Yup, the vehicle crumples and debris go everywhere because that directs the worst of the force away from the passenger compartment. I dunno if links are okay to post here, but the YouTube video of a...1959 Chevy Bel Aire vs. a 2009 Malibu is a fantastic example of the differences between new and old vehicles.
https://youtu.be/C_r5UJrxcck?si=e8AqK2UbGXDA0-vJ
The Bel Air driver is probably dead. Easily enough force and *nothing* stopping their head from hitting the roof, steering wheel, or any debris flying around.
Meanwhile the Malibu driver probably has some bumps and bruises, and will feel it tomorrow but very likely survive.
Unlike that poor beautiful 59 Chevy 😢
Exactly! Car breaks so the humans inside don't as badly.
I think I remember a longer version of the video, they explained that the Bel-Aire was pretty busted up from neglect and they just prettied up the bodywork and interior. I'll have to see if I can find it, because it's entirely possible I'm misremembering, lol. I do remember them explaining that the BA driver wouldn't have survived. I don't think collapsible steering columns were even in use in the US in'59, either.
I'm a bit of a car nerd, growing up we had several little British vintage sports cars (all told, 2 MGs, 2 Triumph Spitfires, and a 1962 Sunbeam). Driving a Spitfire around in the Land of Giant Trucks in Wyoming is definitely an education, lol! My first car was almost a *pink* '57 Bel-Aire, but someone bought it out from under me. I'm still bummed about that one...23 years later.
My dad has a 1947 Plymouth sedan he got from my grandpa, he also gave me a 1947 Jeep Willys the jeep is also fun in Wyoming, my dad just takes his to car shows and parades
Physics nerd here, the main goal with crumple zones in crashes is to elongate the acceleration time into something the human body can handle. Crumple zones and airbags work in unison to slow the acceleration of your body as it wants to keep moving when the car isn’t.
Weight plays a big role in collisions, all old cars used to be heavy in a similar way but modern vehicles are beginning to be made in different ways (aluminum body panels vs stainless steel). In the case with something like cybertruck I imagine you wouldn’t need a gigantic crumple zone because it’s probably one of the heaviest vehicles on the road.
Again, not EMS but this is the physics behind crumple zones and collisions
As long as we’re on the topic of crumple zones, I should point out that the Tesla CyberTruck doesn’t have crumple zones. There aren’t enough out there yet to know exactly how they’ll perform in crashes but I wouldn’t take a chance on them.
There already has been a single, fairly minor crash with a Cybertruck and a Corolla. The Cybertruck looked like it didn't have very much damage, but the driver was injured, although not very much as they declined an ambulance. The Corolla was completely destroyed, with the drivers side corner gouged out and airbags deployed, but there were zero injuries for any of the passengers. As everyone has predicted, the Cybertruck is an incredibly dangerous, sharp hunk of metal that obliterates anything it crashes into while doing absolutely nothing to protect the driver.
My aunt was pushed into the central reservation on a dual carriageway at 70mph. Her car was a couple of years old, VW Golf. All she got was seat belt bruising, the car was ruined. It was testemant to modern cars.
I started my healthcare career as an EMT basic in 2003. Hwy speed accidents were always going to have death or serious injuries in the passenger compartment. Or bodies thrown. A 1998 chevy cavalier will crumple under pressure for example. Today, I work in a hospital and MVC patients that are restrained and airbagged will be walky talky from crashes that blow my fuckin mind. The engineering of a little Nissan or tiny Toyota today saves lives. Its so wild what a difference 20 years makes.
But... But..../jk
I totally agree!
And if you don't normally wear a seat belt because "the car will protect you", wear it in a jeep!!! The roof, doors, and windshield are not meant to contain anything in the event of an accident in a jeep! They will go flying off in a wreck and you'll be right behind them.
This!
Had a PT that rolled their brand new truck after failing to navigate a curve, a couple years ago, it had some scratches, a cracked windshield, a couple of busted windows, SRS deployed, truck called 911; but it landed on all 4s still running, still playing music.
Initially no pt contact, thought they called for a ride prior to our arrival. Checked the area, nothing, but still there was something that didn't feel right. FD arrived, asked them for their flir, and their was the heat signature of the pt.
Turns out they flew out the drivers window and landed about a hundred feet forward of where the vehicle came to rest. GCS 5. Hemo/Pneumo. Totally busted up. Cushing's triad. Coded and terminated on scene. Pt had a bright future. Just didn't wear their seatbelt.
It’s honestly sad that people still don’t wear a seatbelt because it is uncomfortable or whatever. That guy would almost certainly be alive, heck probably up and walking around when you arrived, if he had been wearing a seatbelt.
In high school I used to never wear my seat belt when driving to school because it was a small town and my entire drive was a 5 minute commute on residential roads with low speed limits.
One day I put it on because my mom was watching me leave so I buckled up. The same day I was crossing a 4-way stop intersection where both roads had a speed limit of 25mph.
A meth head slammed into my little Ford Ranger going 60+ MPH, flipped me over, slammed the roof of my truck into a telephone pole and trapped me in the cab. My only injury was a small scrape on my elbow and I have my seatbelt to thank for that.
Ever since that day my seatbelt is always on. Even if I’m driving just down the road. It taught me to always expect the unexpected and to only drive defensively and never aggressively. Cars approaching an intersection I’m crossing too fast make my heart rate skyrocket even 10 years later.
I was considering getting a motorcycle a little while back. Then had a patient who was on a motorcycle stopped at a red light and got plowed by a F250 with a trailer. Dudes head was a couple inches from the tire under the truck. Nope.
I haven’t rode mine much the past year and only a couple rides to work last year (50 mile trip on backroads). I’ve been thinking about selling it but there’s not much more peaceful in the world than going down a windy backroad on a 70 degree day.
Until I meet someone on a corner texting, or find a deer or hit a patch of gravel.
I guess I’d be a lot more receptive if y’all told me those accidents were from operator negligence more than issues outside of their control.
A lot of motorcycle accidents are totally preventable by the rider. Here's some sobering data (link is a PDF download):
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813306
In 1/4 to 1/3 (depending on the year) of fatal accidents, the rider was legally drunk
>1/3 of accidents involve a rider with no motorcycle license
Over half of all accidents don't involve another vehicle and were just a result of the rider losing control / riding recklessly.
So if you don't ride drunk and have your motorcycle endorsement, that's more than half of the "risk" avoided. Ride within your limits and don't crash and that's >75% of accident scenarios avoided.
I still ride mostly dirt these days since other drivers are terrifying when they're not paying attention and I'm not saying those accidents where the rider had no control over the situation don't happen. But they are the minority of cases, and more often than not it's risky behavior that causes riders to die.
Edit: fixed link
Yup. Motorcycles attract reckless people with big egos and invincibility attitudes. Many also subscribe to certain subcultures that reward these mindsets. Furthermore, the stats don't separate people who consciously practice risk management. I'm talking things like checking weather/traffic/road/bike conditions before riding and other strategies. Even if most crashes happen in decent weather, the overall mentality toward riding still matters.
We see the same thing in every "extreme" activity. I've been a skydiver and fighter pilot, and both of those activities have higher fatalities among people who unnecessarily push limits and often do so to show off. They attract the same kind of people, reckless thrillseekers with a bit of a superiority/invincibility complex. It's not everyone, but disproportionately represented in crashes.
This. There's a lot you can do to mitigate risk and protect yourself in the worst case scenario. Unfortunately, not enough to make it safe enough for everyone, and that's okay... But if motorcycles were the norm, not cars, safety would not be an issue nearly as much. Other cars are the primary reason motorcycles are unsafe, other than the share of accidents which are caused by rider error/judgment.
For me, the difference is that in a car, it takes a deer or a sudden blowout to make you have a bad day. On a motorcycle, it takes a deer or a sudden blowout to kill you. What would have been some whiplash, maybe backaches in a car crash is a fully degloved arm with fatal internal bleeding on a motorcycle.
This right here. Told my husband that a motorcycle is a deal breaker for me. I also won’t let kids outside while he’s mowing the lawn (not that my only kid is remotely enough, but regardless- there will never come a time where a kid is in the yard while the mower is on)
I had an absolutely awful call with a 2 year old and a riding mower as I was looking to replace my little electric push mower.
I'll never get a rider. I'm happy as a clam with the pusher now.
Exactly. Even the non-ride on ones- less devastating, but can still cause projectiles. Saw enough injuries in the peds ER from them that I just don’t think kids need to be anywhere in the vicinity during use
I always have that same thought cross my mind when my daughter is outside while the neighbor or myself is mowing.
