Bumper standards

27th December 2007

Insurance research centre Thatcham claims that because there is no universal design, an impact of only 6mph can write off a car. As a result, owners face total annual repair bills of more than £2billion. Thatcham argues that, as bumpers are currently set at different heights and widths, they can damage bodywork when cars collide, leading to costly repairs.

The discovery was made during low-speed crash tests based on a new international standard trial from the Research Council for Automobile Repairs. This uses a 100mm bumper beam with an energy-absorbing cover set at 455mm from the ground for the front, and 405mm for the rear.

The tests proved that, on a Suz-uki Swift, a front and rear 6mph collision caused £4,600 worth of damage; enough to write off the car. The Honda CR-V, Citroen C4 Picasso and Land Rover Freelander 2 also did badly, with collision repairs totalling £2,700-plus. “It is time makers addressed this issue and fitted vehicles with bumpers that bump,” said Thatcham’s Matthew Avery.