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Roger987
I agree, Mike. I would have thought those old full-frame 'tanks' would have pulverized today's lighter, frameless cars......
Your thinking is correct, Roger. Those old cars were solid with little give. Resulting in the passengers absorbing the brunt of the impact. New cars are designed to crumple and absorb the energy, helping to save peoples' lives and even prevent injury.
This was the result of our accident that I had referred to a little while ago. We were driving uphill on a snow covered road at about 40 mph, A truck and Jeep Commander were coming in the opposite direction at about the same speed, maybe a bit faster since they were coming downhill The truck (on snow tires), slightly ahead of the Jeep (on snow tires), lost control, spun and knocked the Jeep directly into our path. After the initial impact, a Honda Civic following us ran into the back of our car. After the impact. Everything in the car still worked - power seats, seatbelts, locks, doors etc. We ended up with a couple of bruises. Girl in the Jeep Commander had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. As you can see. the front of the car absorbed the impact, instead of us.
Yes, we were on all season tires, but fhere was nowhere to go for evasive maneuvers with a three foot high snowbank from plowing along the side of the road.
In the good old days, that hood would have stayed straight and in some cases came though the windshield like a guillotine.
Passenger compartment is still intact even though almost every exterior panel was bent.