Compact Cars Safety

[Plus]

After having a go at pickups The Nation turns to compacts

http://nationmultimedia.com/auto/20060202/...n_19815949.html

COMPACT CARS: Look beyond fuel savings when buying

Safety features, structural strength are just as important considerations as how much petrol is saved

Skyrocketing energy prices are forcing the price of many products higher. This is one of the reasons that the auto industry is producing more small-sized, or compact, cars. They are inexpensive and have become the country’s best-selling cars over the past three years.

The most popular of these cars have engines smaller than 1,600cc. They consume less fuel and offer pleasurable driving both in the city and on long trips.

In fact, compact cars have been popular in Europe and other countries for many years because car owners there have long been concerned about fuel prices.

With strong demand for small cars likely to continue, auto-makers from both Europe and Japan are concentrating on compact models.

However, buyers should consider safety features and the strength of a car’s structure, instead of simply admiring its fuel efficiency.

There is not as much safety equipment in compact cars as there is, say, in bigger European cars.

Auto-makers frequently claim that their cars are made to absorb the force of a collision and to minimise injuries to the driver and passengers. But this information is not confirmed by tests conducted by state-owned centres. Hence, it is essential that the government set up such an agency to prove and test the safety standards of vehicles.

Somchai Kaewthongdee, a member of the Ruam Katanyu Foundation rescue staff, said that extracting injured people or even corpses from crashed and mangled vehicles is always easier if the vehicle is a compact car, because their bodies are thin and insubstantial.

“When compact cars [are involved in a] crash, we can use just iron levers or our hands to free people who are stuck in the cars. However, if bigger European cars [are involved in a] crash, special equipment is essential to free trapped people,” he said.

“From my experience, most passengers and drivers will die if cars crash at high speed, regardless of what kind of cars are involved and whether they are equipped with air bags,” he said, adding that motorists who die after midnight always seem to be driving at high speeds.

Somchai said that compact cars involved in collisions always appear to suffer more damage than other kinds of cars.

“Personally, if I wanted to buy a car for my child to drive to university, I would not buy a compact car, because I am quite concerned about their safety systems,” he said. “I would be willing to buy a bigger car and pay higher fuel bills.”

The bottom line: perhaps the savings in fuel are not worth the sacrifice of safety.

Thanadol Rila

The Nation

[moonoi]

In fact, compact cars have been popular in Europe and other countries for many years because car owners there have long been concerned about fuel prices.

Well thats complete crap Nothing to do with fuel prices and more to do with the fact that in a lot of european cities if you car is much bigger than a focus/megane/astra then it can be very difficult to drive around due to narrow streets.

Auto-makers frequently claim that their cars are made to absorb the force of a collision and to minimise injuries to the driver and passengers. But this information is not confirmed by tests conducted by state-owned centres. Hence, it is essential that the government set up such an agency to prove and test the safety standards of vehicles.

So what about Euro NCAP tests and whatever the US equivalent is called? These cars are tested pretty extensively and awarded a star rating according to how well it performs.

Sounds like The Nation couldn't be bothered to do any proper research for this article

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Auto-makers frequently claim that their cars are made to absorb the force of a collision and to minimise injuries to the driver and passengers. But this information is not confirmed by tests conducted by state-owned centres. Hence, it is essential that the government set up such an agency to prove and test the safety standards of vehicles.

Are they suggesting that automakers are building cars in Thailand to poorer standards than they would in other countries?

[nokia]

dear motoring folks,

i think both Nation and Euro-NCAP are telling the truth.

Most compact euro-spec cars get about 3* compared to 4*/5* for the medium/large cars.

How many times have you seen cars/pickups whizzing past you on the highways at insane speeds?

At insane speeds of 150-180km/h, it doesnt matter what car you drive. If you skid off the road, wrap around a tree, or crash into a cement barricade etc, the chances of surviving is practically close to nil.

Surviving high speed crashes of 120-150km/h depends very much on the crumple zones to absorb the impacts, more *(4*/5*) may indicate a bigger crumple zone before the whole machine starts to crumble on you and some serious injuries may result.

-What tests do Euro NCAP perform?

There is a front impact test at 64 km/h into an offset deformable barrier, a side impact test at 50 km/h, a side impact pole test at 29 km/h and tests with pedestrian head and leg forms at 40 km/h.

So dont worry about crashing your compact car if you drive about 60km/h. Unlikely to have serious injuries, albeit minor ones like whiplash.

In short, Speeding Kills! Save the environment and save a life. That's merit(tham bun)!

-From the article

“From my experience, most passengers and drivers will die if cars crash at high speed, regardless of what kind of cars are involved and whether they are equipped with air bags.

[Thaiboxer]

I would question the safety of many compact cars on the roads today, despite those who rant and rave about them. The compact cars may save on fuel but in an accident (even a low speed one) you may be compacted as well!

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I would question the safety of many compact cars on the roads today, despite those who rant and rave about them. The compact cars may save on fuel but in an accident (even a low speed one) you may be compacted as well!

I'm trading in my Vios for a challenger tank!

What would the import duty be on a second-hand one?

[Thaiboxer]

A tank would be useful in Bangkok It would help to give other drivers a "nudge" during traffic jams. Many cars, trucks and vans here have these aftermarket, steel bumper frames both front and rear; makes them look like some sort of military vehicle. If somebody tries to cut in at a traffic que they would be in for a rude awakening!

[The Dan Sai Kid]

A tank would be useful in Bangkok It would help to give other drivers a "nudge" during traffic jams. Many cars, trucks and vans here have these aftermarket, steel bumper frames both front and rear; makes them look like some sort of military vehicle. If somebody tries to cut in at a traffic que they would be in for a rude awakening!

I guess an armour piercing projectile would make short work of anyone overtaking in the opposite direction, expecting you to pull off the road to let them past.

[PeaceBlondie]

In Thailand, the land of bans and the land of hubs of bans, the answer is simple: BAN LARGE CARS!

[Plus]

I sometimes want to install a machine gun on my Sprtrider to clear the road of motorcycles, and a medium sized cannon for old pickups.

In a car-tree/cement barrier collisions crumble zones are essential, in car-car collision overall sturdiness is more important, I think. There aren't tests on car-car collisions, AFAIK.

The part where they say they don't need any special equipment to free entangled people from compact cars - they just used hands and paper scissors, is a very convincing argument against compacts.

[nokia]

I sometimes want to install a machine gun on my Sprtrider to clear the road of motorcycles, and a medium sized cannon for old pickups.

When that happens, i wouldnt be driving anymore because the motorbikes would probably be armed with bazookas, rocket launchers, heat sinking missiles and the roads would be like real life Auto-Duel games. Even tanks will not be safe. Probably switch to a mole burrowing machine instead.