watching the today show, they did a report that the insurance institute for highway safety did a set of tests with small and micro cars. the cars tested were put in an offset test with midsize car of the same make at 40mph. micro/ tested against: toyota yaris/camry honda fit/accord smart fortwo/ benz C class the yaris and smart faired the worst and the fit was not as bad but still bad. the smart actually rotated 450deg after impact (kinda goes with my earlier thoughts that it would get punted like a football if hit! the people (dummies) in the other, larger cars, would have walked away. In contrast, all three minicars would have provided for serious or fatal injuries http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr041409.html just goes to show you .....size matters
squishies I remember a report the National Highway Transportation Safety Board did,back in the late 80's.That came to the same conclusions.And did even more extensive testing.Not only did they smack little cars with bigger cars,but they smacked little cars with little cars and bigger cars with bigger cars,as well...Even when you were smacking little cars with little cars,the damage and injuries were worse than when you smack bigger cars with bigger cars...The littler the car,the worse the damage and injuries,no matter what was smacking into it.They even did some tests with motorcycles t-boning cars.The little cars were the worst to be in...A few years later,after "crumple-zones" had been added,the results were no different.Crumple-zones had been thought up when cars the size of the latest generation of CrownVic were more numerous.Many small cars were criticized for having ineffective crush-zones,because they were barely there..."Consumer advocates" and "car insurance lobbyists" pushed for more small cars,however.And to make the smaller cars safer to be in.Now,cars that used to weigh almost a ton,weigh almost two tons.And they're still not safe to be in when smacked.I live in LA,I get to see right thru the lie of "small cars are safe cars".
I think everyone should know that a big ride gives more material to slow the object before it hits you! If these compact car people aren't realizing it, they need to put the doobie down, seriously.
When I was working in the Hollywood area,there were certain intersections that were particularly dangerous.The worst was Highland and Santa Monica.Two-three times a week,the Fire Department and Paramedics would need to show up and clear up a serious injury accident.At least one of those would require cutting somebody out of the wreckage.The wreckage of a small car.Minivans,SUV's and larger cars usually needn't have that done.A lot of times,the people in those vehicles would walk away...I think it's one those "it's not supposed to work out that way" states of mind among the little car lovers...And,I've noticed,as the little cars get newer,the worse it gets.I'd much rather be in one of my thirty year old Rabbits than a newer little car.One of my Rabbits was a fourdoor.Does that make it a wagon?
While I still had it,I was thinking about putting woodie on my white fourdoor Rabbit.I'm thinking,THAT would have DEFINITELY made it a wagon.
