RE: [alfa] alfa 147 Crash Test Pic

[Alex Rodriguez <adr5@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 2/4/2004 07:12 PM, you wrote:
> > Compared to all the other crash tests, the Alfa 147
> > troubles me.  Especially the buckling of the rest of
> > the car from the A pillar back.
> >
> http://www.euroncap.com/media_images.htm
>
> I'm not sure I'd let it bother you too much, you can't buy them here
> anyhow..
> ;)
> Seriously, the most important thing is the damage to the occupant (or crash
> test dummy).  How much accident energy did the vehicle absorb, vs the
> occupant?
Buckling in the door area, just past the A pillar, is a good indicator
that the passenger area was not intact.  That means some of that energy
was transferred to the driver.  Not a good thing.  On the other cars
you will notice that the front end is heavily crushed, but the area around
the passengers has remained pretty much intact.

> I remember hearing a Nascar commentator one time, there was a horrific
> looking wreck.  The commentator was pretty confident that the occupant would
> be ok, and he was (walked away from it).  The commentator made the
> observation that it's when the vehicle looks ok that the occupant usually
> isn't..
In NASCAR if you ignore the body, which is really just for aerodynamics,
you can tell if the cage is still intact.  If the cage is intact, then
there is a pretty good chance the driver injuries will be minimal.  All
the broken body bits will sometimes make the crash look worse than it
really is.

> I would be curious to know how the crash test dummies in all of these
> vehicles fared.
That is the most important question.  Right now we are all just guessing
based on pictures.

---------------
Alex     __O
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