50th Anniversary
In 2009, the IIHS celebrated its 50th anniversary, and tested a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air crashing head-on, 40% offset with a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu at 40 mph. The Bel Air's occupant compartment was extensively damaged by the crash, and the car did not have modern safety features such as airbags and seat belts. The driver dummy in the Bel Air recorded forces that would produce a fatal injury to a real driver. This car performed far worse than the 2nd generation GM minivans that were the worst performers of all time in the IIHS offset test. The Malibu's occupant compartment remained intact and had advanced safety equipment that protected the driver from potential injury. The Malibu driver dummy recorded forces that would produce only a minor foot injury to a real driver. The X frame design of the 1958-1964 Chevys was very unsafe and lacked structural rigidty; had they used a Pre 1958 Model with a Unibody Design, the older car would have fared much better.
Read more about this topic: Insurance Institute For Highway Safety
Famous quotes containing the word anniversary:
“The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more”
—John Adams (1735–1826)