The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested the durability, strength and resistance of car bumpers a few years ago, only to come to the conclusion that auto makers are failing to improve safety measures for bumpers. In fact, the IIHS summed it up in five words, "Bad Bumpers are the norm," Fox Business reports.

Auto insurance rates increase for every dollar spent on car repairs from accidents. If a bumper fails to perform its function properly, more damage will ultimately be caused to the car, which costs the car owner more money.

One of the most surprising results from IIHS' study compared a 1981 Ford Escort to new vehicles of 2007. The cars were put to a low-speed bumper test that included four crashes, two at 3 miles per hour and two at 6mph. The Ford Escort sustained a total of $469 in damage, while all the other 2007 models took $1,800 worth of damage.

Adrian Lund said that there's no excuse for automakers developing bumpers that accrue damage from a 3 mile-per-hour accident.