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Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

EIN 53-0246204 · Arlington, VA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood77 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY IS AN INDEPENDENT, NONPROFIT, SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION. IT IDENTIFIES AND EVALUATES WAYS TO REDUCE THE HUMAN AND ECONOMIC LOSSES RESULTING FROM MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES AND COMMUNICATES THE RESULTS OF THAT RESEARCH TO THE PUBLIC, FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE SAFETY OFFICIALS, VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, INSURERS, THE MEDIA, THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY AND OTHERS.

Income
$34.4 million
Spending
$34.4 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
8.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 99%
Employees
101
Volunteers
28
Highest pay
$1.1 million, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    28 of 29 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $15.7 million spent. VEHICLE RESEARCH CENTER PROJECTS: ENGINEERING AND OTHER RESOURCE SUPPORT FOR VEHICLE RELATED RESEARCH PROJECTS AND VEHICLE CRASH TESTING TO EVALUATE THE ABILITY OF VEHICLES TO PROTECT THEIR OCCUPANTS IN FRONT, SIDE, REAR, AND ROLLOVER CRASHES. THE LATEST PROJECTS INCLUDE THE EVALUATION OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE VEHICLE CRASH AVOIDANCE CAPABILITIES.
  2. $5.0 million spent. HIGHWAY LOSS DATA INSTITUTE (HLDI): HLDI IS A TAX-EXEMPT RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION. HLDI PERFORMS SCIENTIFIC STUDIES OF INSURANCE CLAIMS DATA ON MOTOR VEHICLE LOSSES AND PUBLISHES INSURANCE LOSS RESULTS BY VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL.
  3. $5.0 million spent. COMMUNICATIONS PROJECTS: PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC CONCERNING MOTOR VEHICLES AND HIGHWAY RESEARCH DONE BY THE INSTITUTE AND BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN MOTOR VEHICLE AND HIGHWAY SAFETY. THE INSTITUTE'S PUBLIC WEBSITE PROVIDES INFORMATION ON THE INSTITUTE'S RESEARCH AND ON THE INSTITUTE'S CRASH TESTING TO EVALUATE THE CRASHWORTHINESS OF VEHICLES, AS WELL AS ON NEW RESEARCH PERFORMED ON VEHICLE BASED CRASH AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS.
  4. $4.5 million spent. RESEARCH PROJECTS: PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE METHODS OF REDUCING THE PERSONAL INJURIES AND PROPERTY DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE USE OF MOTOR VEHICLES. RESEARCH INCLUDES THE HUMAN FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH TEENAGE DRIVERS, ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVING, TRUCK DRIVER FATIGUE, SEAT BELT USE, AND OTHER AREAS. RESEARCH ABOUT THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT INCLUDES, FOR EXAMPLE, ASSESSMENT OF ROADWAY DESIGNS TO REDUCE RUN-OFF-THE-ROAD CRASHES, AND TO ELIMINATE ROADSIDE HAZARDS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1964.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

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