VEHICLE CRASH SAFETY

 

Do you ever think about your vehicle’s safety in a collision? I know it’s not a topic we want to ever think about, but it’s something we all rely on every time we get into a car. Most of us remember images of non-scary crash test dummies that are shown crashing in a straight, direct path. However, an automobile crash may be one of the scariest things you’ll experience, and differences between the speed, direction and severity of crashes are limitless. So, if the automotive industry only relied on these straight-ahead crash dummy scenarios, driving would be a far riskier activity for all of us. 

Lucky for us, this is not the case. In the United States you may have seen videos of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test dummies. It’s noteworthy that this government agency now uses dummies of different sizes and dimensions and tests a series of possible crash situations. This includes frontal, rear, side, and rollover collisions. Similarly, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a non-profit organization that tests similar ranges of collision angles but also tests headlight visibility and vehicle child restraints. However, both groups only test passenger vehicles. Does that make you wonder what would happen if your vehicle was in a crash with something else? Like a 16-wheeler tanker truck? Or a fire engine? Or an ambulance? 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets the regulations for large trucks and buses. But the safety of ambulances in the United States is left up to each individual state. However, the Society of Automotive Engineers created an ambulance crash safety methodology, which it provided to the CDC. This SAE test methodology is unfortunately more of a recommendation for builders and manufacturers, and there is no enforcement behind it. [See below for explanation of who the SAE is.]

It's both enlightening and shocking to watch the crash test compilation video below. You’ll see a wide range of scenarios involving multiple vehicle types. From passenger cars to box trucks, this This YouTube video demonstrates how far vehicular safety has come and how people inside the vehicle are protected if a collision can't be avoided. These tests may seem extreme. But these situations do happen. Collisions at 125 mph or a vehicle dropping from a cliff are, regrettably, actual possibilities. 

Original video from TECH FREEZE https://www.youtube.com/@TechFreezeOfficial

Fortunately, today’s automotive vehicle’s priority is to absorb impact. Airbags and crumple zones focus more on protecting the lives inside instead of preserving the vehicle’s aesthetics. This is why crashed vehicles can appear completely mangled but its passenger cavity is in one piece. This enables people to walk away from tremendous vehicle crashes while the vehicle is almost obliterated. Unfortunately, older cars might not exhibit major structural damage, but the passengers might suffer from severe internal bleeding. 

Thanks to the organizations mentioned in this post, and to the numerous commercial test centers around the world, the science of automotive safety has progressed and continues to progress at a rapid pace. Also thanks to Special thanks to Beverley Braga, https://www.thedrive.com/ who originally presented this information in an article for thedrive.com.

>> The SAE originated in 1905 as the Society of Automobile Engineers but soon became the Society of Automotive Engineers, a move that reflected its growing influence beyond the automobile. SAE International is a global professional association and standards organization based in Warrendale, Pennsylvania. Its president is Daniel M. Hancock and founders were Henry Ford, Andrew L. Riker, Edward Birdsall, and John Wilkinson.