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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Crash tests have found several minivans don't do an adequate job of protecting people against neck injuries in rear-end crashes.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave seven models a "poor" rating. The 2004-to-2006 models of the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Chrysler Town and Country took low ratings, as did a version of the 2005-to-2006 Toyota Sienna and G-M's 2005-to-2006 model years of the Chevrolet Uplander, Buick Terraza, Pontiac Montana S-V-6 and Saturn Relay.
A top official at the insurance group calls the results "disappointing" because minivan drivers spend a lot of time on roads where rear-end accidents are common.
Officials at all the automakers insist their vehicles are safe.
The insurance group gave its highest rating of good to the 2004-to-2006 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey.
On the Net: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: http://www.iihs.org/
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
