Crash tests

HeyJoe · March 5, 2004

A friend of mine just directed me to a website where you can view video of crash test results for a wide range of vehicles.

http://www.progressive.com/rc/VSafety/rc_c...rash_videos.asp

I watched the 40 mph front-end test of a 2001 Silverado (I have a '99, but that's the oldest model available), and was pretty shocked by what happens to the dummy driver.

http://www.progressive.com/video/40Silverado.mpg

There was a thread here on this site before about how the seat belt is integrated into the seat back; some folks had been pulled over by police who thought they weren't wearing a seatbelt at all.

In the front-end crash video, the seat back folds forward on the driver during the impact (partly due to the floor buckling), who gets smashed and twisted up into the airbag rather violently. It looked to me at first like the dummy wasn't even wearing a seatbelt, but it is.

The belt would certainly keep you from going through the windshield, but it's still going to be a very unpleasant experience. The overall ratings indicate the driver experienced minor injuries, but I'll certainly be keeping this in the back of my mind from now on.

This page has a summary of results for the large pickup class:

http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/htm...pickup.htm#0107

Specific detail on the Silverado is here:

http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0107.htm

-- Joe

Boudreaux38134 · March 5, 2004

I watched the 40 mph front-end test of a 2001 Silverado (I have a '99, but that's the oldest model available), and was pretty shocked by what happens to the dummy driver.

I watched this video, and it was rather eye opening. BUT, did you look at the Frd and the Dodge videos? On both of those, the entire roof line buckles and the door looks as if it is about to fall off. None of them look like anything I want to experience, but I would rather be in the Chevy if I had to be in a wreck!!!

99GMCZ71 · March 6, 2004

WOW that's scary

JamesB · March 6, 2004

At least the 2004 F*rd seemed to fair better than the 2001... Did ya also watch the rear bumper vids? Lots of damage for only 5mph...

Also, did not see any Subs or Tahoes... Would have liked to see how they did... Esp. @40mph.

James.

99silveradoz71 · March 7, 2004

Always interesting to see the videos.

GM GIMP · March 7, 2004

The 2002 Dodge looks much worse than the Chevy.

stlmaj · March 7, 2004

WOW!! That will make you think!!

Matt

bansell · March 7, 2004

That is one hell of a hit... I think it faired pretty well..

GnatGoSplat · March 8, 2004

Silverado didn't do that great (Marginal), but it did much better than the 01 F-150 and 01 Ram. That is one huge reason I picked Silverado over an F-150. The previous F-150 was downright dangerous, it was all over the news how bad the F-150 was.

The 04 F-150 is pretty impressive in comparison, but it's also a much newer design. The new offset crash test performance was one of the things Ford was bragging about when the 04's came out because the previous one did so poorly.