Car crash query

[ArtVandelay]

Say you were going to hit a car in a 30mph head on collision, it's unavoidable and you can either hit the other car head on or hit him off to one side. My question is which would be safer?

Instinct would tell you to swerve and catch as little of the other vehicle as possible but surely in order to maximise the amount on kinetic energy the cars crumple zones (assuming both cars are of modern design) a full frontal collision would allow for greater energy dissipation around the passenger cell.

So which would be better in terms of increasing the chances of surviving the accident and minimising injury to yourself (we'll say that only the drivers are involved) Scenario 1 or Scenario 2



I realise I've shown the drivers side's coming together, but it could be either side.

[ManOpener]

Instinctively, I think you'd try and hit them with whatever side of your car you're not sitting on. However, in terms of reinforcement and the suchlike, I believe a full head-on crash is the best. Additionally, a head-on crash would be less likely to deflect you off into other traffic/stationary objects.

[TheEnd]

Swerve, more chance of the cars pivoting around each other and drawing out the deceleration distance.

[davepoth]

Head on. The natural inclination is to swerve towards your own side of the road, which will concentrate the forces on the side of the car you are sat on.

I know this from experience - I have been in bed for 6 weeks with broken limbs after doing your scenario B.

[rhinochopig]

You should accelerate into the other car so that your velocities match thus cancelling out the impact force.















I once has someone who worked for me that ACTUALLY though that this was the correct response - and was proud of the fact that they'd put it into practice. It still makes me laugh now when I imagine the look on the other drivers face when they realised there was a car accelerating towards them

[ArtVandelay]

rhinochopig said:

You should accelerate into the other car so that your velocities match thus cancelling out the impact force.















I once has someone who worked for me that ACTUALLY though that this was the correct response - and was proud of the fact that they'd put it into practice. It still makes me laugh now when I imagine the look on the other drivers face when they realised there was a car accelerating towards them

I hope he isn't on the road

[rhinochopig]

ArtVandelay said:

rhinochopig said:

You should accelerate into the other car so that your velocities match thus cancelling out the impact force.















I once has someone who worked for me that ACTUALLY though that this was the correct response - and was proud of the fact that they'd put it into practice. It still makes me laugh now when I imagine the look on the other drivers face when they realised there was a car accelerating towards them

I hope he isn't on the road

She.

[ArtVandelay]

rhinochopig said:

ArtVandelay said:

rhinochopig said:

You should accelerate into the other car so that your velocities match thus cancelling out the impact force.















I once has someone who worked for me that ACTUALLY though that this was the correct response - and was proud of the fact that they'd put it into practice. It still makes me laugh now when I imagine the look on the other drivers face when they realised there was a car accelerating towards them

I hope he isn't on the road

She.

It all makes sense now!