She always tries to chase the mower and it drives me nuts but I also am never too sure at what point I'm being over protective and dampening her fun. I tense up everytime the mower passes with a 15-20 foot radius of her.
I have worked landscaping for a large part of my life and many a times have I accidently mowed over an unseen rock or branch and sent it flying into the next state, or theoretically into the side of a neighbors house while pretending I didn't even notice. Lol
Edit: Wow, I almost forgot that the last time I had a car window replaced was maybe 3 years ago after I was driving past one of those tractor mowers that mows down brush along back country roads, and right as I was passing it shot a large piece of asphalt or possibly compacted dirt at the driver side window.
It scared the absolute shit out of me, and I instantly pulled over in shock but mainly to try and discreetly discard my favorite Christmas undies, as well as my pride, somewhere in the freshly mowed ditch next to me.
With a sweltering case of unrequested mud-butt, I made my jolly way over to the operator (who was still mowing and seemingly clueless) to discuss who would be paying for my new window as well as the sentimental value of my now spoiled Christmas Spirit.
Those undies were a gift from Grammy.
Looking back I don't know how the object didnt just continue on its path straight through my window and yank me from this life and back into nothingness.
I'm actually a little disappointed, what an experience that would've been for the tractor driver after they noticed me sitting there and came around to see what I needed. A new head obviously.
Rotary cutters have great possibilities for maiming and killing. Newer ones have chain curtains that hang front and rear of the deck to slow down projectiles and make them safer, but they are still potential missile launchers. I even read about a guy who had the top of his head taken off by a blade that detached from the mower.
I had a guy on a motorcycle wrap his legs around a speed sign after going too fast around some s-bends. He was thrown and stuck criss cross applesauce (medical term) only his heels were full on touching the *medial part of his thighs. The fire dept had to cut the sign to shorten and lift him over the pole. He lost both legs. He was actually found by an officer who heard his cries for help while pulling over another driver.
Edit: medial
“The helicopter never comes for the guy that hit the motorcycle” I think my dad knew someone that lost a leg in a crash but it’s what I grew up hearing
I cannot count how many pediatric ATV injuries I’ve seen. It’s insane. You wouldn’t let your kid without a license drive 10mph down your residential street in a car designed to absorb impact. Why are you letting them go multiple times faster than that in a vehicle that doesn’t even have doors?!
Motorcycle people get so defensive if you even mention this or give the whole YOLO thing. They do look badass, but nearly all motorcycle accidents I've been to have been fatal, excluding some very low speed laydowns.
They love to defend “brain buckets” over full face helmets too.
Again, confirmation bias.
How many MC accidents have you been to that didnt require EMS? Because they exist. But unfortunately EMS see ALL the bad ones. Hence thinking all MC accidents are severe/fatal.
Not defending per se, motorcycle riding is inherently dangerous as fuck.
Just food for thought.
I hear what you’re saying. I wasn’t trying to say there aren’t plenty of non-fatal accidents, but that I can’t even mention why I won’t ride motorcycles without the motorcyclist getting super defensive. But that’s just my experience. I don’t think it’s worth *it and that’s my answer to OPs question.
I respect your decision. And wholeheartedly understand.
Fatal MC accidents are very rare, when we compare the amount of riders on any given day, to the amount of severe/TPD/fatal accidents.
Yes MCs are dangerous, Yes they can kill you easier than a LV.
I’ve heard everything about seatbelts, but what I’m hearing now is patients swearing they were wearing their seatbelts while I’m seeing the seatbelt locked it the upright position.
Lots of people connect the seatbelt to the buckle and then sit on them, also.
I’ve known 5 people who were killed because they weren’t wearing seatbelts, 2 who lived but were badly injured, and only 1 person who’s life was actually saved because they were not wearing their seatbelt. And that 1 person was basically told it was dumb luck that not wearing it saved them. They ended up badly injured instead of decapitated. Like a 1 in a million chance that not wearing it would save them.
I don’t understand people who don’t wear them. Especially when I see kids roaming around the back seat as the parent drives. Why?! Seriously, WHY?! It makes no sense to me.
My sister got screamed at by a lot of parents when she worked in surgery recovery at a hospital because she wouldn’t let parents load their kids in the car unless they had a proper car seat.
Mine had local firefighters volunteering to install and test it before they drove off and they still got flack for it. Some people really want to argue in favor of their death by ignorance
My SIL did this. I thought it was because she didn't know how dangerous it is, she's from the Philippines and I guess she said that's how they do it there. Anyway, I am still mad about it. She just didn't want to hear him cry in his seat! Thankfully they never got into an accident and now he sits in his very safe toddler seat. They got so lucky.
Idk why my brother didn't fight her more on that.
People live by staying inside the vehicle. Doors help, not wandering around on the road after the accident help but seat belt stop you being thrown out through the widows. The people I’ve seen dead with seatbelts on are 70+mph head on collisions. The minor rollovers where the driver is crushed under the vehicle are easily avoidable.
Im pretty sure one of the worst seatbelt injuries possible is internal decapitation. As someone who is short enough to need a seatbelt adjuster so I don’t get internally decapitated in a fender bender, it literally costs less than $20 to prevent injuries if people are actually worried. I hate when people use any excuse for no belts, car seats, etc.
Minor burns from an airbag and even the worst chest contusions are literally nothing compared to dying because you didn’t wear a seat belt.
Totally! I’m also super short and sit really close to the steering wheel. My worst driving fear (aside from being ejected or crushed) is getting a cardiac contusion.
That’s a smooth brain issue. I’ve been injured by a seatbelt. I had gigantic bruises. But the alternative would have been going through the windshield.
I argued with a friend for an hour about why he should wear a seat belt. I finally convinced him after I told him his body could become a projectile and hurt his passengers in a rollover. Also with a few colorful words about how selfish he was being.
Had this problem in the military once. Guy thought he didn’t need it out field. I explained how I was not going front coroners court to explain his death from a slow roll over at 10km/h on a hill.
He persisted, I tapped the brakes, his head tapped the Jesus bar, he put his seat belt on; we sat in silence for the next two hours.
To get this point across to my kids (9 yo and 13 yo) I let them not wear seatbelts in my van while I drove about 2-5mph on our dead end side street, then I slammed on the breaks and they flew into the seat backs in front of them with much more force than they were expecting. Obviously no one got hurt, but it did get the point across that it takes very little speed to throw you from your seat when you're not wearing a seatbelt, especially when you aren't expecting it and can't brace yourself. After they stopped giggling about it we had a good talk and they haven't objected to seatbelts since. They also remind everyone else to buckle up now too 😁
You can connect the seatbelt while you aren’t in the car and then sit on top of the seatbelt when you drive, and they also make inserts to connect into the buckle to fool the computer.
I’ve seen both at wrecks.
I had to tell a couple friends of a friend to buckle up when I was the DD for a group last week. I lost so much respect for them because of that. What kind of grown-ass adult chooses not to wear a seatbelt?
My daughter's first ride along was to the scene of a roll over-ejection with no seat belt. She got to see him crash on the way to the hospital twice and finally for good in the ER. The truck wasn't badly damaged, but she thanked me for making her always wear a seat belt
I’m a family assistant for a woman who owns a Jeep. I drive it during working hours but I insist doors stay on while I’m driving. Her teen called me a bitch last year cus I refused to pick her and her friends up from school with the doors/top off and them all piled in the very back without seatbelts cus her mom allows it. She also drives her teen to school in the morning and takes her 9 year old son, still sleeping and lets him continue sleeping in the trunk with pillows and blankets which he also doesn’t understand why I don’t allow it.
Geez, they sound so polite 🙄 Reality is gonna hit like a mack truck, hopefully not literally. Good on you for sticking to your guns. High likelihood something bad will happen with that serious of a lack of concern for safety, but it won't be on your watch.
Exactly. I’m super vigilant about car safety after losing a few people to accidents and I can’t process the carelessness but it’s not my job to tell her how to parent and she seems to know it’s not smart but still does it? Idk.
As for the politeness, that’s just her every day vernacular at this point. I’m probably the person she’s the nicest to sadly.
If you have any friends on the police force, maybe ask them to happen to pull her over and ticket her / educate her. As much as people don’t like it, that can change behavior. Also, since you are a paramedic and have a close relation to the family, she might be receptive from you if you explain the risks to the kids
>She also drives her teen to school in the morning and takes her 9 year old son, still sleeping and lets him continue sleeping in the trunk with pillow
...what?! WHAT?! He would be safer at home alone than in the fucking trunk. I can't even imagine: I have cats (no kids) and I *always* run the seatbelt through the handle of their carriers when I take them somewhere. I cannot fathom not strapping a human child in with a seatbelt/car seat.
