Still not sold on those 'safety cell' cars being safer after seeing this crash

I saw a 2023 sedan with that fancy reinforced passenger cage crumpled into a ball after hitting a guardrail on I-5 near Sacramento last week, and the driver walked away without a scratch. Everyone online says those designs save lives, but I keep thinking about how my old 90s truck absorbed a similar hit with just a bent bumper and I was fine too. Has anyone else noticed these new cars seem to total out from minor fender benders compared to older metal?

2 comments

2 Comments

noahclark1mo ago

You ever look at the crumple zones on one of those cars after a crash? The front end is basically engineered to fold like a zipper, which is wild to see in person but makes sense when you think about it. Your old 90s truck had a solid frame that didn't give, so the energy went straight to your body instead. If you're worried about totalling from minor hits, check the repair cost vs. the car's value before you buy because modern panels are flimsy and expensive to fix, but that's what keeps the driver walking.

lily3941mo ago

Actually read a crash test analysis that said those safety cells are designed to crumple specifically to absorb impact forces, not just protect the car's structure. My buddy's a mechanic and showed me how a modern hatchback folded up like origami in a 30mph test but the dummy sensors barely registered any force. Old trucks like yours just transfer that energy straight through the frame to your spine instead. Total loss rates are definitely higher now but that's by design, all that crumpling is literally saving your bones from taking the hit.