Theory on Small Car vs Large Car Collision Information

[rgaus]

Since midnight last night (currently 6pm) I've received 12 Google news alerts regarding the "hazards" of a small car running into a large car. I'm guessing there will be at least a dozen more. I have a theory on this sudden focus and media blitz.

These reports are similar, if not identical, to the information that Consumer Reports did on their first and almost "every after" review of the smart: Focus on large vs small rather than the traditional ratings. Despite positive reviews initially from the insurance industry, we are now told that a large car will do more damage to a smaller car when the two collide. Hardly a surprise. However, with Consumer Reports, it was ONLY with the smart car that they raised the issue. Never in their history (nor in the history of the insurance companies) had anyone raised the issue. Look back into our past. Was the issue raised by either Consumer Reports or the insurance industry when economy cars were introduced? How about the smaller compacts a few years later? What about the sub-compacts that followed. Anyone remember hearing this argument before in the past? I don't. Strange, don't you think?

The insurance "coding" for the smart car is an 8 for the coupes and 13 for the convertibles. This is on the total scale of 7 to 23, with 23 being the worst and 7 being the safest. This "small car versus large car" comparision is inconsistent with the insurance company's own figures. Wouldn't you find the smart coupe at a 20 or 21 if this were as bad as the news is relating?

Want my theory? With the car industry in its worse doldrums in history, and the smaller gas efficient cars being a much higher focus than the past, I think this is a way to re-focus the car buying public. Through this fear tactic I believe the intent is to move folks back to the SUV culture: Anyone that MIGHT buy a car needs to be focused back on the big cars. There has been no verifiable evidence, through any insurance company feedback on real life collisions, that this fear is justified... only 80 mph test collision. The smart car, especially in these videos, appears to continue to protect the passenger compartment, despite the collision's force. No mention of that, nor the smaller car size working to the benefit of avoidance. Why?

Has fear ever been used before in our society to further a cause? Just my thoughts, and I do admit I'm a bit biased. I do consider, however, that the three cars in question are all foreign based. Would hope that ALL car companies would work toward these more efficient cars instead of us listening to reasons to again buy the larger cars.

Ron Gaus

[smart142]

Well said!

I've been checking the news for over 5 years now and have heard of only 1 smart car fatality that was reported. It was from Germany this winter when a smart car on summer tires slid into an oncoming bus striking the drivers door. This was an older model smart with no side air bags.

In Canada the insurance companies rate the smart car as one of the safest!

[SIVARTE]

Have you tried convincing anybody that was interested in buying one in the past?!?

I have been trying to sell mine for 3 months and before today's published crash test, a 2008 Smart Passion was selling on eBAY for $11000.

Now it will be much less

[dennyrex]

I am disappointed in the campaign, but hardly surprised. Mostly this sort of thing reinforces people's existing opinions, it doesn't change them.

Nobody markets fear like the USA. "We're here, we're fear, get used to it." I think over all this will be less the case in the coming years as we shed our recent past, but for now, it's still high on marketer's lists of tricks to motivate.

For what it's worth my insurance rate went down over last year. I think smart was on the ball with their launch of the safeandsmart.com site.

[redbluff]

There was a smart car death in Miami just two weeks ago as reported here on the forum. Hit by an SUV that ran a red light.

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by rgaus

Since midnight last night (currently 6pm) I've received 12 Google news alerts regarding the "hazards" of a small car running into a large car. I'm guessing there will be at least a dozen more. I have a theory on this sudden focus and media blitz.

These reports are similar, if not identical, to the information that Consumer Reports did on their first and almost "every after" review of the smart: Focus on large vs small rather than the traditional ratings. Despite positive reviews initially from the insurance industry, we are now told that a large car will do more damage to a smaller car when the two collide. Hardly a surprise. However, with Consumer Reports, it was ONLY with the smart car that they raised the issue. Never in their history (nor in the history of the insurance companies) had anyone raised the issue. Look back into our past. Was the issue raised by either Consumer Reports or the insurance industry when economy cars were introduced? How about the smaller compacts a few years later? What about the sub-compacts that followed. Anyone remember hearing this argument before in the past? I don't. Strange, don't you think?

The insurance "coding" for the smart car is an 8 for the coupes and 13 for the convertibles. This is on the total scale of 7 to 23, with 23 being the worst and 7 being the safest. This "small car versus large car" comparision is inconsistent with the insurance company's own figures. Wouldn't you find the smart coupe at a 20 or 21 if this were as bad as the news is relating?

Want my theory? With the car industry in its worse doldrums in history, and the gas efficient cars being the ONLY cars selling right now, I think this is a way to re-focus the car buying public. Through this fear tactic I believe the intent is to move folks back to the SUV culture: Anyone that MIGHT buy a car needs to be focused back on the big cars. There has been no verifiable evidence, through any insurance company feedback on real life collisions, that this fear is justified... only 80 mph test collision. The smart car, especially in these videos, appears to continue to protect the passenger compartment, despite the collision's force. No mention of that, nor the smaller car size working to the benefit of avoidance. Why?

Has fear ever been used before in our society to further a cause? Just my thoughts, and I do admit I'm a bit biased. I do consider, however, that the three cars in question are all foreign based. Would hope that ALL car companies would work toward these more efficient cars instead of us listening to reasons to again buy the larger cars.

Ron Gaus

Lets just assume the C Class MB that hit the smartie was two times the mass as the smart car...3600 pounds vs 1800 pounds. I would venture to guess that if a vehicle with 2 times the mass of the C Class (7200 pounds)were to hit the C Class (3600 pounds)the same way as it hit the smart and at the same speed, the smaller C Class would sustain damage equivalent to or greater than the smart did due to the amounts of mass acting upon and re-acting with each other.
Just simple physics and more explaining to do when somebody asks you, "Is it really safe?"

[jwight]

Where's my dead horse photo? Didn't we just have a 100 plus post thread on this that degenerated into name calling and had to be closed? This one may make 30 posts...

[24-42]

Well done, once again Ron.

Your enlightening post shows more passion than bias

Donald LaFavor

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by jwight

Where's my dead horse photo? Didn't we just have a 100 plus post thread on this that degenerated into name calling and had to be closed? This one may make 30 posts...

I really can't recall the thread you speak of. This is the only one that I've responded to....I think.... I must have missed an amusing thread to read then.

[kurt013]

good grief, the second most asked question i get after "is it electric?" is "is it safe?" lets crash a midsize car into a hummer and see who wins the most. i guess we should all be driving semi tractor trailer rigs. if you're that worried about crashing, just stay home. i would wager that the stress from worrying about such things kills more people than actual head on crashes.