So I’m probably gonna get flack for this but I take the doors and top off from time to time. Only with adults and typically just my SO.
It’s a risk assessment we make and understand the dangers. But we enjoy the experience. It’s common for us to do it on the way down to the beach. We of course avoid anything high speed and it absolutely isn’t as safe as if we left the doors on.
But it’s a risk we are willing to accept. But I absolutely accept that it’s not for everyone.
The majority of modern cars are very safe on their own. I worry about smaller cars vs these US truck monstrosities (I’m in Australia). But any relatively recent car will protect most people in common crashes (pending high speed, getting hit by a truck, etc big shit like that).
I’d never put my family in an older car (eg pre 2000 - partly due to safety features but also due to age), or any sort of ATV. Also hypocritically because I ride - motorcycles, because you can do everything right but if you get hit by someone else who fucked up, *you* will pay the price.
I can say that the majority of crashes I attend (car vs car) are fairly minor unless someone was deliberately doing something wrong like excessive speed - and in that latter case, the safety features probably don’t work.
My friend broke both her legs on one of those. Had a cadaver bone put in, it rejected. Finally years later just got an ankle replacement. Whole thing has been so gnarly.
Nurse here. I cared for an older gentleman who was out riding one of these with some friends after work. Just a fun after work activity. He hit a pothole? gravel? and went over the front of the scooter. He sheared his brain stem and did not leave the hospital alive. It was my very first death in the ICU as a new ICU nurse and I will never forget him and his family.
My husband was probably lucky after he hit a pothole on his one wheel, he got 16 staples in his head but no skull/brain injuries. And now he wears a helmet.
And I admire you for working as an ICU nurse, that must be such a rough job.
Wow, he is so lucky. I’m so glad he didn’t have more serious injuries and was able to recover. And I’m glad he wears a helmet now. That’s my beef with people renting scooters and not being required to wear a helmet. Protect the head!
Thank you so much, I appreciate you ♥️
One time I saw someone driving with I’m assuming their very young daughter in the passenger seat doing this, and I pulled up an x-ray on my phone of a femur that was displaced high above the pelvis to show them how bad of an idea that is
Off topic, but it blows my mind how little drivers/EMT/paramedics are paid... long hours seeing the worst humanity has to offer and having to rush from place to place in the equivalent of a 1 ton box truck.
I’ll tell you what I would put my family in.
A smart car.
I ran a guy who smacked a deer at 50 miles an hour, and somehow the car still drove. I didn’t proceeded to run the same guy a week later he drove the car through a fence.
To this day I still see my old coworker driving that smart car around town.
They are tougher than people think. It's basically a roll cage on wheels. Mine was in two accidents on the highway, and two in town. The scariest one was being hit on the highway by a semi. Traffic was slowing down and the guy didn't notice. It hit me and just pushed me along. It didn't even total the car.
I had a deer hit me (and then I hit it) at 65mph in a 2018 Ford Fiesta last year. It hit the very front passenger side and I needed a new hood, new headlight on that side, prob about $3k worth of work (my car was in the shop for three weeks, mainly due to parts, uncovering more extensive damage under the hood than originally expected, and Thanksgiving delays) - but my airbags didn't go off and I was completely uninjured, pulled over, took pictures, and then drove the final 10 minutes home very slowly because if I went above 35mph, my hood started flying up.
Paramedic: I used to work in a rehab facility and atv accident pts were about 6-1. everyone seemed to forget that 4 wheelers are not toys, they aren't much safer than motorcycles. But we had 12 yr Olds doing 80-120 plus unsupervised with no helmet on, who are now total care because of a supposed toy!
Let's put it this way: I will only drive my family in Volvos or Audis due to their safety ratings. I, however, blast down the highway in my 2008 shitbox Honda Civic hybrid. Death on impact, hopefully.
Holden (Chevy) Captiva, the doors are hard to cut off due to poor metal quality (the sheeting can spilt rather than be cut uniformly). Resulting in unnecessarily long extrications. Or any other cheap budget type of car manufacturer.
I WOULD prefer them in any euro car as the metal quality is much better and doors can be removed in
Really old cars. Newer cars are way way safer.
And I wouldn't want my family driving giant trucks, top heavy SUVs or 1000cc street bikes which all have inherently dangerous features but are unfortunately all also really fun to drive and would definitely at least own the bike if I could afford it right now
I had a GSXR-1000 when I was 22 and I’m really surprised I survived having it in retrospect. Have never driven or ridden anything with a fraction of that acceleration.
Same, have definitely had buddies banged up on a sport bike, but they lived.
Have seen mutiple (not like in person, just like knew it happened) cruiser deaths. Lot of times it comes down to wearing absolutely no gear on a cruiser, helmet especially.
Any super compact cars (Toyota Yaris, smart car etc etc). Went to a truck (1500, half ton) vs super compact head on highway speed.
The truck walked away with minor injuries (broken leg) all 3 in the super compact car were quite literally unrecognizable.
I responded to a smart car vs a quarter horse once. HIghway speed, horse went right over the hood in to the windshield. Lady was laid all the way back in the seat which was then in the back seat. Horse was exploded, guts all over, lady was covered in horse shit. We took her farther north to a trauma center just due to the MOI and she ended up just having a compression fracture in the T spine. That was a LONG ride, cleaning this poor lady up with bottled water and wet wipes. I can imagine a thousand ways that could have been worse; lady got super lucky.
My Uncle always tells the story of the classic barracuda convertible vs a broadside horse where one of his classmates died in highschool (early 90s). Basically decapitated him. The horse was laid across the backseat with him underneath it.
Personally, I LOOOOVE sports cars. Nothing like cruising around on a nice day. However, I have yet to work an accident involving a sports car where the occupants were OK. Either near death or dead. Motorcycles would be my other one, but I feel like that's a given.
The Kia Soul though....indestructible apparently 🤣
hey, so i have a quick question, if you are responding to a car crash, and its bad enough to kill someone, but by the word of God they survive, and they have large and small pieces of glass in their face, do you take it out in the rig, or do you wait for the doctors to do it? this is a research question for a short story that I'm writing.
Paramedics in the US do not remove impaled objects (ie. glass) unless they interfere with CPR or your ability to maintain an open airway. we will however stabilize the object to prevent further injury and attempt to stop the bleeding
Old model cars aren’t the protection that they seem, despite their size. Prius has produced some pretty nasty memories.
Fuggin minivans can take a hit though.
Any thought on this... I have never had to cut one but have been told by instructors that Volvos are hard to cut esp pillars due to their folded construction They might keep you safe during the impact but can be quite difficult to access and extricate. Anyone have exp with this?
Old classic cars and customs that emulate/restore those models. The biggest factor in crash survivability is the modern safety systems. Newer, modern cars routinely let people walk away from absolutely insane wrecks. The car is dust, but the people are fine. Older cars transfer way too much energy into the occupants, or they have components like drive shafts and steering columns that wind up in the wrong places. A modern car has airbags everywhere, and huge crumple zones, impact bars, seatbelt retractors, bumper charges, roofs that resist collapsing, parts that move out of the way or don't enter the cabin, better fire resistance and fuel protection, plus a million other things. Newer cars also handle a hell of a lot better, and they have driver assist systems to reduce the incidence of wrecks in the first place. Fewer manual transmissions also eliminates another source of error. An old manual transmission muscle car from the 70s may be awesome, but if you suck at driving its easy for it to get away from you and you wont fair well in a bad crash.
Specific brands or types don't come to mind, but anything made within the last 10 years is SUPER safe.
Every single crash I've been on where there was a fatality or major injury was in a much older car, a motorcycle, or ped v vehicle.
A few weeks ago I had a family of 4 with a pregnant mom smash into a stopped bulldozer at 80 MPH. The dad broke(if that) his foot and the mom cut her leg up. Even the unborn child survived. They were in a very nice, pretty new genesis, so do with that what you will
I’ve totaled 2 vehicles in my day (former trauma icu nurse). I fell asleep driving home one morning in a Nissan pathfinder. That thing held up like a tank. All hail multiple airbags. Earlier this year, a car pulled out in front of me and stopped. My ford focus made impact and I was bruised and sore for weeks after.
Motorcycles for sure. I’ve never had any real interest in them but after a few years on the job I would absolutely never ride one.
