The 2013 Ford Focus earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHA). Focus is one of six vehicles in the small car segment to achieve IIHS’s highest rating. Top Safety Pick+ is a new category in the IIHS ratings. Vehicles must earn a “good” rating for occupant protection in four evaluations: moderate overlap frontal crash, side impact, rollover, and seats/head restraints. The tests are scored “good,” “acceptable,” “marginal” or “poor.” In addition, vehicles must achieve “good” or “acceptable” in a fifth test – small overlap frontal crash. Focus was rated “good” in each of the first four tests and “acceptable” in the small overlap frontal crash. “Ford is committed to designing vehicles that help keep people safe,” said Steve Kenner, global director of Ford’s Automotive Safety Office. “We are constantly seeking innovative ways to help drivers avoid accidents and keep occupants safe when an incident does occur.” With families in mind, Ford took a holistic approach to safety when designing the Focus – from its ultra-high-strength steel structure to advanced safety technologies, Kenner said. This approach also helped the small car earn top safety ratings from the federal government. The 2013 and 2014 Ford Focus sedan and hatchback, and the 2013 Focus Electric were each awarded a five-star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The body structure of the Focus is engineered to be highly protective. It makes extensive use of high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels that help to protect the passenger cabin in a collision. Boron steel in the Focus’ structure absorbs and redirects crash forces to protect vehicle occupants in the event of a crash. Source: TradeArabia News Service