Euro NCAP five-star safety-rating no guarantee, warns The AA
New research has revealed that a Euro NCAP five-star safety-rating doesn’t provide the complete protection drivers expect.
According to analysis carried out by The AA, more than a fifth of drivers believe a five-star rating will guarantee their safety in a collision.
It surveyed more than 12,000 drivers and found that 22% believe the top rating means occupants will be protected in every crash.
The research also found that 15% believe five stars guarantees the protection of occupants travelling in another vehicle if the two collide, while 14% think pedestrians and cyclists are guaranteed protection if struck by the vehicle. Meanwhile, 21% believe a five-star car simply meets minimum legal safety standards.
Euro NCAP ratings are based on four areas: safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection and post-crash safety. To achieve five stars, a vehicle must perform to the highest level across the assessment areas.
Tim Rankin, managing director of AA Accident Assist, said: “A five-star Euro NCAP safety rating is an important indication of how well a vehicle performs when it comes to safety, but five stars doesn’t mean a car is crash-proof.
“More than one in five people believe a five-star rating guarantees occupants will be protected in every crash. No vehicle can make that promise. Even in a five-star car, drivers need to be alert behind the wheel.”
