Side collision

These crashes typically occur at intersections, in parking lots, and when two vehicles pass on a multi-lane roadway.

Another report commissioned by the EU in 2015 found that side impacts accounted for roughly 35-40% of passenger fatality and serious injury, as opposed to 55% attributed to head-on collisions.

Even when equipped with the safest cars on the road, these casualties occurred at much lower speeds than in head-on collisions, with passenger fatality and serious injury typically occurring at 50 km/h (~31 mph) in side impact collisions, as opposed to 70 km/h (~43 mph) for frontal impacts.

[2] Additionally, side impacts tend to affect more vulnerable areas of the body.

[4] For light vans and minibuses in 2000 in UK and Germany, between 14% and 26% of accidents with passenger cars were side impacts.

[4] In Shanghai, in China, 23% of the 1097 serious accidents occurred between June 2005 and March 2013 are side impact accidents, there the leading collision mode, according to the Shanghai United Road Traffic Safety Scientific Research Center (SHUFO) database.

An occupant on the struck side of a vehicle may sustain far more severe injuries than an otherwise similar front or rear collision crash.

Additionally, side impact wrecks are more likely to involve multiple individual collisions or sudden speed changes before motion ceases.

[12] Research indicates that the vehicle's underbody is the best place to reinforce structures to reduce intrusion by the pole.

The NHTSA results are evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration using Office of Crashworthiness Standards, New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) Side Impact Laboratory Test Procedure[14] and Side Impact Rigid Pole Laboratory Test Procedure[15] to display a simple star-rating.

Some provide good protection, some less so, and some developed improved safety in response to a low result (Dodge Ram and Fiat 500).