...and you think you're having a bad Monday?

“Lot’s of small cars from only a few years ago have poor crash ratings, but it’s worth noting that if the occupants were wearing seatbelts, they were probably less likely to be injured than in a hard crash stop.”

Seatbelts make a difference in side impact collisions, though not so much if your on the impacted side. Piller, window and door handles all present significant risk to the occupants, head, torso and upper leg. Side curtain and Side Thorax airbags should be mandatory on every Australian car given how many round-a-bouts we have, which I believe increases the risk of side impact accidents.
My family had a Ford Festiva 96 model. Has a used car safety rating of -2 but we walked away with no ill effects after a rather nasty frontal impact (not out fault).

Agreed about the flipping of the Starlet.Likely they steered away to avoid the impact and flipped on impact as a result. Best thing is to just go forward out of the path of the oncoming car.

I’d be surprised if the the direct impact of the accident flipped the Starlet. I’d think it more likely that the Starlet was tipped up a bit, and due to momentum and having the steering turned the ‘wrong’ way wasn’t sufficiently stable to stay right way up.

Lot’s of small cars from only a few years ago have poor crash ratings, but it’s worth noting that if the occupants were wearing seatbelts, they were probably less likely to be injured than in a hard crash stop.

FWIW, I used to drive a small, similarly sized car (little 1.3 litre beastie), and I had a couple of good sized accidents (no, not my fault!), the second of which wrote the car off. Both times I walked away unharmed.

Starlet was a terribly pockie vehicle and had a below average ANCAP rating (the norm for compact cars of the era). I will say it has a good reputation for build quality and reliability. That said, it’s still no match for a Statesman side on.

Danman and Ari,
Wouldn’t surprise. You know the Great Ocean Road between Lorne and Port Campbell. Very windy road, quite dangerous. They clocked an American doing around 130km/h and straying to the wrong side.

seriously that black hatchback, whatever it is, must be totally lightweight. i have been in 2 car accidents where the car i’ve been in has been hit t-bone style at high speed – 60-80km/hr – and neither times the car flipped.

oh and i was only the driver in one of those accidents 😛

lol @ your diana inquest comment maelinar, that is the second amusing contribution i have read of yours today. although isn’t dodi dead?

Hope it wasn’t Gareth driving.

… I’d say it was actually an American who forgot which side of the road to drive on
Now thats a lot more disturbing than Americans complaining in a loud voice.

… I’d say it was actually an American who forgot which side of the road to drive on.

I wonder which senior judicial figure was driving the Caprice …

Dodi Fayed will be linking this to the Diana inquest, how to flip a car with minimal damage to the other…

Naturally, the judge will rule that it was dually a suicide attempt by the male starlet driver, and that the starlet only weighs 60kg, so it was going to flip in a strong wind anyway.

And that 1/2 the damage on the other car was caused when the copper leant on the side of the car, on account of the starlet was so insignificant.

** Disclaimer **
I used to drive a Starlet. They suck balls.

Of course, speed will be the reason this accident happened…

Those of us looking out the windows of the ABS are still scratching our heads as to just how the heck that happened. The silver car really isnt that damaged, and where did the black one come from to get on its side at that angle, in that spot??

One of the drivers was obviously scanning the poles for signs of a speed camera instead of concentrating ont he road ahead…

Interesting that the statesman / Caprice seems to have minor front end damage whereas the black thing (is it a starlet?) is on its side.

And Sammy, it looks like the black car almost had the territories front row seat ;P

Holden Wins!

Yikes. The driver of the white Territory had a front-row seat.