Those crazy europeans now have pedestrian crash ratings.

[Azwed]

You can read about them here

http://www.euroncap.com/results.htm

The only car to get three stars out of five was the Honda Civic.

 

[p_p_man]

It's probably something you crazy American's...

would never think of in a million years with your low regard for human life.

Pedestrian crash ratings came to the fore a few years ago when it was realised that cars were being constructed in such a way that drivers felt cocooned and safe from the outside world.

Pedestrians, however, were very liable to serious injury or death if hit by a vehicle driven at even moderate speed.

So experiments have been carried out now for a while to see how pedestrian deaths can be reduced. This mainly involves using new, softer metals and redesigning parts of the car where impacts are likely to happen (the front and both sides of the front) to make it less 'square' so that pedestrians stand a better chance of being rolled back over the bonnet instead of impacted away from it. This is thought to give a better chance to reduce pedestrian deaths.

As you can see from your link the ratings are fairly low at the moment but work is continuing...

ppman

 

[Pyper]

Those crazy Europeans should stop walking in front of cars. We're talking zero regard for crosswalks. When I rented a car in Spain, I had people step into the street ten feet in front of me while I was moving with traffic! I mean, hello!

 

[p_p_man]

Those crazy Europeans should stop walking in front of cars. We're talking zero regard for crosswalks. When I rented a car in Spain, I had people step into the street ten feet in front of me while I was moving with traffic! I mean, hello!

Yeah but that's Spain!

Notorious for that sort of practice. Like the French have little regard for lane discipline...

ppman

 

[Pyper]

Oh yeah, and those crazy English people who drive on the wrong side of the rode. I mean, of COURSE people are gonna get run over! I almost did!

 

[Siren]

 

[mig]

the are just a bunch of brit wankers.

I really expected better than that.

 

[phrodeau]

I'd favor a front-end design modeled after the old locomotive cow-catcher. It would also probably do a good number on snow.

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

Have they tested the new SUV with the spiked bumpers yet?