Car construction 50 yrs later

[ny10570 745]

IIHS recently collided a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air and a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu in a 40 mph offset frontal impact, each a with a modern test dummy. Since 1959 the cost of a car has jumped 30% compared to income and accident repair costs have nearly tripled largely to pay for safety advances. Was it worth it? Here's the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xwYBBpHg1I...player_embedded

Edited October 19, 2009 by ny10570

[stephen morea 1]

Oh that nice '59 chevy!

[PEMO3 523]

IIHS recently collided a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air and a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu in a 40 mph offset frontal impact, each a with a modern test dummy. Since 1959 the cost of a car has jumped 30% compared to income and accident repair costs have nearly tripled largely to pay for safety advances. Was it worth it? Here's the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xwYBBpHg1I...player_embedded

Looking at the video it is obvious that it was worth it. Even though the Malibu was a smaller vehicle you can clearly see there is no intrusion into the passenger compartment but the same can not be said for the tank like Bel Air. A real eye opener. One would have thought on the surface that the larger Bel Air would have faired much better than it did. I guess it proves the theory bigger is not always better. I would love to have seen how different it would have been had it not been an off set crash but either a full head on or a t-bone but I guess the pool of spare Bel Airs is kind of slim.

[ajsbear 11]

But in 50 years from now will there be any '09 Malibu's left? I doubt it but there will still be 59's around.

[efdny2003 16]

All I know is, car construction today saved my life in the accident I was in. Of course with the exception of airbag deployment which I still always question why tapping the front or rear bumper sets 'em off, but rolling your car doesn't.

[ny10570 745]

Bigger with the right engineering is definitely better. At the very least catch the last 10 or 12 seconds of this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu95gB04VC4&feature=fvw

Rolling a car no longer sets off front airbags because the driver is unlikely to strike the steering column with major force or be ejected through the front windshield. If after or during the roll you were to strike the front or rear of the vehicle the airbag would deploy.

[efdny2003 16]

My car more specifically prior to rolling spun out into a guardrail both front and rear several times, and my car was equipped with side curtain airbags as well; and I landed on the passenger side of my car when all said and done.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Already posted;

http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php?showtopic=33768