2014 IIHS mini car crash test results : small overlap : Yaris included

[Hershey]

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/deskto...tal-protection . The '13 FIT was one the worst . That means our '11 is poor as well .

[nookandcrannycar]

Wow. Somewhat of a feather in the cap for the Spark. I wonder what percentage of crashes in the U.S. are of the type depicted in the report?

[cali yaris]

I heard this on the radio. I think it was also a more stringent test than those done in the past?

[CTScott]

Stories like this are quite annoying from the standpoint that they really fortify the mentality that we should all be driving giant SUVs.

It is pretty obvious that a smaller, lighter weight vehicle will not do as well as a larger vehicle, which has a greater distance between the point of impact and the driver. That extra space allows the vehicle to absorb more of the energy from the impact.

They really need to publish the statics that explain why this type of crash is significant to test against. My bet is that if you delved into the NHTSA's FARS (fatality analysis reporting system) that you would find that the vast majority of accidents occurring this way in the wild, occurred due to distracted driving. And, I don't know about elsewhere, but around here the vast majority of distracted drivers are not driving subcompacts, but rather are driving big giant SUVs.

[tk-421]

I totally agree. What good is it to tell people that their car fares badly if they don't tell you how they measured it in the first place?

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by CTScott

Stories like this are quite annoying from the standpoint that they really fortify the mentality that we should all be driving giant SUVs.

It is pretty obvious that a smaller, lighter weight vehicle will not do as well as a larger vehicle, which has a greater distance between the point of impact and the driver. That extra space allows the vehicle to absorb more of the energy from the impact.

They really need to publish the statics that explain why this type of crash is significant to test against. My bet is that if you delved into the NHTSA's FARS (fatality analysis reporting system) that you would find that the vast majority of accidents occurring this way in the wild, occurred due to distracted driving. And, I don't know about elsewhere, but around here the vast majority of distracted drivers are not driving subcompacts, but rather are driving big giant SUVs.

My first thought along the same lines (I can't imagine that this type of accident would happen very often) prompted the question in my previous post. Many of the suburban and rural roads around here have no shoulder and deep drainage ditches along the sides of the road.....in stark contrast to the SF Bay Area, much of LA/Orange County, or even Collin County (DFW Metro Area) here in Texas. Whenever I see a vehicle has gone into a ditch on one of these roads, and a tow truck is at the scene, more often than not the vehicle is a large or fairly large SUV.

[Hershey]

Went for a drive with the '11 FIT and on occasion pictured the crushed cabin . Also kept paying more attention to oncoming traffic . Sad . Supposedly the '15 FIT is suppose to do better . Did have an VOLVO sedan get up on my rear and pass like a bat of a hell . The young driver flipped me off as he went by as I watched him pass . He also passeda tractor trailer and C.U.V. , must of thought he was in the Indy 500 . That probably didn't help with the thought of a accident due to a wreckless driver.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by Hershey

Went for a drive with the '11 FIT and on occasion pictured the crushed cabin . Also kept paying more attention to oncoming traffic . Sad . Supposedly the '15 FIT is suppose to do better . Did have an VOLVO sedan get up on my rear and pass like a bat of a hell . The young driver flipped me off as he went by as I watched him pass . He also passeda tractor trailer and C.U.V. , must of thought he was in the Indy 500 . That probably didn't help with the thought of a accident due to a wreckless driver.

I think we should all chip in and buy you this costume for when you are driving the Fit:

[Thirty-Nine]

These cars are still likely far safer than cars from 10 years ago. And those cars were likely safer than the cars from 10 years before.

I still think they are, overall, pretty darn good. I'm all for the advancement of safety; don't get me wrong. However, a lot of "non car people" freak out when they see this stuff and think that small cars are inherently deathtraps. I remember my dad saying at some point that he would like me to be in a bigger car. But at what point does the madness stop? Should we all be driving Peterbilts, Freightliners, Kenworths, and Macks because they're "bigger" and therefore safer?

I think it all needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

Did you see Consumer Reports dropped the Fit's "recommended" status? Just like that, the car has become marked. Really? I still maintain CR should stick to rating toasters and mobile phones.

Regardless, none of this stuff will deter me from continuing to think big and buy small.

[Hershey]

, L.M.A.O. . CT, thanks for the concern .There are days where I feel like Larry with the aches and pains .

[Hershey]

Agree , will have an impact on small car sales . We've always had small cars and will likely continue to . There's relatives that make fun of their size and say they would never buy one due to safety . Then they complain about how much it costs them to fuel their large vehicles .

