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(NAPSI)-Since September 1, automotive consumers have had another valuable tool to help them make informed choices regarding the safety of the vehicles they're considering buying.
The new law, part of a provision in the U.S. Department of Transportation's 2005 Highway Bill, "Stars on Cars," requires automakers to post the results of both crash test and rollover ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on all 2008 vehicle window stickers.
More than a year ahead of the government's September 1 deadline, Ford Motor Company has been posting the government's safety ratings on many of its vehicles.
"We've supported the legislation since it was first proposed," said James Vondale, director, Automotive Safety Office, Ford Motor Company. "It provides consumers with important information at the point of purchase and helps show that we have many vehicles with excellent crash test ratings."
The law is called Stars on Cars because of the star-rating system NHTSA uses to test and rate new cars in front and side crash tests and in rollover avoidance tests. Five stars indicate the best possible safety rating for vehicles within the same weight class.
The NHTSA crash results are posted on the window sticker alongside information that is already provided, such as the manufacturer's retail price, safety and convenience features and EPA fuel economy.
Vondale said Stars on Cars is a win-win for both Ford and its customers.
"According to several studies in the marketplace, safety has become a much bigger part of the buying decision because it helps consumers make a more informed decision at the dealership and it encourages all of us to continue to enhance vehicle safety," he said.
In 2006, more than a year before required, Ford began placing the safety ratings on various vehicle window stickers-also known as Monroney labels.
The vehicles included the Ford Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer sport utility vehicles, SportTrac , the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego large family cars-all of which earned the highest possible five-star ratings in the crash test categories.
In addition to earning five-star crash test ratings, several vehicles-including the Ford Five Hundred, Mercury Montego and the new 2008 Taurus, Sable and the Taurus X crossover-also earned Top Safety Pick ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.