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SUVs are rollover risks, new federal ratings show

GM, Consumers Union criticize data aimed at stopping production
of �top heavy� vehicles

By Miguel Llanos
MSNBC

Jan. 9 �  The federal government on Tuesday issued its first
ratings of vehicles by rollover risk, saying it hoped
consumers would use it to demand safer sport utility
vehicles from manufacturers. But General Motors, whose
Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy/Envoy fared worst on the
list, criticized the rankings as �overly simplistic� and said
it would ignore them.

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY Rodney Slater said the
five-star rating system will help consumers �choose a safe vehicle for
themselves and their family.�

�We hope it means that the manufacturers will therefore design
safer SUVs,� the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, Sue Bailey, told NBC�s �Today� show.

The NHTSA, part of the Transportation Department, said that
happened when ratings for frontal crashes began in 1979. At the time
just 33 percent of vehicles achieved a four- or five-star rating. By
1997, 85 percent had received four or five stars, the agency said.

NHTSA ON DEFENSIVE

But General Motors criticized the five-star system as �overly
simplistic� because it�s based only on a vehicle�s center of gravity
and doesn�t include driver behavior, seat-belt usage and vehicle
dynamics like suspension, tires and wheel base.

GM said in a statement that it �will continue to design its vehicles
to ... (that broader) criteria, which we consider to be more
comprehensive and relevant to real world driving.� 
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You can view the ratings list from the pull down menu at:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/513562.asp