Me neither. I had a false sense of security with all that heavy sheetmetal and a full frame..

You may very well be right Dave. It will help the cash for clunkers cause..

I don't know what politcal motivation the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety may or may not have.  All I can tell you is something that has stuck with me for life.

It was 1961, I know this because Dad's 61 Strato Chief was brand new. Years later he would tell me he thinks the fact that he had brand new tires and brakes kept us out of harms way that day. We were coming home southbound from the cottage one Sunday on Hwy 27 just north of Barrie there is a long straight downgrade just after Horseshoe Valley Road intersection then a flat and a short bridge over a river that then climbs up hill and a sweeping left hander into Barrie. The road is similar today except the bridge is not a two lane narrow bridge with concrete sides any more.

Well for what ever reason a couple of cars are passing a long line of cars on the downgrade and heading to the flat and narrow bridge when another line appears going north bound out of the sweeping curve. Well all hell broke loose as the passing cars forced their way back into southbound lanes and a chain reaction crash ensued. I still remember our Strato screaming and smoke coming from the brakes and pitching sideways and onto the shoulder.

Dad got it stopped just about two feet from the car ahead which was a huge two tone red and white Chrsyler wagon, the last of about 6 or 8 cars in the pile up.

The blood and guts I saw that day has stuck with me all these years. I still can see my Dad running in the farmers field after a girl about 10 or 12 who got out of the wreck a head of us running and screaming and holding her gaping head. I can see my dad carrying her back in his arms. By this time Grand dad had our trunk open and had our meager first aid kit out. I can see my dad's blood soak blue plaid short sleeve shirt like it was yesterday. I can still see my Mom hugging me so hard I thought she was going to crush me and sobbing all the while.

I believe that video because I have seen it happen.

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Ray, that's a terrible story, I'm glad you guys were okay. That 59 looks like it didn't have an engine in it and I thought the 09 would have lost with the recycle Coke can metal newer cars use nowadays.

73SC wrote:

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Indeed Pascal, 48 years later, I think about it every time I pass that place in the road. Anyway, my point is I agree that crash safety has come a long way since 1959, whether the 59 was doctored or not.

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 Ray, I agree many very good safety features have been added over the years. Why rig something like this ? it undermines everything they may or may not have done over the years.
 They really should invest more into teaching people how to drive and operate an automobile safely rather than impliment safety features on automoblies (ABS for one)

I find it hard to believe that this is rigged.

Since the insurance industry wants to make cars safer to reduce falaities and injuries (to reduce claim payouts), they have consistently applied pressure to the auto makers and lawmakers to make/mandate safer cars.

It seems to me that if anything, they would be tempted to show the newer car not safe enough.

I am continually amazed by the number of new cars that are "written off" in accidents, where the occupants walk away with minor injuries.

All of these write offs reported as walk aways.








1959 Crash - 3 Fatalities

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New cars are safer, no doubt. I smashed a 59 Meteor Rideau into a bridge while doing 20 mph back in 73 and got to wear the steering wheel in the face as it came back at me. The car folded up like a cheap suit. When I got out of the hospital and went to look at it I couldn't believe how much damage there was. I don't remember, but someone had to pry the doors open to get me out. The wooden bridge abutment? It was chewed a bit, lost some paint but was never replaced.
How did it happen? I was busy tuning in the radio instead of driving.
That 59 Bel Air was not rigged, believe me. All that metal surrounding you in the old cars gives a false sense of security. It just turns into very hard and sharp projectiles waiting to skewer your unbelted, unairbagged, unpadded, no crumple zone sorry ass!

eeluddy wrote:

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New cars are safer, no doubt. I smashed a 59 Meteor Rideau into a bridge while doing 20 mph back in 73 and got to wear the steering wheel in the face as it came back at me. The car folded up like a cheap suit. When I got out of the hospital and went to look at it I couldn't believe how much damage there was. I don't remember, but someone had to pry the doors open to get me out. The wooden bridge abutment? It was chewed a bit, lost some paint but was never replaced.
How did it happen? I was busy tuning in the radio instead of driving.
That 59 Bel Air was not rigged, believe me. All that metal surrounding you in the old cars gives a false sense of security. It just turns into very hard and sharp projectiles waiting to skewer your unbelted, unairbagged, unpadded, no crumple zone sorry ass!

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I rear ended a car also in the early 70's with a 57 ford. The front end folded up to the firewall. I was doing about 40 mph. The other car not much damage. Can not remember what car it was but was a 70's.  The dash had two dents were my knee's hit and the steering wheel bent inwards from my grip on the wheel. I was ok except for sore knee's and muscles the next day.

 

Eye opening. My oldest is almost of driving age and I've been thinking the same thing: a mid size fuel efficient car with a good crash rating, lots of air bags. Probably safer than the second gen Camaro he really wants.