In the first video, it looks like the seat belts didn't even lock up. Not only does the dummy face plant the steering wheel HARD, the wheel even jumps out and meets him halfway.
Wow, what an impression!
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Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. - Clarke's Third Law
But, what we have to remember is that an offset impact at 35-mph is going to be serious in any vehicle -- yes, some more than others, but consider the following...
How often is this going to happen in a collision? That's 2 vehicles, each traveling 17.5 mph, in an offset collision, or one traveling slowly and hitting a stationary object.
Two vehicles hitting offset at 35 mph = 70 mph combined force. The odds of surviving a collision of this magnitude, in any vehicle, is slim.
I know these videos are a reference, but I don't want people to equate small cars to "unsafe", so people justify the purchase of a land-yacht for "safety". The F-150 of the same generation was equally as unsafe due to the jack-knifing effect as the cabin collapses.
Having been an EMT/Firefighter with extrication experience ("jaws-of-life"), I can attest that a bad accident is just that -- a bad accident. It doesn't really matter what you drive. Belts and bags do help, but only as much as Physics can allow.
Accident prevention and avoidance is crucial: Stability Control, ABS / good braking, etc. -- mostly for making sure the "other guy" doesn't hit you. Side airbags can make a big difference in a side-impact.
We do have an advantage here -- most of us have slowed-down in our driving. I'd like to think that hypermilers are more aware of the road and conditions as well -- anticipating traffic for optimum FE. That translates to better awareness, IMO.
RH77
__________________ “If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research” ― Albert Einstein
But, what we have to remember is that an offset impact at 35-mph is going to be serious in any vehicle -- yes, some more than others, but consider the following...
How often is this going to happen in a collision? That's 2 vehicles, each traveling 17.5 mph, in an offset collision, or one traveling slowly and hitting a stationary object.
Two vehicles hitting offset at 35 mph = 70 mph combined force. The odds of surviving a collision of this magnitude, in any vehicle, is slim.
I know these videos are a reference, but I don't want people to equate small cars to "unsafe", so people justify the purchase of a land-yacht for "safety". The F-150 of the same generation was equally as unsafe due to the jack-knifing effect as the cabin collapses.
Having been an EMT/Firefighter with extrication experience ("jaws-of-life"), I can attest that a bad accident is just that -- a bad accident. It doesn't really matter what you drive. Belts and bags do help, but only as much as Physics can allow.
Accident prevention and avoidance is crucial: Stability Control, ABS / good braking, etc. -- mostly for making sure the "other guy" doesn't hit you. Side airbags can make a big difference in a side-impact.
We do have an advantage here -- most of us have slowed-down in our driving. I'd like to think that hypermilers are more aware of the road and conditions as well -- anticipating traffic for optimum FE. That translates to better awareness, IMO.
RH77
Good points. To bad it does not equate to lower insurance rates/
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"Judge a person by their questions rather than their answers."
Two vehicles hitting offset at 35 mph = 70 mph combined force. The odds of surviving a collision of this magnitude, in any vehicle, is slim.
Collisions like those occur relatively often and you'd be surpised how people can be left unharmed. Look at this collision with a fleeing suspect in one car, a mother, and her child in another car:
Remember, when there's 2 vehicles involved, there are two crumple zones. A vehicle hitting a rigid barier at "X" speed is the same as two identical vehicles colliding head on at "X" speed, times two.
Did you notice that the impact sled in the offset test seemed to have all 4 wheels in the air at one point after impact?
yes all four wheels are off the ground at one point after the collision.
That must be why my mom always said I was flying in my cars.
(duh grampa)
S.
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When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity. Albert Einstein
Collisions like those occur relatively often and you'd be surpised how people can be left unharmed. Look at this collision with a fleeing suspect in one car, a mother, and her child in another car:
...vid...
Remember, when there's 2 vehicles involved, there are two crumple zones. A vehicle hitting a rigid barier at "X" speed is the same as two identical vehicles colliding head on at "X" speed, times two.
Interesting collision -- it looks like a BMW 3 series and perhaps a Dodge Stratus? This is an interesting case, with the "wedge" action (resulting in an offset-type collision). The crumple zones did their job and it looks like both vehicles took the impact well -- all parties were OK. The speed of both vehicles had to be at least 45 by the looks of it.
RH77
__________________ “If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research” ― Albert Einstein
There was an accident right outside my house last year Thanksgiving when I was shoveling the snow off my driveway.
It just sounded like a soda can being crushed. The one car ended up about 15 feet from where I was standing and stopped just before hitting a telephone pole. I think the airbag really helped the driver. Front end of the car wasn't messed up to bad and the driver was ok.
In the other car, there was a HUGE crumple in the side - she got T-boned. I believe that car was a Tiburon. The car slid sideways as she hit a patch of ice going through the intersection. She should have been going slower.
As it was, her face got all cut up by window glass. Could have been a lot worse though.
Traffic through there usually goes 45 MPH northbound and 50ish southbound.
The Time I got T-Boned while in my friends escort our car got turned 90 degrees and into a yard. We got hit in a large dent that was already in the side of the car when he bought it and nothing but a bent strut and slight dent at the fender was made, and in the other car (ford Taurus wagon) only got paint on our car (front bumper got dented in and popped back out with only some minor deformation). they were going about 25 when they hit us, and we were going 20 when we got t-boned. I think that hitting a wall and hitting another vehicle with crumple zones is different. your vehicle takes almost all the blow from a wall crash, but if it hits another vehicle some of the energy is taken into your car, the rest into moving theirs in a direction not intended by the other driver. I think that crash tests into a wall look worse than if you actually hit a non-moving vehicle at that speed. Car door is much more forgiving than a concrete wall.
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Yea.. I drive a Jeep and I'm on a fuel economy site, but you just wouldn't understand... "It's a Jeep thing!" *Jeep Wave*
This Is What Happens When You Get Rid Of Soccer Mom's and Moon Pie Getters
You get TRUE SUV owners. I guess this is why it's called "Only in a Jeep". For The Truck and SUV owners, It's not so much about comfort and safety factor, it's about FUN FACTOR. But I'm pretty most Jeepers and Wheeler's don't go to these extremes.
I'll always have a special place in my heart for the "XJ"...
I learned to drive on my Mum's '86 Cherokee Pioneer 4-speed manual. That 2.5L AMC engine and 4-speed manual was bulletproof. Although sad to see one be destroyed, the video shows the sheer durability of these vehicles.
She always missed that Jeep after we traded it. Today she drives a 2000 XJ "Sport" with the AMC Straight-6, on and around their farm. It's a solid vehicle for the purpose.
RH77
Quote:
Originally Posted by DifferentPointofView
You get TRUE SUV owners. I guess this is why it's called "Only in a Jeep". For The Truck and SUV owners, It's not so much about comfort and safety factor, it's about FUN FACTOR. But I'm pretty most Jeepers and Wheeler's don't go to these extremes.
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