Re: IML: Safety- Old cars vs New cars

["John Harvey" <50scars@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

    Unfortunately, in addition to being superior transportation modules, 
new cars are also safer than old cars.  True, they just do not have the 
style and cachet our older cars have for our senses, but the engineers have 
learned a thing or two since our favorites were built.
   Comparing old cars to new cars, try comparing a more common car of the 
60s or 70s, like the mid sized Plymouth Satelite that weighed around 3,000 
lbs.  Not only does it not have the collision design technology of today's 
cars, it doesn't have the mass of an Imperial to bludgeon its way through an 
accident, either.  If you want to talk about a KIA, compare it to something 
in its size class, like a Pinto.  The side guard beams that keep side 
impacts from driving the T bone impact clear out the other side were first 
available only in GM cars in 1972.  They didn't become available in other 
makes until the late 70s.  5 MPH bumpers are a joke, but they were the start 
of the design that keeps the front structure intact and swings down so the 
engine takes the brunt of the impact then goes under the car, rather than 
crunching the floor up on your feet.  Cars are actually designed so that a 
frontal impact deforms the passenger compartment such that it may actually 
end up larger, not smaller, as it spreads the decelleration energy through 
out the whole car structure, not just progressivly shoving the firewall back 
and the steering column back to the front seat.  Door don't pop open any 
more.  They keep that large hole in the side of the car filled, so the body 
deforms the way it was designed to.  Even rollovers, which are really rare 
now, even counting SUVs, the roof structure is strong enough that it no 
longer ends up crushed flat down against the beltline.
   If you read the instructions that come with air bag cars, you see that 
the seat belt system is part of the air bag success, in that the seatbelts 
keep you in the proper position for the bag to smack you in the face.  If 
you are out of place, or not facing the correct way, the air bags will 
really mess you up.  Also, airbags are not supposed to deploy until at least 
25 MPH at impact.  You smack a dashboard that is going 0 MPH, or even moving 
backwards, while your body is doing 25, You HURT, BAD!
      In 1960, the  US population was 177 million.  and we killed around 
50,000 a year in traffic accidents.  In 2006, the US population is 300 
million, and we killed 42,000 in traffic deaths.  Back in 1960, it would 
take about 3540 years for your number to come up;  in 2006, it would take 
7143 years for your number to come up.
    As far as banning Imperials from Demolition Derbies, remember, they 
don't go fast enough to trigger the air bag, so they are not about to test 
the collision impact absoption features.  All they want is to see a similar 
crush depth for the radiator and trunk. 



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