Chevy Volt Top Saftey Pick Zeigler Chevrolet Schaumburg

Chevy Volt Earns IIHS “Top Safety Pick” Status

by Chevrolet in the News on May 26, 2011

Already one of the most innovative and highly awarded vehicles ever built by Chevrolet, the all-new Chevy Volt also is one of the safest: Just ask the experts at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which recently recognized the world’s first mass-produced extended-range electric vehicle with its much coveted “Top Safety Pick” honor.
Just like other Top Safety Picks, the Volt had to both offer electronic stability control—a standard feature on the Chevy—and garner the highest possible scores in IIHS evaluations of side, rear, frontal and rollover crash protection. On the other hand, one particular Volt characteristic did have a noticeable affect on its safety performance. Because of its high-efficiency battery pack, the Volt outweighs many similarly sized vehicles on the road today, and those added pounds can mean added protection to occupants.
Because size and weight affect crashworthiness, as explained by Joe Nolan, chief administrative officer for the IIHS, the Volt’s extra mass provides it with “a safety advantage over other small cars,” making it “a win-win for fuel economy and safety.”
In addition, the Volt showcases a wide range of standard safety content, including:

• GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control system
• Front side, knee and full-length side-curtain airbags
• LATCH (Lower Anchors and Top tethers for Children) compatibility for safety seats
• A five-year subscription to the OnStar Directions and Connections Plan with Automatic Crash Response, stolen vehicle assistance and navigation capabilities
• A driver-operated alert feature, developed in conjunction with the American Federation of the Blind, that can be used when the Volt is running in its near-silent all-electric mode to sound a warning for pedestrians (particularly those with visual impairments)

“Safety remains one of the most important factors buyers weigh when purchasing a vehicle,” said Doug Parks, Volt global vehicle line executive. “The IIHS designation reiterates the Volt as a safe, practical vehicle that can be a family’s only car—without compromises.”