"A number of parents groups have protested stating that this law forces them into minivans or SUVs, not all of which meet the same safety requirements as cars. In effect, they claim their children are seated more safely in a less safe vehicle"

The gov't testing and regs really don't take "dissimilar vehicle heights" into account. Since we are rarely hit by a standard concrete cube as in the DOT and IIHS tests, what they really need is a "standard vehicle" to hit. Quite a few years ago one of the European testing agencies ran a VW Eurovan into a Volvo 740, the VW dummies "survived" while the Volvo dummies "died". It's an embarassing quesion that took years for DOT and IIHS to get around to ask.

BTW, as nice as they are, I suspect the Odyssey side airbags are as much a marketing tool as anything.

Statistically speaking the minivans and SUVs (cringe about SUVs - because I do NOT like the things) are pretty safe. The Odyssey and Suburban are about the best in terms of safety if memory serves, but most SUVs with some exceptions like Jeep Wranglers and Suzuki Samurais are pretty safe. Even the Ford Explorer "deathtrap" has better injury and death stats than most cars.

The bottom line is if I were going to crash, I'd take the taller, heavier vehicle no matter what the DOT and IIHS say about it. So I really don't think that if the gov't is forcing people into minivans or SUVs it is forcing them into "a less safe vehicle".

Anyway, if you can stand the performance envelope of a '57 Corvette, you should be able to stand a Honda Odyssey. (Play a "Beach Boys" CD and pretend?)

-Bill the Cat