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The smooth, flowing lines of most new cars and trucks conceal bumpers so well consumers rarely give them a second thought. But back into a pole in a Wal-Mart parking lot on a busy weekend and bumper design suddenly becomes an important part of your life.

If you ram the pole in a Ford F150 going 5 mph (8 km/h), you're looking at $2,042 in damage and all the hassle that entails: filling out reports, dropping the truck off at the body shop and mooching rides to work for a week while they fix your truck.

Federal government standards used to prohibit all except minor cosmetic damage to the bumper itself in 5 mph tests. But in 1982, standards were rolled back to 2.5 mph (4 km/h), and allowed unlimited damage to the bumper and attachments. Note: These requirements only apply to automobiles - there are NO federal bumper requirements for Pickup Trucks, Mini Vans or SUV’s. Carmakers loved the change - Insurance companies hate it.

They May Not Look Like Much, But Bumpers Are The Focal Point Of A Major Long-Term Battle That Pits Automakers Against Auto Insurers.

Consumers and suppliers are stuck in the middle. Automakers want to make lighter, lower-cost (and higher-profit) vehicles with sleek cab-forward designs and short overhangs.

Insurers want big, strong bumpers that stick out ahead of the rest of the body to provide maximum protection - and maximum profits for the insurance industry.

Insurers don't care what they are made of; they just want beefier bumpers. And the newest designs aren't always the best. The new Ford F150 bumpers are worse than before.

"If you don't have enough overhang, no matter what you have, you're going to have problems," says Mike Ciccone, special projects coordinator at the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety. "You need overhang, energy-absorbing material and a strong enough bumper beam. Those are three main elements."

75% Of All Rear- End Collisions Are Less Than 10 MPH And Most Are Direct Hits. Most Of The Damage Occurs When Passenger Cars Under-ride Pickup Trucks And SUVs…The Kind Of Vehicles That Pull Trailers. The SUPERBUMPER and SPAREBUMPER Prevent Under-ride And Help Bumpers Engage To Prevent The Damage.

Jeff is CEO of Mohr Mfg is an expert in rear end collisions. His company makes portable, energy absorbing, spare safety bumpers, ball mounts, hitch steps, skid plates, hitch covers and bumper shields that install in seconds and protect your vehicle from rear-end collision damage, reduce whiplash injuries, shield your gas tank from under-ride and eliminate parking lot and parallel parking dents and dings. For additional information: http://www.superbumper.com