​​Summer Driving Brings Focus to GM Safety Advances​ 

By the time you read this, it will be mid-August 2026 or later, and we say Congratulations! You made it! We are referring to the fact that, as much as we love summer, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is often called the “100 deadliest days” by traffic safety advocates because the risks of being on the road are highest during this time. This is particularly true for teen drivers, who, with school out and possibly bolstered by summer paychecks, spend more time on the road. McFarland Chevrolet shares General Motors’ efforts to make this better for the summer and the rest of the year. 

You may not know this, but GM’s engineers, researchers, and technical experts have been advancing driver safety for families for the better part of a century. Did you know that GM was the first automaker to conduct crash barrier testing back in 1934? GM also helped develop the first standardized crash test dummies in the early 1970s and began using a crash test dummy representing a fifth-percentile female passenger in the 1980s. Extensive testing with various dummy types over the years has contributed to fewer fatalities and injuries for all vehicle occupants.   

That spirit of safety innovation continues today, as engineers continue working to reduce the likelihood of a crash, reduce potential injury, and increase driver confidence with every new Chevrolet car, truck, SUV, or crossover built.  

“At GM, product safety is not just a feature. It is a core value embedded in who we are and how we work, and it is built into every stage of vehicle development — from concept and design to deployment and real-world performance,” said Regina Carto, vice president of Global Product Safety, Systems and Certification.   

Images from an Insurance Institute of Highway Safety test a few years ago between a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air and a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu provided a graphic demonstration of how vehicles have become more survivable, despite the modern Malibu’s apparent disadvantage in both size and weight. Since 2019, there have been significant technological advances to help prevent such injuries in the first place. 

As the manufacturer of one of the largest passenger vehicles on the road, the Suburban, as well as small vehicles like the Bolt and Trax, GM is well aware of the risks associated with vehicles of all sizes and purposes on the road. Unlike luxury brands that tout safety for their premium-priced products, GM is dedicated to providing advanced safety in vehicles that can be purchased by average American families. That is why you will see safety features like Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Following Distance Indicator, Forward Collision Alert, and IntelliBeam in a Trax with a starting MSRP of $21,700. 

“We’re proud of how we’re delivering a set of confidence-building safety features as standard equipment on vehicles that are within reach for more households,” Carto said. 

And it’s working. Recent research from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute highlights the progress made so far. The study analyzed about 12 million GM vehicles from model years 2020 to 2024 and compared them with more than 700,000 police-reported crashes in 18 states. Results showed significant decreases across various crash types, such as: 

Collision Type Reduction 

Backing 86% 

Rear-end with injuries  57% 

Pedestrian with injuries  35% 

Roadway departure 15% 

Lane-change 13% 

This shows that the safety features built into current GM vehicles are having the intended effect of reducing injuries from common incidents.  

GM emphasizes that it isn’t just about safety features in cars.  Vehicle safety requires a holistic approach that includes vehicle technology, research, and safety advocacy.  The current widespread use of seat belts is an ideal example of the effects of advocacy when the vehicle technology was already in place and the research was well established.  There is plenty of work to be done.  Injuries still occur, and every day brings additional vehicles on the road.  

“At GM we are always innovating, learning and working to build greater confidence and peace of mind for our customers and their families,” said Carto. 

When you next visit McFarland Chevrolet to shop for a new Chevrolet.  As easy as it is to be impressed by the design, technology, and convenience features, take some time to have one of our sales professionals inform you of all safety features built into the model and how you can benefit from them.