Are small cars safe?

Question

I have heard numerous times that small cars aren't safe. Meaning if you get into an accident there isn't much room for impact and you have a bigger chance of being crushed or even killed verses being in a bigger car in the same accident. Is this true?

Answer 1

We had both vehicles from an offside head on collision at our shop. One was a 2005  ford F-150, the other was a 2006  Toyota matrix. The matrix was repaired, and only the crumple zones and hood/ fender was damaged. It took only 2 hours on the frame machine. The driver was uninjured.  The F-150 was a total loss and the driver had both legs broken. So I would take a little car any day.   I work in a body shop so I get to see how well all the vehicles do in real life crashes every day.

Answer 2

True as proofed with dummies.

Beyod the belt or buying a larger car,

the only sollution is to drive more safely. Drive with 100% attention.Looking continously, your rear.

But dont be afraid,if you can.

If you drive well and safe, -you wont- have accidents.

Answer 3

each model is slightly different and some are safer then other, no matter how large or small the vehicle is.  for the most part, a car is only as safe as the driver driving it.

Answer 4

Some small cars are safe, but there is always the matter of simple inertia.  Being hit by 6000 pounds of SUV when driving a tiny car, is going to be a problem.  Still, some small cars have a great safety track record, so although you may be more likely, it doesn't mean that small cars are all death traps.

Answer 5

All things being equal, the greater mass wins.  So, for example, if a small vehicle gets into a collision with a big SUV, the laws of physics dictate that the larger vehicle with the greater mass suffers less damage.

However, things are rarely as simple as they seem.  Vehicle design comes into play of course with things such as crumple zones and safety cells.  While the vehicle itself may be toast, how the occupant(s) inside are protected is determined greatly by how well the crumple zones performed and how well the safety cell remained intact.  Also, one thing that is very important ( but unfortunately you cannot judge statistically ) is that smaller and lighter vehicles generally handle much better compared to a larger and heavier vehicle.  That small car may be able to manoeuvre out of an impending collision scenario while a larger vehicle cannot.  The safest collision is the one that does not occur.

Answer 6

When the smart car was tested which smart is now the smallest car on the road it got higher ratings then most compact sedans, even though those rating dont mean much if Smart got on a collision with a hummer.

Answer 7

Not when massive wasteful Hummers run you over.

If everyone drove smaller more efficient cars instead of trying to be the biggest most arrogant bada$$ on the road, then oil prices might be a little less painful.  

Blame the big 3 and other wasteful suburbanites.

Many small cars by Toyota and Honda are extremely reliable in terms of quality and gas efficiency. They are probably safe if hit by a car of the same size, but I can imagine they'd turn into a pancake if an H2 or H3 hit them.

Answer 8

It is true, the less material around you (small car), the closer you will be to the point of impact, and the less protected you will be. However, if there's a risk of rollover, a small car will keep its feet, while a big SUV will go tumbling down.

Answer 9

They are as safe as the driver is that is driving it, any vehicle size can be unsafe...........

Answer 10

Not all cars are created equal. Some small cars are safer than others. Some large cars are dangerous.

BUT, taking complex safety engineering equations out of the picture, a heavier car ALWAYS has the advantage in an accident according to the laws of physics. And the government only tests cars in head on collisions against cars of their own size class. So comparing a five start car that is a compact to a five star SUV isn't fair - the SUV is inherently safer due to weight.

Answer 11

yes, they are up to safety standards and have lots of airbags, etc to keep you safe.  Granted the roads would be safer without giant SUV's and trucks people don't need, but i am totally confident in the safety of small cars

Answer 12

usually not,go to youtube.com and type in smart car crash test,its scary bad

Answer 13

Yes.