Why is it still necessary to crash test vehicles?

Different crash testing groups have different goals. Some, like the government, want to set safety standards and make sure automakers adhere to them. Others want to learn more about accidents themselves, mainly so that accident investigators can reconstruct real-life accidents. Others want to warn consumers of safety risks that might not be covered in government tests. Car makers want to engineer safety systems that will keep their customers safe and help sell more cars. All of these goals lead to one thing: reducing deaths from automotive accidents.

A real-world example of these objectives coming together happened in the early part of the 21st century. SUVs were extremely popular, but they had a high risk for rolling over. Controlled crash tests and accident investigations determined that improperly inflated tires and driver error had contributed to many of the accidents. As a result, the government began assigning roll-over ratings to SUVs and educating drivers about how to change their driving habits when behind the wheel of a larger vehicle. Many automakers engineered and began offering tire pressure monitoring systems to alert drivers when their tires were unsafe. All of this came together because of crash testing.

From that example you can see how crash testing can identify and respond to a problem that puts millions of drivers at risk. Crash testing can also anticipate safety problems and serve as an early warning to consumers. When airbags were first introduced, they were seen as an incredible safety device. Crash testing, however, showed that they had the power to injure and even kill some passengers, especially children. As a result, drivers were warned to sit children in the rear seat or turn their passenger-side airbags off.

What's been the effect of crash testing, and what's in store for crash testing in the future? Read on to find out.

It's impossible to put a number on the lives that have been saved a because of crash testing. What we do know is that when new safety technology, like airbags, has been introduced, there is almost always a corresponding dip in vehicular deaths. Think of the simple things you do when you drive, like buckling your seatbelt. Odds are that you buckle up because you know the seatbelt keeps you safe -- and you know the seatbelt keeps you safe because of crash testing.

Crash testing continues to advance and respond to automotive buying trends. As more people bought SUVs, crash testing focused on finding ways to lessen the risk of rollover and methods of strengthening the roof in case a rollover did occur. Crash testing also focused on exactly what causes an SUV to roll over, so buyers could be educated on preventing those types of crashes. As more Americans have chosen smaller cars, crash testing has begun to focus on improving safety cages and crumple zones in this group of vehicles. Some car companies even have crash testing that focuses on pedestrian safety.

Crash testing is also beginning to focus on keeping more types of people safe. Initially, all crash test dummies were the same size, shape and weight, but scientists have realized that people of different sizes -- men, women and children -- are susceptible to different injuries in crashes. As a result, dummy technology is dramatically improving. Dummies now come in all shapes and sizes, too. Researchers have even developed a pregnant crash test dummy. Dummies are also becoming more lifelike and more capable of effectively mimicking human physiology, which will give researchers more data to develop systems that protect actual humans.

There will always be some risk in car travel. Crash testing helps develop safety systems and inform consumers, which takes some of that risk away. While smashing cars into walls or each other may seem wasteful, the data these tests yield is invaluable. In the 1980s the slogan was, "You could learn a lot from a dummy." As it turns out, that's very true.

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