The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco, a midsize hybrid; 2012 Hyundai Azera, a large family car; and 2012 Toyota Prius c, a small hybrid, earn the Institute's top award for good performance in front, side, rollover and rear impact evaluations.

The Malibu Eco is a redesigned model. The 2012 Malibu continues to be sold and also is a Top Safety Pick.

The Azera was previously tested for front and side crashworthiness. It meets the criteria for the award by earning good ratings in a recent rear impact test assessing whiplash protection and a roof strength test to measure occupant protection in rollover crashes.

The Prius c is a new model and joins the Prius and Prius v as IIHS award winners.

Michigan now allows motorcyclists who are 21 and older to ride without a helmet if they carry extra insurance and have passed a motorcycle safety course or have had their motorcycle endorsement for at least two years, effective April 12, 2012. The state previously required helmets for all riders. For details, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/HelmetUseCurrent.aspx.

LATCH would be easier to use if automakers followed 3 key principles when designing anchors and seats

Seat designs that interfere with easy child restraint installations

Parents describe common struggles with installing child restraints

Automakers can meet fuel economy rules without sacrificing safety

Red light camera critic uses flawed reasoning in challenging an Institute study of fatal crashes

ARLINGTON, Va. — Installing child restraints can frustrate even the most capable of parents. A system called Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children is supposed to make things easier by standardizing attachment hardware, but a new study shows that many automakers aren't paying attention to the key factors that make LATCH work. Only 21 of the 98 top-selling 2010-11 model passenger vehicles evaluated have LATCH designs that are easy to use. This is the main finding of joint research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

The GS, a large luxury car redesigned for the 2013 model year, earns the Institute's top award for good performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations.

The GS is the third Lexus to qualify since the Institute made the criteria for earning the award tougher in 2010 by requiring good performance in a roof strength test that assesses rollover protection. The other models are the RX, a midsize luxury SUV, and the CT 200h, a hybrid small car.

To measure roof strength, a metal plate is pushed against one corner of a vehicle's roof at a constant speed. The maximum force sustained by the roof before 5 inches of crush is compared to the vehicle's weight to find the strength-to-weight ratio. This is a good assessment of vehicle structural protection in rollover crashes.

The roof of the GS withstood a force equal to 4.88 times the vehicle's weight. Vehicles with a strength-to-weight ratio of 4 or better earn a good rating.

Deaths on U.S. roads have dropped to their lowest levels since 1949. In 2010, 32,885 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the United States. The rate of motor vehicle crash deaths per 100 million miles traveled reached a low of 1.11 in 2010, compared with 3.35 in 1975. Even though overall deaths are trending down, fatalities rose among pedestrians, motorcyclists and people in large trucks. These facts are based on the Institute's analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

See all Fatality Facts

The CX-5, an all-new small SUV, earns the Institute's top award for good performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations.

The CX-5 is the second Mazda to qualify since the Institute made the criteria for earning the award tougher in 2010 by requiring good performance in a roof strength test that assesses rollover protection. The other model is the Mazda 3, a small car.

To measure roof strength, a metal plate is pushed against one corner of a vehicle's roof at a constant speed. The maximum force sustained by the roof before 5 inches of crush is compared to the vehicle's weight to find the strength-to-weight ratio. This is a good assessment of vehicle structural protection in rollover crashes.

The roof of the CX-5 withstood a force equal to 5.47 times the vehicle's weight. Vehicles with a strength-to-weight ratio of 4 or better earn a good rating.

Keyless ignition systems would alert drivers who leave their vehicles without turning them off or putting them in park under a rule proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The rule also would standardize engine shut-off procedures for moving and stationary vehicles. The Institute supports the proposal but is asking the agency to make the regulation slightly more stringent.

Vehicles with keyless ignitions generally have a fob or other device with codes that can unlock the doors and start the vehicle. With the device somewhere in the occupant compartment, the driver simply pushes a button or turns a switch to start the vehicle. The systems are becoming increasingly common because of their convenience, but they can confuse drivers, resulting in dangerous situations.

