Roof Strength Test

4 of 12 small suvs evaluated earn top marks arlington va the insurance ins.

Roof strength test.

The model years of the tested vehicles ranged from 1997. Iihs news release march 24 2009 roof strength is focus of new rating system. The inside iihs series of videos offers a behind the scenes glimpse of the work of the insurance institute for highway safety s vehicle research center. Roof crush testing of one side of the vehicle one sided testing was performed from april 2001 through march 2008 on 75 passenger vehicles.

In order to earn a good rating a vehicle s roof must withstand a. The roof strength rating is based on a test in which a metal plate is pushed against one side of the vehicle s roof at a slow constant speed. In this test of the 2010 buick lacrosse the peak force is 19 571 pounds for a strength to weight ratio of 4 90 and a good rating. The playback speed of this video has been increased.

The plate normally crushes at a rate of about 1 8 inch per second. The head restraints seats rating is based on a sled test of the vehicle s seat and head restraint. The following video shows how the roof strength test is conducted.