Mercedes vs. Smart Car

You hear different things from different sources:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24599768/

Frankly, I'm not in the market for a new car and probably won't for some number of years now. And my '94 Mitsubishi is, I'm sure, a lot less safe than the more modern cars on the road. So for me, the Smart would probably be a step up in terms of safety.
 
Yep, I hear ya Bill...no new cars for me probably EVER. I just can't afford them and the used market has been quite good for us over the years.

The Smart seems to be a good car, much safer than the MGB and Midgets I have been driving over the years. LOL... The videos just amaze me with the graphic display of sheer violence such as shown by the Smart car being slapped out of the way and the Civic being punched through! Jeez...
 
I'm former law enforcement. I've seen too many traffic accidents to be surprised by the violence done to vehicles and people. One thing is certain - cars are much safer these days. People walk away from accidents that once would have produced only DOA's. One thing people don't really notice is that the cars are designed to 'crumple up' to absorb energy - very much like a bulletproof vest for police, which spreads shock over a large area to absorb it. The idea is that the car is utterly expendable - the core 'egg' passenger module should be inviolate and should also be cushioned against abrupt stops, since (as one of the videos mentioned), even if the passenger compartment keeps its integrity, if the people inside cannot survive the g-forces, they're dead anyway.

Some accidents cannot be easily made survivable. Drive carefully and defensively, don't drink and drive, drive only if a trip is necessary, always wear seatbelts, and that's about all we can do.
 
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