The Honda Accord has earned the government's highest possible rating for occupant protection in frontal collisions in tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) tests are based on a frontal impact collision of 35 mph, and a five-star rating, NHTSA's maximum, indicates the best protection. According to crash test statistics compiled by NHTSA, vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in severe frontal crashes than in severe side crashes. In the area of passenger safety, 2001 Accords now employ dual-stage, dual threshold passenger front airbags. These airbags are standard on all models and adjust deployment based on the severity of the crash and whether the driver and passengers are wearing seat belts. "Earning a five-star NHTSA crash test rating was one of the key development targets for the 2001 Honda Accord," said Tom Elliott, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "World-class safety was an important consideration in engineering the '01 Accord." In addition to the five-star rating for frontal impact, the Accord also earned a five-star Rollover Resistance Rating. This rating measures vehicle characteristics of center of gravity and track width to determine how "top-heavy" a vehicle is.