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Old 01-07-2010, 09:20 AM   #348 (permalink)
Fubeca
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: DFW
Posts: 87

The Truck - '06 Chevrolet Silverado Ext Cab 4x4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1.5Ldave View Post
Weight has no bearing on how well a vehicle will do in a crash. Size for the most part doesnt either, granted to dont end up underneath one of the collosus vehicles people drive to "feel" safe. Ill choose quality engineering over some big heavy box for safety any day of the week and twice on sunday.

f150 and mini cooper 40 mph crash comparison



Both of these vehicles hit the exact same off-set barrier at 40mph. Now keep in mind that this is not a test of how the two cars would fare in a head-on collision with each-other. This is simply how the cars did versus an off-set crash test. In fact all you have to do is look at the dummy’s legs and you can get an idea of what would happen if you hit a wall in either car. The MINI had almost no intrusion which “indicates that the driver’s survival space was maintained very well” - the F150 on the other hand had “Major collapse of the occupant compartment that left little survival space for the driver.”

In my opinion this is more an indictment of Ford safety engineering at the time than a universal rule about weight. Although it takes more strength to make them survive the same crash with a stationary object, heavy vehicles can be safe for their occupants. If you look at the next generation (2004-2008) F150 in the same crash test the occupant compartment is maintained very well.
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