Blumenthal Statement on NHTSA’s New Auto Safety Rating System

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, issued the following statement on the Department of Transportation’s announced changes to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) 5-Star Safety Ratings program for new vehicles:

“Modernizing NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Rating system is a positive step for everyone on the road. This action will provide consumers with clearer, more relevant information necessary to identify safer vehicles for their family. In revamping the way it crash-tests cars and rates vehicles, and adding two new 5-Star Safety Rating categories on crash avoidance and pedestrian protection, NHTSA creates critical new incentives for car manufacturers to implement the newest safety features that can better protect drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, as well as prevent crashes from happening in the first place.”

The 5-Star Safety Ratings System, also known as the New Car Assessment Program, was created by NHTSA to provide consumers with information about the crash protection and rollover safety of new vehicles. The program encourages manufacturers to design safer vehicles by giving them safety ratings that can be used by consumers to compare vehicles when shopping for a new car. The safety ratings are posted prominently on the window stickers required to be displayed on all new vehicles.

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