Have you ever seen those screen test videos of cars going headlong into a wall with plastic humanoid dummies inside? It does look odd to be inducing car collisions, but there is an interesting fact to that.
These head-on collision tests are studied to discern a car model’s ability to protect its passenger in a crash. The point of the tests is to find the crumple zone, and that decides the criteria for how much a car can take before it’s tinfoil. This zone is a car's area designed to absorb the impact of a collision to help protect the passengers and driver from serious injury.
Without this ‘zone’, cars would be much less safe on the road. In this blog post, Gosch Collision will discuss the importance of the crumple zone and how it can help you stay safe while driving. We will also discuss auto collision repair for a battered ride fresh off the crash impound.
How Do Crumple Zones Work?
Béla Barényi, an Austrian-Hungarian engineer, employed by Daimler-Benz, today known as Mercedes-Benz or Mercedes, came up with the concept for the first crumple zone in 1959.
Barényi was interested in finding out if the vehicle's front and back could be constructed to allow it to absorb kinetic energy.
As a result, the middle of the vehicle is frequently referred to as the passenger or safety compartment. The crumple zones of physics are designed to safeguard this region.
Why Does This Matter So Much In A Crash?
The Construction Of A Crush Zone:
Initially, longitudinal components were used to define crumple zones. Instead of channeling all of the kinetic energy of a collision into the safety cell, an automobile's front and back ends were built with curved supports to induce a certain sort of physical deformation.
In a frontal auto collision, the bulk of the energy is absorbed by the crush zone in the front of the vehicle. In a rear-end collision, the crush zone at the back of the vehicle protects passengers from being thrust forward into their seat belts.
Collision Damage:
While they are an important safety feature, crush zones have one downside. Because they are designed to absorb energy, they also absorb a lot of force, which can cause extreme damage to the vehicle.
If you are in an accident, your car will likely sustain severe damage, even if the passengers escape unscathed. This is why having reliable vehicle insurance is crucial. If you are in an accident, your insurance will help with the expense of repairing your vehicle. Collision insurance is also a smart option because it will aid in covering repair costs if your automobile is damaged in an accident.
Do All Cars Have Crumple Zones?
Yes, all modern cars have crumple zones. They are required by law in many countries. Trucks, cars, bikes, and even a Beetle from the '60s will have a crush zone. So the next time your boot or trunk looks like an accordion, you better book for a session at our auto body shop.
We Can Help!
Visit Gosch Collision, serving Lakeview, CA, if your car has had one too many fender benders. Our factory-trained repair professionals are available to assist you with a wide range of auto body collision repair & body shop equipment.