IIHS Finds Minivans Are Terrible at Protecting Rear Passengers

• An IIHS study finds that four popular vans aren't meeting its standards for a crash test.
• The Chrysler Pacific, Kia Carnival, Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey all fail to meet the bar set by the IIHS.
• Restraint systems in all four vans leave rear occupants vulnerable to chest injuries.

For a vehicle to earn a Good rating, a handful of criteria have to be met. In the overlap crash scenario, there cannot be severe injury to the head, neck, chest or thighs on the second-row dummy. A dummy also cannot “submarine” under its belt in a crash, while the head has to be a safe distance from the rest of the vehicle interior. The Odyssey fared the worst on paper, and in the crash the rear dummy experienced significant head and neck trauma. 

It’s worth noting that these vans scored poorly in one of many categories, and while the issues pointed out by the IIHS are valid, the vans scored well in many of the other categories referenced in the chart below. 

“The restraint systems in all four vehicles leave the second-row occupant vulnerable to chest injuries, either because of excessive belt forces or poor belt-positioning,” said Jessica Jermakian, IIHS vice president of vehicle research. “That’s concerning because those injuries can be life-threatening.”

Edmunds says

While it’s a little concerning to see such weaknesses in family cars, uncovering the weaknesses of various cars through testing helps brands put out safer products.