[Christ]

Originally Posted by ConnClark

This statement is not true. Extra inertia means more energy imparted to the object hit and a slower deceleration for the occupants inside the vehicle.

I might add that there are insurance statistics that show a definite trend in an increase in fatalities with a reduction of weight per number of cars registered. In other words being able to stop and turn quicker doesn't overcome the better protection provided by a heavier vehicle

link to follow as soon as I find it.
edit link: not the one I was talking about but the summary pretty much wraps it all up http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/808570.PDF

Lets recycle http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...html#post57612

Probably never occurred to you that the added safety features have, over time, increased the weight of the vehicles being studied? This, of course, could lead to the false impression that heavier is better or safer.

Remember the Master lock company? They had (at the time) an inferior product compared to other mfgs... But they won because of a false impression that a heavier lock meant it was better or stronger. The reality, however, is that this is a false impression.

Even if the safety of the occupants was increased solely by increased mass, relative safety still goes down, because everyone else involved in the crash, accident, whatever, will now be subjected to that increased mass and the energy it carries.