchronicles
Twitter: @jefferygilbert