Progressive.com has latest IIHS Low-Speed Crash Test Videos
Site Visitors Can Check Out Full-Motion Video of Bumper Tests For Four Small SUVs
MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio — July 2, 2002 —Nearly one in four vehicles sold in 2001 was a sport utility vehicle (SUV), according to automotive industry experts. The continued popularity of these vehicles means many of us will be considering an SUV for our next vehicle, so when comparison shopping we should not only look at safety and price, but also the costs of repairs. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) bumper crash tests assess how well bumpers resist costly damage in the kinds of impacts that frequently occur in slow-moving commuter traffic and parking lots. SUV shoppers can visit the crash test video page on progressive.com for the five mile per hour, front and rear bumper crash test videos released today by the IIHS for four small SUVs including, the 2003 Subaru Forester, 2002 Saturn VUE, 2002 Land Rover Freelander,and 2002 Honda CR-V.
The Progressive group of companies (NYSE: PGR) has featured IIHS crash test videos on progressive.com since November 2000 to help consumers become better vehicle and insurance shoppers. Ranked the number one Insurance Carrier Web Site six consecutive times by leading e-commerce authority, Gomez, progressive.com is the only auto insurance Web site where consumers can view vehicle crash test results and then check out the insurance rates for the vehicle from Progressive and other leading companies.
The Institute's crashworthiness evaluations ranging from good to poor are based on results from a series of four five mile per hour crash tests. Only the 2003 Subaru Forester earned a "good" rating, while the 2002 Saturn VUE, 2002 Land Rover Freelander and 2002 Honda CR-V all earned "poor" ratings. The Honda CR-V and Land Rover Freelander were the worst performers with an average of more than $1,600 in damage, compared to the Subaru Forester's average damage of $350 in the series of low speed crash tests.
"To develop accurate auto insurance rates, companies not only look at information about you, like your age and driving history, they use their past claims experience with the kind of vehicle you drive," says Toby Alfred, site manager, progressive.com. "Cars that perform well in minor crashes can be safer and require minimal repairs, so costs to fix them are lower, which means they can cost less to insure."
The Progressive group of insurance companies, in business since 1937, ranks fourth in the nation for auto insurance and provides drivers with competitive rates and 24/7 service. The companies offer insurance by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, online at progressive.com and through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies. The Progressive Corporation, the holding company, has headquarters in Mayfield Village, Ohio and is publicly traded at NYSE: PGR. More information can be found at progressive.com.
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