Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Huge Cost Of Mismatched Bumpers

Huge cost of mismatched bumpers: When bumpers on cars and SUVs don't line up (and many of them don't), low-speed collisions produce more damage and higher repair costs

ARLINGTON, VA — Bumpers are the first line of defense against costly damage in everyday low-speed crashes. Bumpers on cars are designed to match up with each other in collisions, but a long-standing gap in federal regulations exempts SUVs from the same rules. New Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests demonstrate the results: SUV bumpers that don't line up with those on cars can lead to huge repair bills in what should be minor collisions in stop-and-go traffic.