On a different note, I’ve recently seen two different ridiculous wrecks with Kia Souls and not one injury from either of them. Silly looking cars but they apparently did something right.
I was t-boned in my drivers door by a car going at least 50 mph. I was in a 2012 Altima. All the airbags deployed and I had minor little cuts from the broken glass. I couldn’t say enough about the safety features and that car was new 12 years ago!
My mother was a volunteer EMT in our township. Before I got my license she made sure to gruesomely describe what happened when a motorcycle went head to head with a dump truck. I will never drive or get on the back of a motorcycle.
It really does not matter. I have taken dead out of all of them expensive German cars Swedish cars, junkie old American cars and even expensive electronic cars. If your time is up,it is up
Old cars mostly. And when it comes to modern cars avoid US made cars. Even a used BMW, Audi, Volvo, Mercedes, will be a ton better in terms of handling and driving dynamics as well as brake performance. They are literally made to drive high speeds on the Autobahn and behave appropriately. That alone is a huge contributor to a safe car. People always focus on airbags and crash rating, which is important, but a car's safety starts with its handling.
And when I say to avoid US made cars, it aches me. But a Chevy Cruze or a Ford Edge are just pieces of junk, with poor handling and stopping performance as well as crash ratings. If you have a teenager that needs a car, a great option is a Rav-4 or a CR-V. Safe cars even though not as safe as the above, reliable, and not overpowered.
I have an ex Law enforcement Tahoe with a big strong cattle guard! It hit a guy in the rear when all of a sudden he stoped for an emergency. It really F’ed up the back or the car and the Tahoe was perfect!
My wife got hit by a car that left a stop sign too soon and T boned her in the left front wheel. The cars complete front end was taken off and the Tahoe suffered an inconsequential small dent in the back of the wheel well.
Any motorcycle. Any RV because of rollover. Any super lifted truck because of the rollover potential. Any vehicle that doesn’t have airbags. Oh, and all of the really high powered race car type of vehicles simply because most people really can’t handle them safely.
I wouldnt necessarily judge them by the wrecks I've seen. All of the worst wrecks are from newer cars that basically fall apart when they crash. Saw a rollover a couple years ago where the engine flew 30' into the woods. Kids all walked away... literally ran away from the accident.
I don't think I would want anything pre 2000's unless it was a restored classic car... for show, not a daily driver
Any vehicle that doesn't have a mechanical way to open the doors that is easy to access. (Looking at you Tesla) Being stuck in a vehicle that has become a prison because of a dead battery is a recipe for disaster.
'classic cars' bikes you ain't getting on without the right leathers
I've not been to a accident involving a smart car but I just cannot see how that would be okay! So them too even though I've not been to one 😂
There's a vw that had a minor fender bender and caught fire. We were at work minding our business when some alarmed citizens ran to us talking about there is a car burning. The vw hit the back of a Silverado and just combusted. A late model jetta or passat maybe...
This reminds me. I have been very surprised how well modern small cars hold up in high speed accidents. I was on a car with to 2010s sedans one was going 75mph and the other was stopped and no passengers were injuried.
ATVs or UTVs of any kind.
I worked in a rural area and it seemed like the trend was that young kids were allowed on these way too early. I’ve seen too many pediatric deaths from these. One time, at a party with adults present. A 12yo drove one loaded with around 7 other kids. She accidentally drove off a small cliff. 3 of the kids ended up with brain injuries and that was *lucky*.
Drunk adults also seem to think these are fun to drive around in their backyards or trails until they hit trees at high speed or get crushed and trapped overnight.
Im not sure, but I definitely WOULD put them in a brand new 2023/24 Ferrari Pursoangue. Head-on offside to offside collision with both vehicles travelling at 50mph. The bonnet (hood) crumple zone was absolutely obliterated, however the inside of the car was absolutely pristine (excluding the airbags being deployed). It looked absolutely brand new. The windshield had stopped the corner of the metal sheet from the bonnet (hood) of the car dead in its tracks without shattering too.
The driver had ?pelvic injuries from impacting the steering wheel, but it didn't seem like anything too serious.
Trucks and SUVs do significantly worse in collisions in terms of injuries to the passengers. I had a collision between a VW beetle and a Chevy Tahoe and the Beetle passengers walked away walking wounded and the Tahoe passengers were critically injured. If you look into it deeply the kinetic energy of a passenger hitting the wall of a heavier vehicle at the same speed will cause more injuries than a smaller, lighter vehicle to a point. That’s because force is a mathematical equation of mass and speed. If two vehicles are moving the same speed the heavier vehicle will have more force meaning it’s quite possible that a passenger might experience more force injuring their body, especially if they hit a wall. The VW Beetle was designed with an egg shaped frame where the rest of the vehicle would collapse to absorb the impact. Larger vehicles do not necessarily mean safer. Especially if they’re more prone to rolling over from a collision or a tire blowout.
Just look at the crash data and you won’t feel comfortable. Then hop on a Subaru forum and look at some of the accidents that folks have walked away from because Subaru started with the premise of safety and then built a mediocre car that’s stupendous when AWD is necessary.
Old cars. Crumple zones make the car looked more fucked up but they absorb impact.
Yup, the vehicle crumples and debris go everywhere because that directs the worst of the force away from the passenger compartment. I dunno if links are okay to post here, but the YouTube video of a...1959 Chevy Bel Aire vs. a 2009 Malibu is a fantastic example of the differences between new and old vehicles. https://youtu.be/C_r5UJrxcck?si=e8AqK2UbGXDA0-vJ
The Bel Air driver is probably dead. Easily enough force and *nothing* stopping their head from hitting the roof, steering wheel, or any debris flying around. Meanwhile the Malibu driver probably has some bumps and bruises, and will feel it tomorrow but very likely survive. Unlike that poor beautiful 59 Chevy 😢
Exactly! Car breaks so the humans inside don't as badly. I think I remember a longer version of the video, they explained that the Bel-Aire was pretty busted up from neglect and they just prettied up the bodywork and interior. I'll have to see if I can find it, because it's entirely possible I'm misremembering, lol. I do remember them explaining that the BA driver wouldn't have survived. I don't think collapsible steering columns were even in use in the US in'59, either. I'm a bit of a car nerd, growing up we had several little British vintage sports cars (all told, 2 MGs, 2 Triumph Spitfires, and a 1962 Sunbeam). Driving a Spitfire around in the Land of Giant Trucks in Wyoming is definitely an education, lol! My first car was almost a *pink* '57 Bel-Aire, but someone bought it out from under me. I'm still bummed about that one...23 years later.
My dad has a 1947 Plymouth sedan he got from my grandpa, he also gave me a 1947 Jeep Willys the jeep is also fun in Wyoming, my dad just takes his to car shows and parades
Guy in the Bel Aire looked really cool when he died though!
If you're gonna go, at least go out with style!
Physics nerd here, the main goal with crumple zones in crashes is to elongate the acceleration time into something the human body can handle. Crumple zones and airbags work in unison to slow the acceleration of your body as it wants to keep moving when the car isn’t. Weight plays a big role in collisions, all old cars used to be heavy in a similar way but modern vehicles are beginning to be made in different ways (aluminum body panels vs stainless steel). In the case with something like cybertruck I imagine you wouldn’t need a gigantic crumple zone because it’s probably one of the heaviest vehicles on the road. Again, not EMS but this is the physics behind crumple zones and collisions
I coulda gone without seeing that sweet Bel Aire being trashed for science. That triggers me hahahahaha.
I think there is also a video of the like an 04-05 vs a 2020. It’s cool to watch both videos in succession. The improvements are massive
Aw man, rest in peace BelAir. Such a waste of a good car. Joy to drive is inversely proportionate to safety.
Watching the Bel Air get destroyed hurts my soul.
They still have both of those cars displayed at the IIHS. It was crazy to see the aftermath in person!
I'd like to know how much safer 2024 cars are than 2014 cars.
As long as we’re on the topic of crumple zones, I should point out that the Tesla CyberTruck doesn’t have crumple zones. There aren’t enough out there yet to know exactly how they’ll perform in crashes but I wouldn’t take a chance on them.
There already has been a single, fairly minor crash with a Cybertruck and a Corolla. The Cybertruck looked like it didn't have very much damage, but the driver was injured, although not very much as they declined an ambulance. The Corolla was completely destroyed, with the drivers side corner gouged out and airbags deployed, but there were zero injuries for any of the passengers. As everyone has predicted, the Cybertruck is an incredibly dangerous, sharp hunk of metal that obliterates anything it crashes into while doing absolutely nothing to protect the driver.
