Most Small SUVs are Equipped with Poorly-Rated Headlights

Approximately 50% of fatal car accidents occur at night or during the dawn or dusk hours. This fact alone should heighten the importance of a vehicle’s headlights. Unfortunately, headlights are overlooked despite being essential pieces of a vehicle’s safety equipment.

SUV's Headlights Rate

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently tested the headlights on 21 small SUVs, and not one vehicle received a good rating. Four vehicles were deemed to be equipped with acceptable-rated headlights, while more than two-thirds of the vehicles were rated poor. As part of the study, IIHS measured glare and light projection as each vehicle was driven on five approaches: traveling straight, a sharp left curve, a sharp right curve, a gradual left curve, and a gradual right curve.

Though none of the small SUVs qualified to receive a “good” rating, IIHS determined that Mazda CX-3 (Grand Touring trim) was equipped with the best-performing headlights in this small SUV group. Other the other hand, the small SUV deemed to have the worst-rated headlights was the Honda HR-V. Here is how the models were rated:

Acceptable
Ford Escape (2017)
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Tucson
Mazda CX-3

Marginal
BMW X1
Mazda CX-5
Mitsubishi Outlander
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan

Poor
Audi Q3
Buick Encore
Chevrolet Trax
Fiat 500X
Honda HR-V
Jeep Patriot
Jeep Renegade
Jeep Wrangler
Kia Sportage (2017)
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester

Car manufacturers may be reconsidering these vehicles’ headlight design, especially in light of IIHS’s new requirement that (beginning with the 2017 models) cars will need “good” or “acceptable” headlights in order to receive the organization’s Top Safety Pick+ award.

Tampa Car Accident Lawyers
The Capaz Law Firm handles a variety of personal injury claims, including those arising from accidents involving cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi trucks, tractor trailers, 18-wheelers, commercial vehicles, bicycles and boats and other watercraft. If you have suffered an injury due to the negligence of someone else, contact our experienced Tampa personal injury lawyers at the Capaz Law Firm. We will review your claim and determine the best course of action for holding all negligent parties accountable. Call 813-440-2700 for a free legal consultation.