Honda Civic Safe For Females, Death Trap For Males

This is interesting. According to USA today, the 2011 Honda Civic gets different crash test ratings for both males and females.

The National Highway Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) recently created new crash test standards, which means all cars were re-tested. The new standards include a “pole test” which simulates a side crash into a 10 foot pole at around 30 km/h.

The NHTSA is famous for its 5 star ranking system.

During the pole test the NHTSA used a female crash test dummy and a male crash test dummy. The female dummy did well as it resulted in a 4 star rating. But then they strapped the male dummy in for the test and it only got a 2 star rating!

What?

The NHTSA didn’t offer up any explanation. Is it because males are bigger than females? I don’t get it.

In addition, this is in stark contrast to the 2010 Civic’s overall rating of 5 stars. But thanks to this latest test, under the new standards, the Civic gets a mere 3 star rating overall.

In any event, if you are female and you are reading this you may want to reconsider buying your boyfriend that Civic Si for Christmas. It might just kill him.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to one since apparently it will protect you more than your boyfriend. Just don’t drive him anywhere in it.

[USA Today]

U.S Transportation Secretary Says to Stop Driving Your Recalled Toyota, Blasts Automaker

Not driving a car that may or may not have a sticking gas pedal probably goes without saying, but does hearing it from a U.S government rep help create a sense of panic, or is it just the government covering its rear end?

The Transport Secretary (who also goes by Ray Lahood) says it’s best to take it to your local Toyota dealer straight away where they will immidiately remedy the sticking gas pedal/floormat issue.

But Lahood also had more to say about Toyota which shouldn’t bode well for its already shattered image.

UPDATE: LaHood retracts what he said against Toyota, hit the jump.

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