ISA will be the first risky-behavior technology to be added to the Top Safety Pick+ criteria. The first IIHS ratings for ISA systems will be issued in 2027.

IIHS ratings have already helped speed adoption of one behavior-related feature. Enhanced belt reminders that are more persistent than the brief warning light and audible signal required by the government have become much more common since IIHS began rating belt reminders in 2022. Nearly three-quarters of 2025 models evaluated earn a good rating, compared with only 16% of 2022 models. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently issued a rule that will require enhanced reminders in all models.

Decades of crashworthiness testing have helped make new vehicles much safer for their own occupants, and more recent crash avoidance evaluations are improving safety for those outside the vehicle. However, research shows that risky driver behavior continues to offset features such as airbags and more protective vehicle structures. As a result, traffic deaths will remain higher in the U.S. than in other advanced countries unless action is taken.

Despite the influence that IIHS ratings and awards can have, Harkey emphasized that addressing risky behavior is not something that the Institute can do alone. Partnerships with safety advocates and the auto industry as well as federal, state and local policymakers will be critical.

“The sooner we can start getting these features into vehicles, the sooner we can make risky-driving deaths a thing of the past,” Harkey said. “But even if we start tomorrow, it will be decades before all vehicles on the road are equipped with these systems. That’s why we also need to continue advancing strong policies to deter impaired driving, speeding and other problem behaviors.”