Media statement | 1 June 2005

Crash tests show life-saving potential of head airbags

The latest crash test results from the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) provide further evidence that head-protecting side airbags can save lives and protect against serious injuries in side impacts.

Land Transport New Zealand Principal Vehicle Engineer Andrew Justice said the test results released today show that curtain airbags provide good head protection against side impacts with poles and high vehicles such as 4WDs. Head-protecting side airbags (curtain airbags) are fitted to the sides of a vehicle’s interior for the specific purpose of protecting occupants in side-impact crashes.

ANCAP ‘pole’ tests shunt vehicles sideways into a steel pole lined up with the driver’s head at 29 km/h to measure the level of head injury to vehicle occupants.

The vehicles tested were the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail, Nissan Patrol and Toyota Landcruiser, all without any side head airbags, the Mitsubishi Pajero with a side chest airbag only, and the Mazda Tribute with a side airbag including a head protection extension.

The Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Prado were tested with and without curtain airbags, and the Lexus RX330 had curtain airbags as standard equipment. ANCAP has previously tested the Subaru Forester, which has head protecting side airbags fitted as standard equipment.

Mr Justice said the tests showed a high risk of fatal head injuries to occupants in all of the vehicles without curtain airbags, while those with effective curtain airbags provided good occupant protection.

“ANCAP would like to see all vehicle manufacturers provide dual front, side chest and head airbags in all their models as standard equipment, or at least as a stand-alone safety option without being combined with extra items, which increase cost,” Mr Justice said.

ANCAP also advises buyers of new vehicles to specify electronic stability control (ESC) and ABS brakes where they are available, particularly on vehicles with a high centre of gravity such as 4WDs, to minimise the risk of being involved in a crash in the first place.

Research from the US and elsewhere indicates that ESC reduces run-off-road crashes by more than half - this has the indirect benefit of reducing roll-over crashes which often occur after vehicles leave the road. These crashes are associated with high levels of death and injury.

The attached below details the safety equipment fitted to the recently tested vehicles. ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs, all Australian state governments, the New Zealand government and the FIA Foundation.

	Driver and passenger front airbags	Driver and passenger side chest airbags	Driver and passenger side head airbags	ABS	Electronic Stability Control
Ford Escape		(Upper)	(Upper)
Mazda Tribute
Honda CR-V
Mitsubishi Pajero		Opt/ (Upper)
Nissan Patrol	(Driver) (Upper Pass only)	(Upper)		(Upper)
Nissan X-Trail
Lexus RX 330
Toyota Landcruiser				(Upper)	(Upper)
Toyota Prado		(Upper)	(Upper)	Opt/ (Upper)	(Upper)
Toyota Rav 4		S/Pack	S/Pack	(Upper)	S/Pack
Subaru Forester

Legend

- Standard across full range of variants

(Upper) - Standard on upper specification variants only (not available on base model)

Opt - Available as optional order on base model (may be part of an options package)

S/Pack - Part of special safety pack option on upper specification variant only

Blank - Not available

For more information:

Andy Knackstedt
Land Transport NZ Media Manager
(04) 931-8822 or 0212 763 222