NHTSA Builds A Case To Beef Up Roof Strength

The federal government is trying again to update one of the oldest and most controversial vehicle safety regulations on the books -- the standard for vehicle roof strength, which has been essentially unchanged since 1971.

Regulators today issued a revised version of a proposed rewrite of the regulation, first issued in 2005.

The latest version would require both sides of a vehicle roof to support at least two and half times the vehicle's weight, according to a statement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The existing standard requires one side to support at least one and half times the vehicle weight. The earlier proposal would have boosted the weight requirement to two and half times vehicle weight but would have continued testing on one side only.

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Agent009 - 1/25/2008 1:59:55 PM

+1 Boost

Welcome to politics.

Beef up MPG. So you have to cut weight

Then they pass legislation for safety that now adds more weight.

Then you use better materials that cost more and the price goes up.

Then insurance goes up because of increased replacement costs.

pacotacolol - 1/26/2008 10:23:24 AM

0 Boost

maybe the smart should get one

BMW995 - 1/25/2008 2:27:21 PM

+4 Boost

"Nearly 10,000 people die every year in rollover crashes, but government data show that only a small percentage are killed by collapsing roofs. Many do not wear seat belts and are ejected."

Here we go again. Another, rarely needed regulation on all cars that will increase the weight and center of gravity -- and for what? I can see the argument for roof standards on SUVs and the like due to their greater tendency to roll over, but all cars? Big government is controlling us more and more until the cars enthusiasts like to drive will be finally legislated out of existance.

Anthony - 1/25/2008 3:37:24 PM

+1 Boost

Maybe we should all just ride around in Hummers for complete safety.

Porschinator - 1/25/2008 6:44:38 PM

+1 Boost

So the Toyota commercials are fake?!? I thought the Tacomas were indestructable!!! hehe

This is a dumb article. Current regulations are fine and anything more would produce heavier vehicles. As even the article stated taht the vast majority of roll over deaths are due to non-seatbelt wearing drivers/passengers. Typically deaths occuring to collapse is when a car falls from a fair distance on the roof.