Crash Test by NHTSA

[oregonphil]

Have you seen this, from 1979. Kinda interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2KEB-S6_EA

[elskeptico]

It is interesting. Aside from some pretty nasty whiplash, looks like those dummies survived. From the way they filmed it and the way they were inspecting it afterwards, it looks like they were interested in how things shifted around underneath, like the gas tank, etc.

[threepiece]

For the last 25 years I have been modifying cars and light trucks for crash testing. A great deal has changed in regulations and vehicle design since this video was made. I wonder how our FSJ compare to other manufacturers of the day as far as safety performance. I suspect they were safer.

Did you know the primary function of overhead grab handles on some/most modern cars is to improve head impact performance rather than a hand hold?

[61Hawk]

Did you know the primary function of overhead grab handles on some/most modern cars is to improve head impact performance rather than a hand hold?

How does that work? It's safer for your head to hit a grab handle than the window frame?

[threepiece]

How does that work? It's safer for your head to hit a grab handle than the window frame?

Yes, a fair amount of work I do is replacing the thin sheet metal brackets the handles are attached to. The new brackets have variations in their shape intended to increase or decrease the amount of energy they absorb when hit with a simulated human head.

[rang-a-stang]

I don't know, I see broken legs/knees jammed into the dash. He survived but he was in a solid world of hurt. I would rather get in a wreck in new mini cooper than one of our death traps.

[Miner_Jeepy]

I don't know, I see broken legs/knees jammed into the dash. He survived but he was in a solid world of hurt. I would rather get in a wreck in new mini cooper than one of our death traps.

Yeah, with better engineered crumple zones, more advanced steels, and double digit airbags I've always felt the same way. The metallurgy nerd in me wants to get frame samples and have the sent out for chemical/mechanical testing and see how they stack up against modern cars/trucks.

[backroadin']

Yes, a fair amount of work I do is replacing the thin sheet metal brackets the handles are attached to. The new brackets have variations in their shape intended to increase or decrease the amount of energy they absorb when hit with a simulated human head.

Wow - would never have thought about that. Interesting! I bet there's a lot of stuff like that going on in and around the passenger compartment that most people never equate to safety.
I just replaced my steering shaft, and it was a good time to think about the collapsibility being for crash safety and not adjustability... allthough I suspect most folks know that. Even the proper torque (not too much, right?) on the screws that hold the steering column brackets are designed with crash safety in mind. I guess we have learned a lot over the years