Smart v HGV - head on.
Discussion
Been doing some surfing and came across this report of a horrendous crash where a Smart Fortwo has hit an HGV head on, and I have to say, I'm bloody impressed with the way the Smart has taken the impact.
Forum thread here, in German so will need a press of a translate button for most of us: http://smartfahrer-forum.iphpbb3.com/forum/3301939...
and from there a link to a press report with more pics than you'd normally see for such an incident in the UK - click on a pic and you get the gallery:
http://www.main-netz.de/nachrichten/regionalenachr...
I'm not highlighting this incident for any gory aspect or anything, but only because I think car enthusiasts would be interested to see how a small car can be made to withstand perhaps the one scenario we'd all fear most - a full-on head-on with a very large and heavy truck.
Forum thread here, in German so will need a press of a translate button for most of us: http://smartfahrer-forum.iphpbb3.com/forum/3301939...
and from there a link to a press report with more pics than you'd normally see for such an incident in the UK - click on a pic and you get the gallery:
http://www.main-netz.de/nachrichten/regionalenachr...
I'm not highlighting this incident for any gory aspect or anything, but only because I think car enthusiasts would be interested to see how a small car can be made to withstand perhaps the one scenario we'd all fear most - a full-on head-on with a very large and heavy truck.
Deva Link said:
A Smart was crashed into a concrete block (on 5th Gear?) and the doors could still be opened etc.
However they reckoned the occupants would have died due to the lack of crumple zones to absorb some of the impact.
Yeah I've seen that and that was the reason I took the time to look at the pictures, because the damage to the German Smart looked similar to the one in the film, I thought, yet the occupant has survived though it's clear that he's very badly injured. However they reckoned the occupants would have died due to the lack of crumple zones to absorb some of the impact.
tting terror and awe, all at the same time.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4k0FWvGoSM
That's all I need to know about smart fortwo in a crash. Watch it all the way through, in one of the slow mo's the dumbies head hit's the A piller and the air bag does nothing.
That's all I need to know about smart fortwo in a crash. Watch it all the way through, in one of the slow mo's the dumbies head hit's the A piller and the air bag does nothing.
I think the horrible blood smears all over the sill indicate that the driver was quite badly hurt!
No video I've ever seen has convinced me that the Smart is as safe as a real car, they can make the shell as strong as they like, the simple fact is that to lessen the impact the car must have a crumple zone, and the bigger the better.
The Smart driver in the Smart V Merc video would likely be dead whilst I suspect the Merc could walk away.
No video I've ever seen has convinced me that the Smart is as safe as a real car, they can make the shell as strong as they like, the simple fact is that to lessen the impact the car must have a crumple zone, and the bigger the better.
The Smart driver in the Smart V Merc video would likely be dead whilst I suspect the Merc could walk away.
For a small car, I think they do alright. Videos need to be seen in context to make any sort of comparison.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaBuy1T69kQ&fea...
They'll never be as safe as a big car, but then most aren't used in the same way as big cars.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaBuy1T69kQ&fea...
They'll never be as safe as a big car, but then most aren't used in the same way as big cars.
Trouble with crash tests is theyre judged by how good the car looks afterwards. If the car looks ok - the occupants almost certainly arent. You need a car which progressively deforms. Even if it eventually squashes your feet it's better than it taking no energy and all your internal tubes snapping.
The smart relies on the crumple zone of the other vehicle for energy absorption
The smart relies on the crumple zone of the other vehicle for energy absorption
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