How safe are our cars in a collission

[Grant]

A 5 star LARGE car will be safer in an accident than a 5 star small car. It's all a matter of physics.

What if you hit a brick wall or a telegraph pole in a large car? You would be carrying a lot more kinetic energy into the impact.

[Spec83]

It's simple physics - force = mass x acceleration

[T Go]

Im not a wizz at the physics of a crash, but somehow I dont think the term "simple physics" and "F=m.a" can be thrown around when a car crash is involved.

What about how effective the cars crumble zones are? height of the impact? shape of car to disperse energy through it, materials used, how rigid the car is... etc etc.

Correct me if Im wrong, I just dont think its as simple as yr 10 physics.

[Spec83]

no I was refering to the force at impact....

As far as dissapation goes there are many paths of energy dissapation built into the cruple zones at the front of the car as well as the integral transfer beams within in the body... You need finite element analysis to assess this

[Grant]

Conservation of energy or momentum is more applicable. The more energy the car/cars take into the collision the more energy in used to deform crumple zones, heat the compressed components, etc.

[Spec83]

Agree - Energy is never created or destroyed, it is mearly transfered from one form to another

[VW Convert]

Another equation one could use:- Fast moving car hits immovable object = death and/or serious injury.

I think our cars are relatively safe, certainly much safer than cars of yesteryear but as with everything, prevention is better than cure.

Cheers

George

[Petrina Polo]

If anyone is interested in a mint polo gti... mine is for sale... in classifieds