This study assessed how the release of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) new crashworthiness ratings based on a small overlap front crash configuration and ratings of front crash prevention systems affected consumer behavior. Telephone surveys were conducted with U.S. Volvo dealers after the August 2012 inaugural release of the IIHS small overlap frontal crash test ratings, in which the Volvo S60 was one of two models receiving the highest rating of good, and with U.S. Subaru and Jeep dealers after the May 2013 release of small overlap frontal test ratings of small SUVs, in which the Subaru Forester was the only model rated good and the Jeep Patriot was rated poor. Additional surveys were conducted following the September 2013 inaugural release of IIHS’s front crash prevention ratings with U.S. Subaru, Volvo, and Cadillac dealers, automakers that offered automatic emergency braking systems receiving the top superior rating;​ U.S. Ford dealers, which offered a forward collision warning system rated basic;​ and U.S. Hyundai dealers, which had no rated system and offered little collision avoidance technology at the time.

Nearly half of Volvo dealers and 75% of Subaru dealers reported increased consumer interest in the S60 and Forester models, respectively, after their good ratings in the small overlap frontal test were broadcast. Volvo dealers reported a 41% increase in sales of the S60 and an 18% increase in sales of all Volvo models the week following this announcement compared with the week before. Subaru dealers reported a 14% increase in sales of the Forester and an 11% increase in all Subaru models compared with the week before the announcement, while Jeep Patriot sales declined slightly and sales of all Jeep models were essentially unchanged. About a third of Subaru, Volvo, and Cadillac dealers and 10% of Ford dealers reported increased consumer interest in front crash prevention systems after the inaugural ratings were released. Sales for all surveyed automakers declined from the week before the front crash prevention rating announcement to the following week. However, sales of Subaru, Volvo, Cadillac, and Ford models with rated systems declined 41% less than sales of Hyundai models, and sales of all models from these automakers declined 6% less than sales of Hyundai models. The findings suggest that well-publicized safety ratings can translate directly into changes in consumer vehicles purchases.