Some S.U.V.'s Don't Do Well on Safety Test

By Christopher Jensen

Only four of the dozen small S.U.V.'s evaluated in a new test to see how well their roofs held up in a rollover crash got "good" ratings, and some of the country's most popular models did not fare well.

The new roof-strength test, conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, is far more demanding than the minimum standard set by the federal government. The tests show there is a striking difference in how well vehicles protect their occupants, said Adrian Lund, the president of the institute, which is financed by the insurance industry. "People are dying in rollover crashes, and our research shows they don't have to be," he said.

Among safety researchers, rollover crashes are a huge concern. About 2.5 percent of all the crashes each year involve rollovers, but they result in about 10,000 deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency said, however, about two-thirds of those killed in rollovers are unbelted and are thrown from the vehicle. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Inside the Kia Sportage undergoing a roof-stress test. For years, safety researchers have debated whether a stronger roof means a significantly safer vehicle. The agency has been skeptical.

In the last year the insurance institute has published two studies that show a strong connection between strong roofs and saving lives, contradicting some earlier studies by other researchers. "We were aware of the earlier research, but we had some concerns about it because there were a lot of factors that we didn't feel were well controlled," Mr. Lund said.

The institute has been conducting front, side-impact and rear-impact crash tests for years. The roof test is new this year, and the small S.U.V.'s are the first vehicles tested. The institute uses a rating system of good, acceptable, marginal and poor.

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