Steel vs. Plastic: Which is Safer? (Car Wise)?

Question

My sister and I have been having a major debate. She's about to get her liscense very soon and she thinks that she's gonna get a car right off the bat (which I highly doubt) and she wants an old fashioned Bug. Which are made out of steel. Now my mom's all worried about safety, because they're so tiny. But what I'm worried about is that they're made of steel, so they're tougher in an accident, but isn't it true that with steel cars, the car doesn't absorb the impact but the people do?

More people have died because of that, so they stopped making steel cars and resolved to more breakable materials like plastic, so that the car will absorb the impact, and not the passengers.

This is out of mere curiosity and the title of who's smarter when it comes to cars XD

Just Kidding. So, is a steel car safer than the newer, plastic ones?

My sister thinks that they don't make steel cars anymore because it's too expensive. I think it's for safety

Thanks guys!

Answer 1

The old bugs are not safe at all. Safety and pollution were why they stopped importing them into the states back in 1979.

As for safety newer cars have crumble zones a major safety feature along with airbags that are not found in older cars.

However the biggest safety feature of any car is the person behind the wheel! The tragic death of lady Di proves this. She was in one of the safest cars around. A big S class Mercedes. But the driver was drunk and she wasn't wearing her seatbelt.

Answer 2

Old cars AND new cars are made of steel.

Look at jaguars website, audi, they make cars from Aluminium!

You need to consider ONE thing. Its safety rating. The old beetle will be unsafe. Because of its design, not the materials its made from. My BMW M3 is made from steel, and i would much rather have that than ANY old car if i have an accident.

Look up EURO NCAP SAFETY RATINGS of cars and get the best you can afford.

Plus, beetles are shite

Answer 3

They still make steel cars and they are more safe than plastic or fiberglass..

Answer 4

I believe that a steel car is much safer. Imagine a heavy steel car slamming into a plastic toyota, the toyota will get the larger impact.

P.S MOST cars are not plastic. GL

Answer 5

First off I dont think they quit making cars out of steel because it cost more if anything aluminum frames today would cost more. Most cars today have a steel frame but everything around it is usually aluminum. They quit making them out of all steal because they were very heavy and would give cars a lot less mpg. Its also cheap to use plastic than steel. So basically is not whether what its made out of but the safety features in the car. Todays cars are going to be alot safer because the safety regulations are much most strict than older cars. I myself would feel much safer in a newer car because there is seat belts, air bags and alot of other safety device like ABS brakes, stability control, and traction control.