Neighbor was in wreck in her Fiat 500

[benhogan]

This happened the day before Thanksgiving. She was going about 50mph and a minivan from the other lane hit her head on. I have no pictures of the Fiat but she is pretty messed up.

No head injuries probably due to the airbag but lots of broken bones below the neck. She is alive but has had 4 surgeries since Thanksgiving. She will probably be in the hospital for a while.

Small cars these days use high strength steel and lots of airbags but you still can't argue with basic physics. Minivan versus Fiat 500 head-on is a no brainer.

We all hope that the other driver was not an illegal with no insurance.

[HuskyMan]

sorry to hear about this one, and yes, physics always apply. The heavier weight vehicle will win every time. If the other driver is uninsured, perhaps her own insurance will cover her medical expenses. It sounds like she is in for some ongoing medical care. Another reason to drive either a Mercedes Benz, Volvo or Saab.

[Jim B.]

I saw a LOT of those Fiat 500s all over Western Europe in June/July this year when i was driving this year on my Autobahn vacation.

Many were the convertibles and "snazzier" ones too.

Perhaps the lower purchase prices and $8.00 - $9.00 per gallon (from litres) prices were more compelling to Euro buyers than little things like safety and hospital bills after car crashes.

Reliabiity and safety wouln't count. Cars are mostly new, strict inspection laws coupled with rust and rot problems from heavy salt snow and slush over there, make cars pretty disposable after 3-4 years, they are usually gone and replaced by then.

[Air&Road]

Originally Posted by benhogan

This happened the day before Thanksgiving. She was going about 50mph and a minivan from the other lane hit her head on. I have no pictures of the Fiat but she is pretty messed up.

No head injuries probably due to the airbag but lots of broken bones below the neck. She is alive but has had 4 surgeries since Thanksgiving. She will probably be in the hospital for a while.

Small cars these days use high strength steel and lots of airbags but you still can't argue with basic physics. Minivan versus Fiat 500 head-on is a no brainer.

We all hope that the other driver was not an illegal with no insurance.

Sorry to hear about your friend. I wish her all the best.

In the mid sixties Popular Science commissioned some crash tests between various different sized cars. The person doing the test, supposedly was massively experienced in such testing. What I remember the most was the last sentence of his report. After crashing Lincolns against Falcons, Lincolns against Cadillacs and Falcons against Falcons, etc. he concluded with: "you just can't fight a sledge with a tack hammer."

Twenty five years ago, in most any car your friend would have most likely been killed instantly. Airbags and other crash technology helps alot, but having a crash like you described is NOT a good thing in such a small vehicle.

[benhogan]

this ad with a Suburban sitting on a Smart car....granted it is meant to show how strong the Smart car frame is. I guess that is good when the Suburban is gently put on the Smart Car via a CRANE!

[Can't Know]

I rented one of those when I was in Colorado this summer just for the heck of it. If I lived in a metro area and rarely -- if ever -- drove on highways it would be a consideration to own a car like that, but it's certainly not a car for the interstate -- and I won't rent one again.

It was feature-rich and comfortable enough, but quite noisy (especially at speed or under moderate to hard acceleration) and had a very "nervous" feel at speed. In fact I drove on the interstate only a few miles, choosing secondary roads and state highways so I could keep the speed down.

I was also relatively disappointed in the fuel economy for such a small car. I was alone and didn't have much luggage but saw only about 33-34 mpg, which wasn't that impressive. Earlier in the summer I rented a Nissan Venza; by comparison it is much more spacious and quiet -- and it was fine at highway speeds. Loaded with two people and luggage and driving 65-70+ it also returned 38 mpg.

That said, I wouldn't want to be in a HO accident in either one of them, even with a deer, much less a car, truck or minivan. My best to your friend, I hope her recovery is complete and not too painful. I'm guessing her next car won't be a wee one, either.

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by benhogan

this ad with a Suburban sitting on a Smart car....granted it is meant to show how strong the Smart car frame is. I guess that is good when the Suburban is gently put on the Smart Car via a CRANE!

Actually, would there have been any other way to get it there?

[t walgamuth]

I would be interested to see how the van driver fared.

[Air&Road]

Originally Posted by benhogan

this ad with a Suburban sitting on a Smart car....granted it is meant to show how strong the Smart car frame is. I guess that is good when the Suburban is gently put on the Smart Car via a CRANE!

Yep, in an impact situation, how many G's would be involved?

[elchivito]

Originally Posted by benhogan

We all hope that the other driver was not an illegal with no insurance.

Yeah.Much better if the other driver is a U.S. citizen with no insurance.

[benhogan]

Originally Posted by elchivito

Yeah.Much better if the other driver is a U.S. citizen with no insurance.

actually yes. it is harder to skip town.

[retmil46]

If she was going 50 mph by herself, I wonder what the COMBINED collision speed of the two vehicles was in that collision.

Fully agree with Larry - 25 or 30 years ago, in a car that small, in that type of collision at those speeds - instead of being in and out of the hospital, they'd have been lucky to find enough pieces to put in a casket.

[MS Fowler]

"Crush space" the distance the occupants have to decelerate before they hit something. You may have all the high strength steel in the world, but if there is no space for occupant deceleration, the G-forces will kill.

[benhogan]

Originally Posted by retmil46

If she was going 50 mph by herself, I wonder what the COMBINED collision speed of the two vehicles was in that collision.

Fully agree with Larry - 25 or 30 years ago, in a car that small, in that type of collision at those speeds - instead of being in and out of the hospital, they'd have been lucky to find enough pieces to put in a casket.

the sad thing is that she is an ICU nurse at UNC and she was on her way to work and ended up in ICU herself.

I live across the street from their house. Neighbors have been coming and going dropping off food. I personally spent an hour yesterday blowing leaves off their yard since the husband is never home now. A clean yard is probably the least of his worries but I am sure coming home to a clean yard is nice. I don't cook so I can't bring them food.

Yesterday, when I was blowing leaves, I had to duck around some tree branches and accidentally hit my head. It hurt enough to knock me off balance temporarily. I can't imagine being in an accident at 50+mph and not get really hurt.

[retmil46]

Originally Posted by benhogan

actually yes. it is harder to skip town.

Agreed.

Before the economy went south, and NC tightened up it's requirements for getting a NCDL, NC had more than it's share of accidents caused by illegals with no insurance - quite often involving drunk driving, serious injuries, and deaths - only to have the perp skip town to south of the border or another state for a few months - and then a few months later, be involved in another incident in NC, under a different alias, different address, different vehicle - and once again skip town to avoid the consequences.

One noteable perp was caught driving DWI on at least 8 separate occasions - each time with a different name and address on his drivers license. Wasn't until the last episode, where he caused the death of the occupants in the other vehicle, that any serious attempt was made to end his escapades.