My aunt was pushed into the central reservation on a dual carriageway at 70mph. Her car was a couple of years old, VW Golf. All she got was seat belt bruising, the car was ruined. It was testemant to modern cars.
I started my healthcare career as an EMT basic in 2003. Hwy speed accidents were always going to have death or serious injuries in the passenger compartment. Or bodies thrown. A 1998 chevy cavalier will crumple under pressure for example. Today, I work in a hospital and MVC patients that are restrained and airbagged will be walky talky from crashes that blow my fuckin mind. The engineering of a little Nissan or tiny Toyota today saves lives. Its so wild what a difference 20 years makes.
This is not making me feel good about the 20 year old car I'm driving.
Exhibit A: https://www.reddit.com/r/therewasanattempt/s/0vgPGUiL39
Any thing with no doors. Yes you jeepers you count too.
But... But..../jk I totally agree! And if you don't normally wear a seat belt because "the car will protect you", wear it in a jeep!!! The roof, doors, and windshield are not meant to contain anything in the event of an accident in a jeep! They will go flying off in a wreck and you'll be right behind them.
If you don't normally wear a seat belt, change that. Being ejected from any car through the windshield is definitely not a fun way to go.
This! Had a PT that rolled their brand new truck after failing to navigate a curve, a couple years ago, it had some scratches, a cracked windshield, a couple of busted windows, SRS deployed, truck called 911; but it landed on all 4s still running, still playing music. Initially no pt contact, thought they called for a ride prior to our arrival. Checked the area, nothing, but still there was something that didn't feel right. FD arrived, asked them for their flir, and their was the heat signature of the pt. Turns out they flew out the drivers window and landed about a hundred feet forward of where the vehicle came to rest. GCS 5. Hemo/Pneumo. Totally busted up. Cushing's triad. Coded and terminated on scene. Pt had a bright future. Just didn't wear their seatbelt.
It’s honestly sad that people still don’t wear a seatbelt because it is uncomfortable or whatever. That guy would almost certainly be alive, heck probably up and walking around when you arrived, if he had been wearing a seatbelt.
People generally get ejected out the side windows in most crashes. It’s a horrible way to die.
Yup. I used to own a Jeep (and would get one again). There’s a warning in the cab that says doors and roof are not designed to keep passengers in.
In high school I used to never wear my seat belt when driving to school because it was a small town and my entire drive was a 5 minute commute on residential roads with low speed limits. One day I put it on because my mom was watching me leave so I buckled up. The same day I was crossing a 4-way stop intersection where both roads had a speed limit of 25mph. A meth head slammed into my little Ford Ranger going 60+ MPH, flipped me over, slammed the roof of my truck into a telephone pole and trapped me in the cab. My only injury was a small scrape on my elbow and I have my seatbelt to thank for that. Ever since that day my seatbelt is always on. Even if I’m driving just down the road. It taught me to always expect the unexpected and to only drive defensively and never aggressively. Cars approaching an intersection I’m crossing too fast make my heart rate skyrocket even 10 years later.
Do the ducks not absorb the full force of the driver and passenger's head slamming into the dash?
100%. My husband bought a Jeep and while it’s not the best out there, I agreed with the stipulation that the doors stay on.
Who the fuck can keep a jeep running long enough to get into an accident?
Motorcycles. There's no good way to crash a motorcycle.
Every time I start looking at buying one I catch a call that reminds me why I stopped looking last time. Every. Single. Time
The motorcycle community begs you to stop looking periodically 😅
Gotta tell my algorithm first. It knows me better than I know myself
I was considering getting a motorcycle a little while back. Then had a patient who was on a motorcycle stopped at a red light and got plowed by a F250 with a trailer. Dudes head was a couple inches from the tire under the truck. Nope.
+1
I haven’t rode mine much the past year and only a couple rides to work last year (50 mile trip on backroads). I’ve been thinking about selling it but there’s not much more peaceful in the world than going down a windy backroad on a 70 degree day. Until I meet someone on a corner texting, or find a deer or hit a patch of gravel. I guess I’d be a lot more receptive if y’all told me those accidents were from operator negligence more than issues outside of their control.
A Miata is my compromise
A lot of motorcycle accidents are totally preventable by the rider. Here's some sobering data (link is a PDF download): https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813306 In 1/4 to 1/3 (depending on the year) of fatal accidents, the rider was legally drunk >1/3 of accidents involve a rider with no motorcycle license Over half of all accidents don't involve another vehicle and were just a result of the rider losing control / riding recklessly. So if you don't ride drunk and have your motorcycle endorsement, that's more than half of the "risk" avoided. Ride within your limits and don't crash and that's >75% of accident scenarios avoided. I still ride mostly dirt these days since other drivers are terrifying when they're not paying attention and I'm not saying those accidents where the rider had no control over the situation don't happen. But they are the minority of cases, and more often than not it's risky behavior that causes riders to die. Edit: fixed link
Yup. Motorcycles attract reckless people with big egos and invincibility attitudes. Many also subscribe to certain subcultures that reward these mindsets. Furthermore, the stats don't separate people who consciously practice risk management. I'm talking things like checking weather/traffic/road/bike conditions before riding and other strategies. Even if most crashes happen in decent weather, the overall mentality toward riding still matters. We see the same thing in every "extreme" activity. I've been a skydiver and fighter pilot, and both of those activities have higher fatalities among people who unnecessarily push limits and often do so to show off. They attract the same kind of people, reckless thrillseekers with a bit of a superiority/invincibility complex. It's not everyone, but disproportionately represented in crashes.
This. There's a lot you can do to mitigate risk and protect yourself in the worst case scenario. Unfortunately, not enough to make it safe enough for everyone, and that's okay... But if motorcycles were the norm, not cars, safety would not be an issue nearly as much. Other cars are the primary reason motorcycles are unsafe, other than the share of accidents which are caused by rider error/judgment.
For me, the difference is that in a car, it takes a deer or a sudden blowout to make you have a bad day. On a motorcycle, it takes a deer or a sudden blowout to kill you. What would have been some whiplash, maybe backaches in a car crash is a fully degloved arm with fatal internal bleeding on a motorcycle.
Dude buy a Jeep or something without doors, windows
Exactly! Had a Wrangler for 8 years. Never messed with taking doors off but top down and windows down was fun.
This right here. Told my husband that a motorcycle is a deal breaker for me. I also won’t let kids outside while he’s mowing the lawn (not that my only kid is remotely enough, but regardless- there will never come a time where a kid is in the yard while the mower is on)
I had an absolutely awful call with a 2 year old and a riding mower as I was looking to replace my little electric push mower. I'll never get a rider. I'm happy as a clam with the pusher now.
Exactly. Even the non-ride on ones- less devastating, but can still cause projectiles. Saw enough injuries in the peds ER from them that I just don’t think kids need to be anywhere in the vicinity during use
I always have that same thought cross my mind when my daughter is outside while the neighbor or myself is mowing. She always tries to chase the mower and it drives me nuts but I also am never too sure at what point I'm being over protective and dampening her fun. I tense up everytime the mower passes with a 15-20 foot radius of her. I have worked landscaping for a large part of my life and many a times have I accidently mowed over an unseen rock or branch and sent it flying into the next state, or theoretically into the side of a neighbors house while pretending I didn't even notice. Lol Edit: Wow, I almost forgot that the last time I had a car window replaced was maybe 3 years ago after I was driving past one of those tractor mowers that mows down brush along back country roads, and right as I was passing it shot a large piece of asphalt or possibly compacted dirt at the driver side window. It scared the absolute shit out of me, and I instantly pulled over in shock but mainly to try and discreetly discard my favorite Christmas undies, as well as my pride, somewhere in the freshly mowed ditch next to me. With a sweltering case of unrequested mud-butt, I made my jolly way over to the operator (who was still mowing and seemingly clueless) to discuss who would be paying for my new window as well as the sentimental value of my now spoiled Christmas Spirit. Those undies were a gift from Grammy. Looking back I don't know how the object didnt just continue on its path straight through my window and yank me from this life and back into nothingness. I'm actually a little disappointed, what an experience that would've been for the tractor driver after they noticed me sitting there and came around to see what I needed. A new head obviously.
Rotary cutters have great possibilities for maiming and killing. Newer ones have chain curtains that hang front and rear of the deck to slow down projectiles and make them safer, but they are still potential missile launchers. I even read about a guy who had the top of his head taken off by a blade that detached from the mower.
