CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — Those “five-star crash rating” comments in car commercials? They come from a series of tests conducted by companies like Calspan that operates in Cheektowaga.

The company will now conduct even more of those tests each year – up to 500 – thanks to a new $20 million facility Calspan cut the ribbon to open Thursday.

Greg Campbell, the company’s vice president, said the crash facility used to run about 120 tests per year. “We’ll be expanding from a one-shift operation to having two shifts.”

That means 50 more jobs, in addition to the 140 positions the company already had, noted Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, who was on hand for the ribbon cutting.

Starting in 2015, highway deaths in the U.S. have increased for the first time in decades, something experts attribute to factors like distracted driving.

With new safety features being added to vehicles each year they say the tests done here are more important than ever.

"We have the opportunity to run tests that are more modern procedures that will bring the United States on par with some of the European countries and their testing," Campbell said.  

The company will continue to smash your favorite brands and not one of the more than $640,000 crash test dummies will be left sitting.