NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is one of two major American crash test agencies (the other being IIHS, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). In their 35 mph frontal crash test program, active since May 21, 1979, they've seen everything from no injury - to fatal injury. It's a very fortunate thing that the humanoid figures in the driver and passenger seat of each car are, in fact, only inanimate crash test dummies.
This is the 1979 Peugeot 504. A very distinctive French car, it was well engineered in all but one regard: safety. Massive occupant compartment buckling and a very stiff dashboard led to head injury criteria on the driver of 4513 and 2498 for the passenger. This 16 second video sums up all that was wrong.
Modern cars (2000 and up) are far safer than older cars (pre 1988) with the 2009 Acura TSX being a shining example. The structure of the occupant compartment held up perfectly, and the doors could still be opened very easily after the crash. Inside, advanced airbags and pre-tensioned seatbelts allowed for forces so low that the driver and passenger would literally be uninjured - after coming to a dead stop from 35 mph!
This is the 1979 Peugeot 504. A very distinctive French car, it was well engineered in all but one regard: safety. Massive occupant compartment buckling and a very stiff dashboard led to head injury criteria on the driver of 4513 and 2498 for the passenger. This 16 second video sums up all that was wrong.
Modern cars (2000 and up) are far safer than older cars (pre 1988) with the 2009 Acura TSX being a shining example. The structure of the occupant compartment held up perfectly, and the doors could still be opened very easily after the crash. Inside, advanced airbags and pre-tensioned seatbelts allowed for forces so low that the driver and passenger would literally be uninjured - after coming to a dead stop from 35 mph!
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