Are large cars safer than small cars?
Not necessarily. Experts agree that it depends much more on the materials the vehicle was made from than the size if the vehicle. For instance, an SUV that is made from sub-par materials may see much worse damage than a compact car made with quality materials and the latest safety features. Also, a larger car may take longer to stop or may be more difficult to steer in an accident situation.
In frontal impacts between cars, the occupants of the heavier car or the one with higher structures tend to fare better than those travelling in lighter lower cars. As these effects are currently impossible to overcome, Euro NCAP only makes comparisons within size categories. The rating of a car within its size category is a function of the quality of its safety design.
In frontal impacts between cars, the occupants of the heavier car or the one with higher structures tend to fare better than those travelling in lighter, lower cars. As it is not possible to simulate the influence of mass in a test against a fixed barrier, Euro NCAP recommends comparison only between cars which are of a similar mass (+/- 150kg) and in the same category. Such comparisons allow the relative safety performance of cars to be judged accurately.
