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Originally posted by NapaGBavarian
If the passanger cage colapses and destroyes the car it will crush who ever is in the crushed area, you must disapate the energy arround the passanger compartment.
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However, that fact does not require the passenger compartment to stay perfectly intact. The Structure above and beneath can be made to warp in order to better dissipate energy, much like those pics you posted.
Quote:
Originally posted by NapaGBavarian
BTW, that volvo story sounds suspicous, what happened to the Monte Carlo driver/passanger? Was said Volvo driver wearing her seatbelt? What was the speed?
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And that illustrates my point quite well. yes it is strange...regardless of the cars involved, in that situation, you would have expected very much the opposite of what happened.
I only know what I heard in the news and from my neighbors, but here's as much detail as i can give:
It was a Silver Volvo, and a White 2000+ Monte Carlo. The Volvo driver tried to beat the light and was estimated to be doing 50mph (in a 45mph zone) or better entering the intersection. He was coming up a hill into the intersection (Two of the roads are a fairly steep inclined grade entering the intersection, one is level, and one is a slight downhill grade). The MC was entering the intersection after being stopped at the light on road that enters downhill. So the MC couldn't have been doing more than 10mph. This brings me to the dangerous part of this intersection...esp on this corner, there is a very large restaraunt right on the corner...you can't see the road to your right until you are in the intersection. The MC entered the intersection on green, and the Volvo, trying to make it through the light, slammed the MC on the passenger side right at the front door seam. I can't say for sure of course, but I was told that it looked like the passenger must have ended up on the driver's lap, cause the passenger side of the car was pretty well annihilated. As for the Volvo...the police said that the airbags did inflate, however they believe that the driver's bag was not sufficiently inflated when the impact occured. They didn't specify, but I assume he was killed from head injuries. They also did not specify if he was wearing his seatbelt. All they said about the MC occupants was that there were three, and that they were treated on site and released.
Which illustrates my point very well. You can be hurt or killed in any car. All those safety ratings and tests don't mean squat when you're dead.