Are Tiny, Gas-Saving Cars Unsafe? Today Mine Saved My Life
I rolled my Toyota Yaris three times this morning after hitting a six-foot-high dirt embankment at highway speed. I crawled out with no more than a bump on my head, seat belt burn, and a massively stiff neck. So, for all you small car safety-doubters out there, I’ve now got personal experience to say otherwise.
Inevitably, whenever we post about small electric cars, funky three-wheelers, or any other small fuel-efficient vehicle here at Gas 2.0, we get typical responses along the lines of “It may get 60 mpg, but that thing’s a death trap,” or “It’s nice to drive electric, but would you trust that car to your family?”
After this morning’s shenanigans, I can unequivocally say “Yes. Yes I would trust my family to a small fuel-efficient car, and I’m miraculously alive and mostly uninjured… so no, it’s not a death trap.”
- » See also: 12 X-Prize Contenders Show Off Their MPG Tech At SEMA 2009
- » Get Gas 2.0 by RSS or sign up by email.
My Yaris got 40 mpg and weighed less than half (35%) of a Chevy Suburban. From the outside it may not have looked very substantial, but it sure saved me on fuel costs. And, until today, I would have grudgingly agreed that it may not be as safe as driving a behemoth like the Suburban.
But now that my life has stopped flashing before my eyes, and I’ve had a chance to think, it is simply amazing that I walked away from that crash barely bleeding. I mean, just look at the remnants of my car.
In fact, after today, I think I fared better in my Yaris than I would have in a Suburban land yacht. Imagine how many times I would have flipped in the Suburban and the force of impact that would have come along with crashing a 6,447 pound car?
So, for everybody out there that’s using safety as an excuse to not go green, I must ask you to please take a look at that picture of my car and the wonder of how I walked away well enough to write this post the same day. Then try turning around and telling me that these upcoming small alternative cars aren’t safe simply because they’re small.
It’s more a matter of engineering, and, at least in Toyota’s case, those engineers are miracle-workers.
Editor’s note: This post was updated on October 22, at 8:00 am PST, to correct the curb weight of the Chevy Suburban from 8,600 lbs to 6,447 lbs. 8,600 lbs was the gross vehicle weight rating. 6,447 lbs is the weight of the heaviest Suburban — the 3/4 ton model with four wheel drive. My thanks to Ben Wojdyla, Associate Editor at Jalopnik.com, and the commenters on this post who pointed out that discrepancy.
b,
I use the word miracle in an a-religious fashion. Hence, at the end, I call Toyota’s engineers “miracle workers.” I don’t really believe that an angel swooped down and saved me. I do know that I was lucky, and like other posters have pointed out, luck is a significant part of surviving any serious crash. But I also think that most of the reason I’m alive is because of the tremendous engineering of this small vehicle.
Hey Nick, glad you’re still with us, mortals
Nick wrote:
“I also want to say that I believe in karma, and think that what goes around comes around.”
If you truly believe in karma, then you must admit that the type of car you drove had absolutely no impact on whether or not you survived.
You may only pick one.
Sarge,
Mr. literalist can’t comprehend abstract concepts, can he? Go somewhere else and hump another dog okay?
Hi Nick,
Was this on I5 northbound just after Albany early Monday morning? I’m pretty sure it was, since the image of your car got burned into my retinas. If that was you I’m so glad you’re ok. The scene was shocking, but I though I saw you on ground ok talking with someone. I was just amazed… I couldn’t get it out of my head all day that you could roll the car so spectacularly and be able to sit and talk. If we ever bump into each other on campus or around town, your drink of choice is on me…
Rory,
Thanks for your thoughts. That was me and my car. I was actually trying to imagine what it must have looked like to the passers-by. And thanks for the offer.
I was glad to read the numerous replies about a small car vs. a large beast. I would love to drive my two kids around in a small energy efficient car but the smallest I’m willing to go is a minivan until the majority of these ridiculously huge vehicles decrease in number on the roads. What is it that makes us Americans think we deserve to commute everyday in such ridiculously large energy hogging vehicles? I’m glad to see the high cost of gas for that very reason.
Old heavy vs new tiny:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1897765951498046612
However, a head on when bumpers don’t align = death for small car.
I’m glad your alright dude, crashes are scary.
It’s tough to say whether a suburban would’ve done better in your accident or not. You’d need to crash one in a similar nature with a crash test dummy to see what would happen to the driver.
However I think it’s a good thing to reduce the weight of cars so it’s safer for everyone around you, just in case you do hit something.
Hmmm… looking at the pics I would expect to survive that in pretty much ANY modern car. Rolling is not being hit by a SUV from the front/side/back at highway speeds… it’s not head on into a wall or large/normal vehicle at highway speeds, etc. Try that in your econobox and if you are able to ever speak again I will be surprised.
And, having been in a Smart in NYC when it got hit by a bus donig less than 30mph… not thank you EVER on a car that or nearly that small on the highway. I’m lucky to be alive and I will NEVER buy anything smaller than a well designed and highly rated mid-sized sedan EVER again. My GF at the time… she would tell you, but she is dead. From a 30mph side impact. Dead.