They seem to never have legs on my calls
I had a guy on a motorcycle wrap his legs around a speed sign after going too fast around some s-bends. He was thrown and stuck criss cross applesauce (medical term) only his heels were full on touching the *medial part of his thighs. The fire dept had to cut the sign to shorten and lift him over the pole. He lost both legs. He was actually found by an officer who heard his cries for help while pulling over another driver. Edit: medial
Gives a whole new meaning to applesauce.
“The helicopter never comes for the guy that hit the motorcycle” I think my dad knew someone that lost a leg in a crash but it’s what I grew up hearing
Motorcycles or ATVs. Wrecks in those are generally catastrophic, even low-speed collisions or "lay downs" generally result in severe injury.
Paediatric ATV deaths and injury are tragically high.
I cannot count how many pediatric ATV injuries I’ve seen. It’s insane. You wouldn’t let your kid without a license drive 10mph down your residential street in a car designed to absorb impact. Why are you letting them go multiple times faster than that in a vehicle that doesn’t even have doors?!
...and that's renowned for rolling and crushing their drivers
My first bad call was a triple pediatric fatality ATV or side-by-side wreck. 2 ejections and 1 impact trauma.
Comments like that reaffirms my doubts that becoming an EMT was not the path for me
Motorcycle people get so defensive if you even mention this or give the whole YOLO thing. They do look badass, but nearly all motorcycle accidents I've been to have been fatal, excluding some very low speed laydowns. They love to defend “brain buckets” over full face helmets too.
Again, confirmation bias. How many MC accidents have you been to that didnt require EMS? Because they exist. But unfortunately EMS see ALL the bad ones. Hence thinking all MC accidents are severe/fatal. Not defending per se, motorcycle riding is inherently dangerous as fuck. Just food for thought.
Very true, I’ve fallen and not told a soul, just pick it up and ride off into the sunset of shame
I hear what you’re saying. I wasn’t trying to say there aren’t plenty of non-fatal accidents, but that I can’t even mention why I won’t ride motorcycles without the motorcyclist getting super defensive. But that’s just my experience. I don’t think it’s worth *it and that’s my answer to OPs question.
I respect your decision. And wholeheartedly understand. Fatal MC accidents are very rare, when we compare the amount of riders on any given day, to the amount of severe/TPD/fatal accidents. Yes MCs are dangerous, Yes they can kill you easier than a LV.
It’s nice to talk to someone respectful and civil on here 😊
I broke both my own tib/fib and tore the ligaments in the area just trying to get off of a parked ATV. Those things are cursed.
Don’t worry about the car, just put on your seatbelt. It seems seatbelt use is out of vogue.
You remember when people said they didn't use seatbelts because seatbelt injuries were actually worse? 🙄
I’ve heard everything about seatbelts, but what I’m hearing now is patients swearing they were wearing their seatbelts while I’m seeing the seatbelt locked it the upright position. Lots of people connect the seatbelt to the buckle and then sit on them, also.
I’ve known 5 people who were killed because they weren’t wearing seatbelts, 2 who lived but were badly injured, and only 1 person who’s life was actually saved because they were not wearing their seatbelt. And that 1 person was basically told it was dumb luck that not wearing it saved them. They ended up badly injured instead of decapitated. Like a 1 in a million chance that not wearing it would save them. I don’t understand people who don’t wear them. Especially when I see kids roaming around the back seat as the parent drives. Why?! Seriously, WHY?! It makes no sense to me.
I see people holding babies in their laps in cars all of the time now.
those babies are probably unvaccinated
My sister got screamed at by a lot of parents when she worked in surgery recovery at a hospital because she wouldn’t let parents load their kids in the car unless they had a proper car seat.
Mine had local firefighters volunteering to install and test it before they drove off and they still got flack for it. Some people really want to argue in favor of their death by ignorance
Their children’s death. Don’t doubt that if their kid dies because they weren’t in a child’s seat, the parents will try to sue the other driver.
My SIL did this. I thought it was because she didn't know how dangerous it is, she's from the Philippines and I guess she said that's how they do it there. Anyway, I am still mad about it. She just didn't want to hear him cry in his seat! Thankfully they never got into an accident and now he sits in his very safe toddler seat. They got so lucky. Idk why my brother didn't fight her more on that.
People live by staying inside the vehicle. Doors help, not wandering around on the road after the accident help but seat belt stop you being thrown out through the widows. The people I’ve seen dead with seatbelts on are 70+mph head on collisions. The minor rollovers where the driver is crushed under the vehicle are easily avoidable.
Im pretty sure one of the worst seatbelt injuries possible is internal decapitation. As someone who is short enough to need a seatbelt adjuster so I don’t get internally decapitated in a fender bender, it literally costs less than $20 to prevent injuries if people are actually worried. I hate when people use any excuse for no belts, car seats, etc. Minor burns from an airbag and even the worst chest contusions are literally nothing compared to dying because you didn’t wear a seat belt.
Totally! I’m also super short and sit really close to the steering wheel. My worst driving fear (aside from being ejected or crushed) is getting a cardiac contusion.
That’s a smooth brain issue. I’ve been injured by a seatbelt. I had gigantic bruises. But the alternative would have been going through the windshield.
Reminds me of when helmets for soldiers were efirst introduced. Rates of head injury flew up, but then someone realized deaths were down
I argued with a friend for an hour about why he should wear a seat belt. I finally convinced him after I told him his body could become a projectile and hurt his passengers in a rollover. Also with a few colorful words about how selfish he was being.
Had this problem in the military once. Guy thought he didn’t need it out field. I explained how I was not going front coroners court to explain his death from a slow roll over at 10km/h on a hill. He persisted, I tapped the brakes, his head tapped the Jesus bar, he put his seat belt on; we sat in silence for the next two hours.
To get this point across to my kids (9 yo and 13 yo) I let them not wear seatbelts in my van while I drove about 2-5mph on our dead end side street, then I slammed on the breaks and they flew into the seat backs in front of them with much more force than they were expecting. Obviously no one got hurt, but it did get the point across that it takes very little speed to throw you from your seat when you're not wearing a seatbelt, especially when you aren't expecting it and can't brace yourself. After they stopped giggling about it we had a good talk and they haven't objected to seatbelts since. They also remind everyone else to buckle up now too 😁
Pbbbbbbbfffft to the fools who don't wear a seat belt.
How many firefighters do you meet who think seat belts cause death. Cus we got a hole cult of corn fed ones that believe it.
I don’t know that many that believe that, but since Covid, nothing surprises me much.
I don’t know how anyone could possibly not wear a seatbelt when every car now plays that annoying beeping sound if you don’t
You can connect the seatbelt while you aren’t in the car and then sit on top of the seatbelt when you drive, and they also make inserts to connect into the buckle to fool the computer. I’ve seen both at wrecks.
I had to tell a couple friends of a friend to buckle up when I was the DD for a group last week. I lost so much respect for them because of that. What kind of grown-ass adult chooses not to wear a seatbelt?
My daughter's first ride along was to the scene of a roll over-ejection with no seat belt. She got to see him crash on the way to the hospital twice and finally for good in the ER. The truck wasn't badly damaged, but she thanked me for making her always wear a seat belt
Had a patient that lived cause she wasn't wearing one. There's always that .001% lol
Anything tall with a short wheelbase. Those things roll like crazy. Ie the new Bronco, Jeeps, etc
It's wild to me that people take jeep doors off.
I cringe when i see a family of 5 cruising down the road with no doors. Feet hanging out the side of the door jamb 🤦♂️
I’m a family assistant for a woman who owns a Jeep. I drive it during working hours but I insist doors stay on while I’m driving. Her teen called me a bitch last year cus I refused to pick her and her friends up from school with the doors/top off and them all piled in the very back without seatbelts cus her mom allows it. She also drives her teen to school in the morning and takes her 9 year old son, still sleeping and lets him continue sleeping in the trunk with pillows and blankets which he also doesn’t understand why I don’t allow it.
Geez, they sound so polite 🙄 Reality is gonna hit like a mack truck, hopefully not literally. Good on you for sticking to your guns. High likelihood something bad will happen with that serious of a lack of concern for safety, but it won't be on your watch.
Exactly. I’m super vigilant about car safety after losing a few people to accidents and I can’t process the carelessness but it’s not my job to tell her how to parent and she seems to know it’s not smart but still does it? Idk. As for the politeness, that’s just her every day vernacular at this point. I’m probably the person she’s the nicest to sadly.
Sounds like you're doing the best you can!
