In February, several members of our P&C team went on a field trip to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in Ruckersville, VA . Most of our team had never been here before and were excited to learn about vehicle safety testing. They toured the extensive facility and saw a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas go through a safety test!
The IIHS is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the losses — deaths, injuries and property damage — from motor vehicle crashes. They also test infant car seats and semi-trailers. Due to the extensive research at the IIHS they have impacted the vehicle industry in many ways. Over the years their research has contributed to states adopting seat belt laws and modifying licensing requirements of drivers.
Our P&C team takes claim reports from clients daily so we are well aware of the importance of vehicle safety. This experience was a great way to see years of safety research and how vehicles have developed over the years to respond better on impact with safety features such as front and side airbags. It truly was a fascinating experience to see state of the art technology at work in both the vehicles tested and in the testing equipment. We also noted that several of the auto insurance carriers that we represent are supporters of the IIHS.
If you are interested to learn more about vehicle safety, go check out the IIHS website. It is a great resource and the IIHS publishes all of their safety ratings for the vehicles they test.