| Specially Selected Photos and Links 30 mph Head-on Crash Test
Conducted at Texas A&M during an accident
reconstruction conference, this collision pits a van in a partial overlap head-on against
a very large pickup truck. When two vehicles collide, a quantity known as a "closing
speed" is sometimes discussed. In this collision, each vehicle was moving toward the
other at 30 mph, producing a total closing speed of (30+30=) 60 mph.
Each vehicle was moving forward at "only" 30 mph. 30 mph doesn't seem very fast,
but look at what can happen...
60 mph Head-on Crash Test Video, Slow
Motion
This collision was also conducted at Texas
A&M with two vehicles identical to the ones used in the 30 mph crash test, but here
only the van was moving - at 60 mph. The pickup truck was stationary. The total
closing speed of 60 mph in this partial overlap head-on crash (60+0=60 mph), though, was
the same as that in the 30 mph test test. Would the results be similar?
34 mph Motorcycle Crash Into A Parked Car
Video, Real Time & Slow Motion
This collision was also conducted at Texas
A&M, and shows a Harley Davidson motorcycle rear-ending a sedan at 34 mph.
The Texas A&M videos on this
page were produced by WREX2000 and have been copied with permission.
Crash Photos
A slide show of crash photos taken over the years.

Physics
+ SUVs = DOA
The physics of being an SUV ain't
pretty. This type of passenger vehicle is an accident waiting to happen, and is not nearly
as safe as the public has been lead to believe. For another study, click
here.
The four headlines at left were
collected from one newspaper in less than a week.
Cell
Phones and Driving
Research shows that talking on the cell
phone decreases drivers' awareness of their surroundings and increases their response
times. And it doesn't matter if they're wearing a headset or not. In fact, researchers
have proven that eye movement slows down dramatically when a person is engaged in a deep
conversation on a cell phone; in normal conditions a driver's eyes are constantly moving
about, checking out surroundings. During cell phone talking the driver tends to fixate on
an object, like the roadway or the bumper of the car in front.
Bottom line: cellphone use is a major driver distraction which increases the risk of being
in a collision.
Car Talk
The website of Tom and Ray Magliozzi, aka Clik
and Clak. Mostly humorous auto ailment advice, but also includes a decent search
engine for crash reports and other safety matters.
What days and months are the most dangerous to
drive?
What day of the year is the most dangerous to
drive? No, it's not New Year's Eve. An interesting report on when it's most dangerous to
be on the road.
National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
Probably the best site on the web for vehicular safety issues for both accident
reconstructionists and the general public.
Florida Traffic Crash Report
The latest report available on traffic crashes in Florida.
Accident
Reconstruction Fire Origin & Cause Product Liability
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