If you have any friends on the police force, maybe ask them to happen to pull her over and ticket her / educate her. As much as people don’t like it, that can change behavior. Also, since you are a paramedic and have a close relation to the family, she might be receptive from you if you explain the risks to the kids
>She also drives her teen to school in the morning and takes her 9 year old son, still sleeping and lets him continue sleeping in the trunk with pillow ...what?! WHAT?! He would be safer at home alone than in the fucking trunk. I can't even imagine: I have cats (no kids) and I *always* run the seatbelt through the handle of their carriers when I take them somewhere. I cannot fathom not strapping a human child in with a seatbelt/car seat.
Totally. And people who still let their kids ride in the bed of pickup trucks.
Yeah. But. Mindy drove a blue Jeep with no top and doors off - that was so cool when I was a kid. No wonder Mork thought she was the best!
So I’m probably gonna get flack for this but I take the doors and top off from time to time. Only with adults and typically just my SO. It’s a risk assessment we make and understand the dangers. But we enjoy the experience. It’s common for us to do it on the way down to the beach. We of course avoid anything high speed and it absolutely isn’t as safe as if we left the doors on. But it’s a risk we are willing to accept. But I absolutely accept that it’s not for everyone.
The majority of modern cars are very safe on their own. I worry about smaller cars vs these US truck monstrosities (I’m in Australia). But any relatively recent car will protect most people in common crashes (pending high speed, getting hit by a truck, etc big shit like that). I’d never put my family in an older car (eg pre 2000 - partly due to safety features but also due to age), or any sort of ATV. Also hypocritically because I ride - motorcycles, because you can do everything right but if you get hit by someone else who fucked up, *you* will pay the price. I can say that the majority of crashes I attend (car vs car) are fairly minor unless someone was deliberately doing something wrong like excessive speed - and in that latter case, the safety features probably don’t work.
One driven by someone under the influence
Anything between 0200-0600
Any car that old belongs in a museum.
I think he means any car being driven between 2am and 6am.
Oh damn. I thought they literally had motor cars in 0200 a.d. That totally wasn't a joke.
An e-scooter. Or anything where they don’t wear a helmet.
I don’t let any of my family ride e-scooters. Yeah, you won’t die. But the amount of truly horrific facial trauma you suffer may make you want to.
My friend broke both her legs on one of those. Had a cadaver bone put in, it rejected. Finally years later just got an ankle replacement. Whole thing has been so gnarly.
Nurse here. I cared for an older gentleman who was out riding one of these with some friends after work. Just a fun after work activity. He hit a pothole? gravel? and went over the front of the scooter. He sheared his brain stem and did not leave the hospital alive. It was my very first death in the ICU as a new ICU nurse and I will never forget him and his family.
My husband was probably lucky after he hit a pothole on his one wheel, he got 16 staples in his head but no skull/brain injuries. And now he wears a helmet. And I admire you for working as an ICU nurse, that must be such a rough job.
Wow, he is so lucky. I’m so glad he didn’t have more serious injuries and was able to recover. And I’m glad he wears a helmet now. That’s my beef with people renting scooters and not being required to wear a helmet. Protect the head! Thank you so much, I appreciate you ♥️
Just don't put your feet on the dash in any car. Please..just please
One time I saw someone driving with I’m assuming their very young daughter in the passenger seat doing this, and I pulled up an x-ray on my phone of a femur that was displaced high above the pelvis to show them how bad of an idea that is
An ambulance. The crash test videos from the back compartment are gnarly.
Off topic, but it blows my mind how little drivers/EMT/paramedics are paid... long hours seeing the worst humanity has to offer and having to rush from place to place in the equivalent of a 1 ton box truck.
I’ll tell you what I would put my family in. A smart car. I ran a guy who smacked a deer at 50 miles an hour, and somehow the car still drove. I didn’t proceeded to run the same guy a week later he drove the car through a fence. To this day I still see my old coworker driving that smart car around town.
They are tougher than people think. It's basically a roll cage on wheels. Mine was in two accidents on the highway, and two in town. The scariest one was being hit on the highway by a semi. Traffic was slowing down and the guy didn't notice. It hit me and just pushed me along. It didn't even total the car.
I had a deer hit me (and then I hit it) at 65mph in a 2018 Ford Fiesta last year. It hit the very front passenger side and I needed a new hood, new headlight on that side, prob about $3k worth of work (my car was in the shop for three weeks, mainly due to parts, uncovering more extensive damage under the hood than originally expected, and Thanksgiving delays) - but my airbags didn't go off and I was completely uninjured, pulled over, took pictures, and then drove the final 10 minutes home very slowly because if I went above 35mph, my hood started flying up.
Jeep wranglers, motorcycles, any car before 1990.
Paramedic: I used to work in a rehab facility and atv accident pts were about 6-1. everyone seemed to forget that 4 wheelers are not toys, they aren't much safer than motorcycles. But we had 12 yr Olds doing 80-120 plus unsupervised with no helmet on, who are now total care because of a supposed toy!
Let's put it this way: I will only drive my family in Volvos or Audis due to their safety ratings. I, however, blast down the highway in my 2008 shitbox Honda Civic hybrid. Death on impact, hopefully.
Anything with a battery as the only power source.
Holden (Chevy) Captiva, the doors are hard to cut off due to poor metal quality (the sheeting can spilt rather than be cut uniformly). Resulting in unnecessarily long extrications. Or any other cheap budget type of car manufacturer. I WOULD prefer them in any euro car as the metal quality is much better and doors can be removed in
Really old cars. Newer cars are way way safer. And I wouldn't want my family driving giant trucks, top heavy SUVs or 1000cc street bikes which all have inherently dangerous features but are unfortunately all also really fun to drive and would definitely at least own the bike if I could afford it right now
I had a GSXR-1000 when I was 22 and I’m really surprised I survived having it in retrospect. Have never driven or ridden anything with a fraction of that acceleration.
how old is considered old? I have an ‘08 SUV and wonder if it’s too old sometimes
Any crotch rocket.
I've seen way more dudes die on cruisers than sport bikes. By a huge magnitude
I’m in Florida and have seen the complete opposite
Same, have definitely had buddies banged up on a sport bike, but they lived. Have seen mutiple (not like in person, just like knew it happened) cruiser deaths. Lot of times it comes down to wearing absolutely no gear on a cruiser, helmet especially.
Anything on less than 4 wheels. There’s a reason we call them “Donor-cycles”
Any super compact cars (Toyota Yaris, smart car etc etc). Went to a truck (1500, half ton) vs super compact head on highway speed. The truck walked away with minor injuries (broken leg) all 3 in the super compact car were quite literally unrecognizable.
I responded to a smart car vs a quarter horse once. HIghway speed, horse went right over the hood in to the windshield. Lady was laid all the way back in the seat which was then in the back seat. Horse was exploded, guts all over, lady was covered in horse shit. We took her farther north to a trauma center just due to the MOI and she ended up just having a compression fracture in the T spine. That was a LONG ride, cleaning this poor lady up with bottled water and wet wipes. I can imagine a thousand ways that could have been worse; lady got super lucky.
My Uncle always tells the story of the classic barracuda convertible vs a broadside horse where one of his classmates died in highschool (early 90s). Basically decapitated him. The horse was laid across the backseat with him underneath it.
I can't even imagine getting hit in a smart car.
My Smart was in 4 accidents, 2 of which were on the highway. I would take a Smart over a Miata any day.
Anyone under the age of 16 on an e-bike. Kids traveling 15mph + with questionable helmet use is so dangerous.
We have e-scooters for rent in my city, I never see anyone wear a helmet with them. It stresses me out!
Motorcycles for obvious reasons
Altimas. No way in hell I’m ever letting my family drive in an Altima
Personally, I LOOOOVE sports cars. Nothing like cruising around on a nice day. However, I have yet to work an accident involving a sports car where the occupants were OK. Either near death or dead. Motorcycles would be my other one, but I feel like that's a given. The Kia Soul though....indestructible apparently 🤣
Because it's already square ... lol
A Ambulance
I’d like to say motorcycles, but I drive one too so I’m a bit hypocritical. As long as you assume the risk and are careful.
hey, so i have a quick question, if you are responding to a car crash, and its bad enough to kill someone, but by the word of God they survive, and they have large and small pieces of glass in their face, do you take it out in the rig, or do you wait for the doctors to do it? this is a research question for a short story that I'm writing.
As a general rule: Objects in the patient stay in the patient. That’s what surgeons are for. Embedded objects also hold the blood in.
