Fuel standards

A good case can be made that federal fuel efficiency standards played a part in the collapse of the Big Three automakers, although some will surely disagree.

But it remains indisputable that those standards have ramifications for the types of vehicles available on the market.

Advocates for mandating higher fuel efficiency standards vigorously deny that these regulations increase highway deaths by forcing some Americans into smaller, lighter automobiles. More fuel-efficient vehicles don't have to be less safe, they insist.

But they can't repeal the laws of physics.

In tests released Tuesday, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonprofit group funded by the insurance industry, found that newly popular "micro cars," which get great mileage and are cheaper than traditional sedans, don't fare well in collisions with larger automobiles.

"There are good reasons people buy mini cars," said Adrian Lund, president of the institute. "They're more affordable, and they use less gas. But the safety trade-offs are clear from our new tests."

The tests specifically dealt with the Smart "fortwo," Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris.

Spokesmen for the automakers defended the vehicles, saying the tests simulated conditions that rarely occurred on the road and that the cars had passed the government's crash test programs.

But is this really some great controversy? If a Honda Fit gets T-boned by an Audi A8, what do we expect the result to be?

The Obama administration will continue to push for tougher and tougher CAFE standards on automakers. The president is already demanding an 8 percent improvement for 2011 models and more than a 40 percent jump by 2020. In order to meet those costly mandates, the automakers that are still able to compete will make some of their cars lighter and smaller. This will lead to more highway deaths.

It's not rocket science.