[MadMax]

Originally Posted by CTScott

Stories like this are quite annoying from the standpoint that they really fortify the mentality that we should all be driving giant SUVs.

It is pretty obvious that a smaller, lighter weight vehicle will not do as well as a larger vehicle, which has a greater distance between the point of impact and the driver. That extra space allows the vehicle to absorb more of the energy from the impact.

They really need to publish the statics that explain why this type of crash is significant to test against. My bet is that if you delved into the NHTSA's FARS (fatality analysis reporting system) that you would find that the vast majority of accidents occurring this way in the wild, occurred due to distracted driving. And, I don't know about elsewhere, but around here the vast majority of distracted drivers are not driving subcompacts, but rather are driving big giant SUVs.

Problem is, some of us drive in environments full of SUVs and oversized pick-up trucks!

Yes, I know the physics behind some inattentive moron driving a gas guzzling monster running over my poor, fuel-efficient Yaris; which is why I have to pay even more attention to what's going on around me when I drive. It's called 'situational awareness' and we should all realize that in such a collision we'll come out on the losing end of the equation no matter who is responsible for the accident, so it's best to do anything and everything within our power to avoid such collisions from taking place.

Sprocket doesn't have ABS or traction control. Heck, it doesn't even have powered windows or locks! It is up to me to keep control of the vehicle and not depend on these technologies to save my ass, which in many cases leads to complacency while driving. I saw it today while driving to work during a rare icy morning here in southcentral Texas, idiots motoring down the highway like the roads are warm and dry and the number of wrecked cars I saw because of such stupidity was amazing. From 8:30pm last night to 2:00 pm this afternoon, the local police department handled 2,462 calls for service to include 173 major accidents, 414 minor accidents, and 218 traffic related calls!

Of course, I was driving the Jeep! I ain't taking my Yaris out in this shit!

Cheers! M2

[Hershey]

^ They drive the same here in poor conditions . Being bigger , 4 wheel drive , and having all the safety features give a false sense of security and an excuse to drive too fast in all kinds of bad weather .

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by CTScott

I think we should all chip in and buy you this costume for when you are driving the Fit:

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Thirty-Nine

These cars are still likely far safer than cars from 10 years ago. And those cars were likely safer than the cars from 10 years before.

I still think they are, overall, pretty darn good. I'm all for the advancement of safety; don't get me wrong. However, a lot of "non car people" freak out when they see this stuff and think that small cars are inherently deathtraps. I remember my dad saying at some point that he would like me to be in a bigger car. But at what point does the madness stop? Should we all be driving Peterbilts, Freightliners, Kenworths, and Macks because they're "bigger" and therefore safer?

I think it all needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

Did you see Consumer Reports dropped the Fit's "recommended" status? Just like that, the car has become marked. Really? I still maintain CR should stick to rating toasters and mobile phones.

Regardless, none of this stuff will deter me from continuing to think big and buy small.

When I had my 2001 Suzuki Swift, I was alone at a red light. I got rear ended hard by an F series Ford pickup (sending my car into the intersection...which didn't cause any other damage). I was pleasantly surprised by the lower than expected level of damage to the Swift.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by MadMax

Problem is, some of us drive in environments full of SUVs and oversized pick-up trucks!

Yes, I know the physics behind some inattentive moron driving a gas guzzling monster running over my poor, fuel-efficient Yaris; which is why I have to pay even more attention to what's going on around me when I drive. It's called 'situational awareness' and we should all realize that in such a collision we'll come out on the losing end of the equation no matter who is responsible for the accident, so it's best to do anything and everything within our power to avoid such collisions from taking place.

Sprocket doesn't have ABS or traction control. Heck, it doesn't even have powered windows or locks! It is up to me to keep control of the vehicle and not depend on these technologies to save my ass, which in many cases leads to complacency while driving. I saw it today while driving to work during a rare icy morning here in southcentral Texas, idiots motoring down the highway like the roads are warm and dry and the number of wrecked cars I saw because of such stupidity was amazing. From 8:30pm last night to 2:00 pm this afternoon, the local police department handled 2,462 calls for service to include 173 major accidents, 414 minor accidents, and 218 traffic related calls!

Of course, I was driving the Jeep! I ain't taking my Yaris out in this shit!

Cheers! M2

Knowing what is going on here, hearing what is going on in your area 240 or so miles away isn't surprising.