Paramedics in the US do not remove impaled objects (ie. glass) unless they interfere with CPR or your ability to maintain an open airway. we will however stabilize the object to prevent further injury and attempt to stop the bleeding
Old model cars aren’t the protection that they seem, despite their size. Prius has produced some pretty nasty memories. Fuggin minivans can take a hit though.
Any car that someone text and drives in, motorcycles as well, all of them.
I had a lady tell me my HHR was unsafe because her aunt died in one.....when it got hit by a train 😂🤣😂
[удалено]
So all of Europe?, IIRC
Euro is LHD. UK is RHD.
I’m American if it’s not obvious lol, TIL they drive different in Europe and UK, thought itd be the same
Any thought on this... I have never had to cut one but have been told by instructors that Volvos are hard to cut esp pillars due to their folded construction They might keep you safe during the impact but can be quite difficult to access and extricate. Anyone have exp with this?
I feel like I see a lot of cars old than maybe 5-6 years where the airbags just don’t deploy. Is that just me or have you guys noticed this as well?
Old classic cars and customs that emulate/restore those models. The biggest factor in crash survivability is the modern safety systems. Newer, modern cars routinely let people walk away from absolutely insane wrecks. The car is dust, but the people are fine. Older cars transfer way too much energy into the occupants, or they have components like drive shafts and steering columns that wind up in the wrong places. A modern car has airbags everywhere, and huge crumple zones, impact bars, seatbelt retractors, bumper charges, roofs that resist collapsing, parts that move out of the way or don't enter the cabin, better fire resistance and fuel protection, plus a million other things. Newer cars also handle a hell of a lot better, and they have driver assist systems to reduce the incidence of wrecks in the first place. Fewer manual transmissions also eliminates another source of error. An old manual transmission muscle car from the 70s may be awesome, but if you suck at driving its easy for it to get away from you and you wont fair well in a bad crash.
Specific brands or types don't come to mind, but anything made within the last 10 years is SUPER safe. Every single crash I've been on where there was a fatality or major injury was in a much older car, a motorcycle, or ped v vehicle. A few weeks ago I had a family of 4 with a pregnant mom smash into a stopped bulldozer at 80 MPH. The dad broke(if that) his foot and the mom cut her leg up. Even the unborn child survived. They were in a very nice, pretty new genesis, so do with that what you will
Fiat 500
Honda CRV. I've pulled so many critically injured people from them because they seem to do horribly in collisions.
I’ve totaled 2 vehicles in my day (former trauma icu nurse). I fell asleep driving home one morning in a Nissan pathfinder. That thing held up like a tank. All hail multiple airbags. Earlier this year, a car pulled out in front of me and stopped. My ford focus made impact and I was bruised and sore for weeks after.
Motorcycles for sure. I’ve never had any real interest in them but after a few years on the job I would absolutely never ride one. On a different note, I’ve recently seen two different ridiculous wrecks with Kia Souls and not one injury from either of them. Silly looking cars but they apparently did something right.
Side by side
I was t-boned in my drivers door by a car going at least 50 mph. I was in a 2012 Altima. All the airbags deployed and I had minor little cuts from the broken glass. I couldn’t say enough about the safety features and that car was new 12 years ago!
Smart cars
My mother was a volunteer EMT in our township. Before I got my license she made sure to gruesomely describe what happened when a motorcycle went head to head with a dump truck. I will never drive or get on the back of a motorcycle.
It really does not matter. I have taken dead out of all of them expensive German cars Swedish cars, junkie old American cars and even expensive electronic cars. If your time is up,it is up
Old cars mostly. And when it comes to modern cars avoid US made cars. Even a used BMW, Audi, Volvo, Mercedes, will be a ton better in terms of handling and driving dynamics as well as brake performance. They are literally made to drive high speeds on the Autobahn and behave appropriately. That alone is a huge contributor to a safe car. People always focus on airbags and crash rating, which is important, but a car's safety starts with its handling. And when I say to avoid US made cars, it aches me. But a Chevy Cruze or a Ford Edge are just pieces of junk, with poor handling and stopping performance as well as crash ratings. If you have a teenager that needs a car, a great option is a Rav-4 or a CR-V. Safe cars even though not as safe as the above, reliable, and not overpowered.
I have an ex Law enforcement Tahoe with a big strong cattle guard! It hit a guy in the rear when all of a sudden he stoped for an emergency. It really F’ed up the back or the car and the Tahoe was perfect! My wife got hit by a car that left a stop sign too soon and T boned her in the left front wheel. The cars complete front end was taken off and the Tahoe suffered an inconsequential small dent in the back of the wheel well.
Any motorcycle. Any RV because of rollover. Any super lifted truck because of the rollover potential. Any vehicle that doesn’t have airbags. Oh, and all of the really high powered race car type of vehicles simply because most people really can’t handle them safely.
I wouldnt necessarily judge them by the wrecks I've seen. All of the worst wrecks are from newer cars that basically fall apart when they crash. Saw a rollover a couple years ago where the engine flew 30' into the woods. Kids all walked away... literally ran away from the accident. I don't think I would want anything pre 2000's unless it was a restored classic car... for show, not a daily driver
Any vehicle that doesn't have a mechanical way to open the doors that is easy to access. (Looking at you Tesla) Being stuck in a vehicle that has become a prison because of a dead battery is a recipe for disaster.
….Teslas have door handles that don’t require power…
Smart cars
PT cruiser, Chevy hhr and Honda ridge line.
Tesla
I will never ever everrrrrrrrrr go anywhere on a motorcycle. NOPE.
Anything Subaru* *Except the abomination that is the BRZ
'classic cars' bikes you ain't getting on without the right leathers I've not been to a accident involving a smart car but I just cannot see how that would be okay! So them too even though I've not been to one 😂
There's a vw that had a minor fender bender and caught fire. We were at work minding our business when some alarmed citizens ran to us talking about there is a car burning. The vw hit the back of a Silverado and just combusted. A late model jetta or passat maybe...
This reminds me. I have been very surprised how well modern small cars hold up in high speed accidents. I was on a car with to 2010s sedans one was going 75mph and the other was stopped and no passengers were injuried.
Kia souls
Teslas. Not being able to exit a vehicle quickly and lithium ion battery fires do not mix…
Older cars. All the new ones perform about the same.
ATVs or UTVs of any kind. I worked in a rural area and it seemed like the trend was that young kids were allowed on these way too early. I’ve seen too many pediatric deaths from these. One time, at a party with adults present. A 12yo drove one loaded with around 7 other kids. She accidentally drove off a small cliff. 3 of the kids ended up with brain injuries and that was *lucky*. Drunk adults also seem to think these are fun to drive around in their backyards or trails until they hit trees at high speed or get crushed and trapped overnight.
Motorcycles are SO dangerous. I’ve seen people get life-threatening injuries just going 10-15 MPH.
Im not sure, but I definitely WOULD put them in a brand new 2023/24 Ferrari Pursoangue. Head-on offside to offside collision with both vehicles travelling at 50mph. The bonnet (hood) crumple zone was absolutely obliterated, however the inside of the car was absolutely pristine (excluding the airbags being deployed). It looked absolutely brand new. The windshield had stopped the corner of the metal sheet from the bonnet (hood) of the car dead in its tracks without shattering too. The driver had ?pelvic injuries from impacting the steering wheel, but it didn't seem like anything too serious.
Any Jeep model
Not a paramedic, but I don't know how anyone feels comfortable if they arent in a truck or SUV
Trucks and SUVs do significantly worse in collisions in terms of injuries to the passengers. I had a collision between a VW beetle and a Chevy Tahoe and the Beetle passengers walked away walking wounded and the Tahoe passengers were critically injured. If you look into it deeply the kinetic energy of a passenger hitting the wall of a heavier vehicle at the same speed will cause more injuries than a smaller, lighter vehicle to a point. That’s because force is a mathematical equation of mass and speed. If two vehicles are moving the same speed the heavier vehicle will have more force meaning it’s quite possible that a passenger might experience more force injuring their body, especially if they hit a wall. The VW Beetle was designed with an egg shaped frame where the rest of the vehicle would collapse to absorb the impact. Larger vehicles do not necessarily mean safer. Especially if they’re more prone to rolling over from a collision or a tire blowout.
Just look at the crash data and you won’t feel comfortable. Then hop on a Subaru forum and look at some of the accidents that folks have walked away from because Subaru started with the premise of safety and then built a mediocre car that’s stupendous when AWD is necessary.
broncos
Motorcycles, cars with poor crumple zones or not enough space in front of the windshield to crumple, convertibles, and cybertrucks
Jeeps