At 01:44 �� 25/2/2002 +0000, you wrote:
>On Sun, 24 Feb 2002, Phoebus R. Dokos wrote: > >>I beg to differ Dave, >>It is now proven that SUVs trucks and minivans are a lot more dangerous to >>their passengers than regular cars... (Institute of highway safety says it >>not me ;-) >> >>So I am very happy with my Toyota Yaris (Echo they call it in the US) and >>its 42 mpg ;-) > >My chosen subject: accident investigation. > >That is a serious mis-statement of the statistics used by governments >world-wide to disuade people from driving larger vehicles. > >Usually, the person killed is the driver of the lighter vehicle. SUVs and >minivans are involved in accidents where there is a higher risk of a >fatality, but that risk is biased towards the driver of the lighter >vehicle. You're far more likely to survive in a minivan. > >Two vehicles hit each other head on. One weighs 1000 lbs and one weighs >2000 lbs. Assuming no energy absorption by the chassis... > >The total velocity is 60mph, and the total weight is 3000 lbs. The 2000 lb >vehicle will slow from 30 mph to 10 mph. The 1000 lb vehicle will slow >from 30 mph to -10 mph. The relative acceleration for the 1000 lb vehicle >is twice that of the 2000 lb vehicle. > >(Granted, this ignores differences in restraint systems, energy absorption >systems and etc) > >I studied accident investigation - I wanted to be an air accident >investigator. > >Dave > True, from a physics standpoint the collision favors the larger vehicle from a standpoint of deforming... However newer vehicles have controlled deforming zones. Don't also underestimate inertia on a bigger vehicle (with a greater mass)... Phoebus
