Full-Width, Moderate-Overlap, and Small-Overlap Crash Tests
Last modified: Aug 05, 2026
Frontal crash tests use different overlap to load the vehicle. No single setup represents every frontal crash.
What each setup reveals
A full-width test strongly challenges restraints through a sharp deceleration pulse. Moderate overlap engages the main front structure, while small overlap strikes an outer corner and may bypass primary load paths. Compare test year, protocol, vehicle mass, and exact variant before comparing results. See Safety Testing.