Since its advent in the mid-1980s, the minivan has been the vehicle of choice for many families. Its sliding doors, its spacious rear seats and its ingenious storage spaces give it a head start over many SUVs. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently focused on the safety of their rear seats, often used to lug the kids around. The results obtained left the researchers speechless.
None of the four minivans tested – Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival and Toyota Sienna – had a score described as “good” or “acceptable” for rear occupant protection in a test. partial frontal impact. The conclusions of this round of testing once again highlight a disparity between front and rear occupant protection. All models receive the best possible rating for the safety of those installed at the front during this type of impact.
The IIHS specifies that to properly protect rear passengers, a survival cell must be maintained around them to limit injuries. The other essential element concerns the behavior and positioning of the seat belt. It is deplored that these belts put the lives of passengers in danger by causing chest injuries due to the excessive pressure they exert or their poor positioning.
Note that the mannequins placed in the rear of the vehicles during these tests are the size of a 12-year-old child or a “small woman” to make the exercise more realistic. Of all the models, the Odyssey ranked dead last with a “poor” rating due to the high risk of neck and head injuries. Now let’s hope that manufacturers make the necessary fixes to properly protect little ones.
