Front airbags should not be standard. They only are because moron governments make them mandatory by law.
Actually, you are wrong. A seatbelt can protect you in any crash if you are wearing it. Many people that get hit on the side that are not wearing seatbelts get injured much more then if they were wearing them.
You are wrong again. The sides of vehicles are heavily reinforced so they can take the entire impact of a vehicle. Also, if you have ever watched a vehicle run right into the side of another one you will notice that the entire vehicle is pushed. This is the way cars were designed so that occupants are protected from all accidents.
You should learn what you are talking about. You actually have a better chance of surviving being hit on the side directly because the car will move sideways MUCH easier than it can move backwards if you are hit head on.
Again, you are using subjective ratings. What does a poor rating mean? Does it mean the occupant is guaranteed to die, or just that the vehicle did worse than average?
"In each side-struck vehicle are two instrumented SID-IIs dummies representing a small (5th percentile) female or a 12-year-old adolescent. These dummies are positioned in the driver seat and the rear seat behind the driver."
From your link. This means these tests are worthless if you are an average size human being.
Not to mention the site does not say what each rating actually means.
It also looks like they place the car directly in front of the object hitting it, and the vehicle did not move sideways. This is not what would happen in the real world. The vehicle being struck would absorb the impact by moving sideways.
Rofl, one story of a REAR impact and you think you know what you are talking about
I bet you've never been in a high speed side impact collision.
Well guess what? I have.
I was 7, I was not wearing my seatbelt, I was in the rear seat on the drivers side. An Olds 88 struck us going at least 40 mph, prolly faster. We were in a buick.
Guess what? The car moved sideways. In fact, the car moved at least 10 feet sideways, and spun at the same time. The car was pushed from the middle of the intersection all the way to the grass 5 or 6 feet from the stop sign which we started. I am being conservative with my estimates, the car prolly moved longer, and chances are it actually went airbourne.
My 7 year old non seatbelt wearing self needed 45 stitches in my face. I had no other injuries. My father, who was driving, had minor pain in his side which lasted only a week.
That was the only injuries.
Every car sold today is safer then the buick I was in during that 1986 crash.
Guess what? I was also hit in the rear by a drunk driver prolly around the same speed you were. I was not injured. A rear collision most certainly will not help you know what a side impact collision will be like.
If you want more accident stories, I have plenty of them for you. I have been in more then my share of accidents.
BTW, I LOVE how you changed the subject because you knew there was no way you could out debate me.
Airbags are very heavy, and they reduce gas mileage and performance and they have not yet been proven to do anything besides. Until it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that they do anything they should not be forced upon us by govenrment morons.
02-22-2006, 08:26 AM
Airbags save lives....end of story. I have worked in the automotive industry for a few years and I've seen my share of accidents growing up. Vehicles are NOT meant to withstand the full impact of an SUV at full tilt on the road/highway. Vehicles are designed to withstand some impact and depending on where you are hit, some are better than others, but for the most part there is what, maybe 5 - 6 inches of structure between you and the hood of the vehicle hitting you. I'd much rather bet my life on the air bag than without.
Let's just all agree this is a great car and move on. 
Threaded Mode