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Auto manufactures promote the crash test scores in order to market their vehicles. These test figures do not really impact that much unless you understand what the tests are. If you are looking for the crash test score data when buying a car, then you need to understand the data, in order to make a decision. The results may be good or bad either way, the scores would help you in forming an opinion.

While both, NHTSA and IIHS are conducting the frontal and side crash tests, they do these tests somewhat differently. NHTSA tests carry two dummies of the size of two adult humans, which are secured by the car’s seat belts. These two dummies are placed on the driver’s seat and the passenger seat at the front. The car is then crashed head-on to a barrier at the speed of 35 miles per hour. This simulates a head-on crash of two vehicles speeding at equal speed. After the crash, the two dummies are measured and considering the results NHTSA gives a star rating.

IIHS conducts the same test differently, where only one side of the front end of the vehicle hits a deformable barrier. This side hit is usually on the driver’s side. The car speeds at 40 miles per hour towards the deformable barrier. This simulates a frontal side crash between two vehicles coming from opposite ends. Through this test IIHS, ranks the car as Good, Acceptable, Marginal or Poor.

Vivid explanations of such tests are available at http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/safety/articles/43804/article.html and http://www.boston.com/cars/news/articles/2008/01/06/crash_test_results_depend_on_who_conducts_test/