International appreciation for research conducted at Thatcham

Thatcham’s crash and safety manager Matthew Avery was this week honoured with a special appreciation award by NHTSA, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The US-based organisation is one of the world’s leading authorities on safety performance standards for motor vehicles, traffic safety and driver behaviour.

The award, which was presented at the 22nd ‘International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles’ in Washington DC, is recognition for the research in road safety and collision avoidance that Avery has led, on behalf of Thatcham - the British insurers’ automotive research centre and his personal contribution and dedication to traffic safety.

Avery has been a driving force in the International Insurance Whiplash Prevention Group (IIWPG), and co-developed the Whiplash Rating system for geometric and dynamic assessment along with the world’s first Electronic Stability Control (ESC) consumer rating – both now integral parts of Euro NCAP’s (the European new car assessment and consumer ratings organisation.