In a comment submitted to NHTSA, the Institute expressed support for the proposed rule and called for more research to determine what kind of difficulties drivers are having with the systems.

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The Outlander Sport, a small SUV, earns the Institute's top award for good performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations. The Outlander Sport also has electronic stability control, an important crash avoidance feature that is now required by federal regulation.

Mitsubishi made changes to the roof structure of this vehicle to improve rollover protection. Top Safety Pick only applies to the 2012 sport model.

This is the second Mitsubishi to qualify since the Institute made earning the award tougher in 2010 by requiring good performance in a roof strength test that assesses rollover protection. The other model is the Lancer small car.

Virginia has joined 15 other states in requiring all DUI offenders, including first-time offenders, to install ignition interlocks, effective July 1, 2012. For details on ignition interlock laws in all states, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/dui.aspx.

The Nissan Versa, a minicar redesigned for 2012, earns the Institute's top award for good performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations. The Versa also has electronic stability control, an important crash avoidance feature that is now required by federal regulation.

This is the first time the Versa has earned Top Safety Pick. The redesigned model improves on the 2011 Versa's acceptable ratings for side impact and rollover protection.

Top Safety Pick only applies to the 4-door sedan. The hatchback version has not been redesigned.

Q&A: Electronic stability control

ARLINGTON, Va. — People convicted for the first time of alcohol-impaired driving are less likely to reoffend if they have to install alcohol interlocks on their vehicles, a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. The finding provides support for requiring the devices for all offenders, not just those with multiple arrests or high blood alcohol concentrations (BACs).

Alcohol ignition interlocks are reducing recidivism among drivers convicted of DUI in Washington

Enhanced belt reminders can persuade motorists to buckle up without being relentless

Interior padding reduces fatal head injuries by 24 percent, a new government analysis concludes

Teenage passenger death rate starts to climb at age 13 as young teens ride with friends who have licenses

Illinois enacted a new law allowing Chicago to use automatic speed enforcement cameras around the city's parks and schools, effective July 1, 2012. For details on automated enforcement laws in all states, go to http://www.iihs.org/laws/automated_enforcement.aspx.

ARLINGTON, VA — The Highway Loss Data Institute is pleased to announce the election of James Nutting as the new chairman of its Board of Directors. Nutting is senior vice president and chief actuary, Farmers Insurance Group of Companies. He succeeds Martin Deede, vice president – actuarial, MetLife Auto and Home, who served as HLDI chairman in 2011 and will continue to serve as a Board member.

ARLINGTON, VA — The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is pleased to announce the election of Douglas S. Joyce as the new chairman of its Board of Directors. Joyce is president of Alfa Alliance Insurance Corporation. He succeeds Steven George, chief operations officer, California State Auto Group, who served as IIHS chairman during 2011 and will continue to serve as a Board member.

A New Jersey law intended to help police enforce graduated licensing restrictions by requiring young drivers to display special decals is unpopular, widely flouted, and hasn't led to better compliance with the restrictions, an Institute study has found.

Status Report article: Vol. 46, No. 11, p. 4

New technologies could cut crashes dramatically, but don't count on them being everywhere tomorrow. A study by the Highway Loss Data Institute shows it takes about three decades for safety features to spread through the registered vehicle fleet.

Status Report Vol. 47, No. 1 cover article

New safety features take 3 decades on average to spread through the vehicle fleet, a HLDI report says

Bumper demonstration test shows easy way to solve mismatch problem when SUVs and cars collide

Final hours-of-service rule still allows truck drivers to spend up to 11 hours a day at the wheel

ARLINGTON, VA — The list of winners of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award is longer than ever this year, with vehicles in nearly every size category the Institute evaluates earning accolades. From minicars to sedans to pickups, consumers have a record number of choices among 2012 models.