Background The bumper standard establishes requirements for the impact resistance of vehicles in low-speed front and rear collisions for passenger motor vehicles. NHTSA regulates the height and impact capabilities of bumpers on passenger cars only. The agency has chosen not to regulate bumper performance or elevation for LTVs because of the potential compromise to the vehicle utility in operating on loading ramps and off road situations. LTVs may have bumpers higher off the ground than those of passenger cars. If the taller vehicle's bumper is several inches above the passenger car's bumper, the car may experience costlier damage in a low-speed collision.

Objectives Determine the adequacy of the bumper standard on preventing excessive damage costs in low-speed collisions between passenger cars and LTVs.

Proposed Approach Measure the heights of car and LTV bumpers. Analyze insurance data and/or State crash data to determine the effect of bumper mismatch on collision damage in low-speed collisions. Perform low-speed collision tests of cars versus LTVs, with LTV bumpers set at different heights, and measure the range of damages. Compare the range of damages with low-speed collision tests of car versus car. The evaluation could take 2-4 years, depending on the need for additional test data.