How good are 911's In Crashes

[mtelliott]

Every day on my commute, I wonder how good my car would be in a crash. I usually think of this as I pass by an F150 or SUV.

If I got hit from behind by a truck or SUV, am I'm going to be looking up at the engine when it's all over? Or will the rear of my car protect me in a crash?

And what about if I can't stop in time (unlikely but could happen). Am I going to submarine under the truck with the tailgate taking off my head? Will the window frame save me?

By the way, I drive a targa. Most times with roof off but not always.

Michael

[IROC]

A guy at a gas station struck up a conversation with me once about a 911 cabriolet he used to have. He fell asleep at the wheel and went off a 25 foot embankment at about 55 mph and walked away from it. He said the car was destroyed, but the passenger compartment was pretty much intact.

I was rear-ended in my 911 by a minivan doing about 35mph. I drove the 911 home from the accident - they hauled the minivan off on a rollback.

Basically, these things are built really well.

Mike

[silverc4s]

And, they are pretty handy when it comes to AVOIDING accidents!!!

[tcar]

The fact remains, however, that the bumper on an Excursion, or a lifted P/U is about eyelevel to you in your Pcar. Plus, when they are talking on their cellphone, they won't see you.

Drive like you're riding a motorcycle, anticipate, know what's going on around you always.

Being run over by a Hummer is totally different from driving down an embankment.

[JeremyD]

From behind - hit by a crown victoria yellow cab - police estimated he was at about 50mph when he hit me. I could even open the door...

[mtelliott]

Originally posted by tcar
The fact remains, however, that the bumper on an Excursion, or a lifted P/U is about eyelevel to you in your Pcar. Plus, when they are talking on their cellphone, they won't see you.

Drive like you're riding a motorcycle, anticipate, know what's going on around you always.

Being run over by a Hummer is totally different from driving down an embankment.

TCAR nailed it for me. Will a bumper that's eye level get stopped before it takes my head off.

I know to drive in a way to avoid being in blind spots, stay away from trouble, etc. But on a highway when all of a sudden traffic comes to a complete stop, the 911 will stop on a dime. The F150 behind me can't. And usually in these cases, there's no where to go (sitting duck). Will the car protect me or am I going to be looking up at the engine (that is if I duck down quick enough to still have my head)?


Jeremy, that is just a sad sight. I'm encouraged to see that the passenger compartment was ok. Did that include the back seats. If someone was sitting back there like a kid, would they have been OK? Was the car totalled (I would imagine).

[SLO-BOB]

I think unless you too are in an Excursion, you're in big trouble if you get hit by one no matter what you're driving. Hell, maybe the damn thing (any SUV or truck) would just use the 911 as a ramp and keep going right over the top leaving you unharmed in a head on. I would be most worried about side impacts personally. Rear ended? Not as big a problem-but still a problem!

[adamred]

You could check out this site....always full of mangled exotics including 911s......

http://www.wreckedexotics.com/

Adam

[JeremyD]

Originally posted by mtelliott
Jeremy, that is just a sad sight. I'm encouraged to see that the passenger compartment was ok. Did that include the back seats. If someone was sitting back there like a kid, would they have been OK? Was the car totalled (I would imagine).

Yes, totalled - Yes passenger compartment was completely intact. Some wrinkling around the Targa rear glass. The doors still opened. The rear was pushed to the driver's side a little over an inch - the Passenger side rear wheel (inside) was scaping against the body! Luckily I was alone - I took my foot off the brake just as he hit me (I could see his face and him filling up my rear view mirror) It could have been much worse.

[911pcars]

This is the classic little egg vs. big egg theory. According to physics, big egg wins every time, and there is no end to bigger eggs. Conclusion, avoid the humpty-dumpty effect.

In a collision, cars with air bags are safer.

Check NHTSA website for crash test worthiness; also here:
http://www.progressive.com/RC/VSafety/rc_crash_videos.asp

Sherwood

[randywebb]

This topic has been the subject of several threads. There are no good data at all on the subject -- in the U.S. You can search up the prev. threads if you want. I contacted NHTSA and the IIHS, and neither has data for the 911. I got a guy in Germany to look into it a bit, but he hasn't found anything either. OTOH, he may not know how to get a hold of TUV or whatever agency does the research in Germany.

The only way to really find out would be to get old factory archive data, and/or do a study on wrecked cars where the car is at a junkyard AND the crash details are known....

But two things are clear, even if not quantitative:
1. Targas are not nearly as strong as coupes
2. Any 911 will be in big trouble if it hits a truck because it will go under the truck (submarine). BTW, big trucks are notorious for violating safety maintenance rules -- look at the rear safety bars next time you are on the freeway.

[Doug&Julie]

Originally posted by mtelliott
But on a highway when all of a sudden traffic comes to a complete stop, the 911 will stop on a dime. The F150 behind me can't. And usually in these cases, there's no where to go (sitting duck).

I tend to fallow people EXTRA far behind for this reason. I take into consideration my own stopping distance AND the stopping distance of the car behind me. I've had too many evassive action near misses behind me to take a chance on it.

But you're right, at some point, there's nothing you can do...

[JeremyD]

you can't alter physics

[MIK911]

How much would a roll bar help overall? I read that it's unsafe to have a full rollcage in a streetcar (with NO helmet), but think a behind the seats roll bar+cross brace would offer anymore protection from any type of injury? Sure it won't help the under-the-bumper SUV thang, but any protection is better than none.

thoughts?

thanks
Mike

[bell]

the pic below happened when i was side-swiped head on by a ford probe, i was sitting still, he was going about 45mph.
when his passenger front wheel hit my rear wheel it pretty much ripped the entire front clip off of the probe.....my rear wheel was bent and body damage as shown. my 911 shot backward about 60 feet or so from the impact.
not the worse i've seen but was a hard hit.

[drsimonwong]

I would guess that Porsche's are safer than most other cars in crashes.....for their era. The safest Porsche ( car?) would be the 997, then the 996, then etc. Sometimes just because a car "feels stonger" (close the door of a mid 80's car and compare it to a 996) does not make it safer. Dont forget safety technology has come a loooooong way since the 60's.

Which I suppose applies to trucks too and their design parameter must take into account what damage they will do to other cars in accidents? So get hit by a late model truck if you can. :-)

Simon

[nostatic]

if it's time to go...it's time to go.

[air-cool-me]

think about this also:

modern cars are designed to crumple to lessen the G-loads on the people in side..

A kid at my old high-school was rolling up to a stop sign(20mph) when he was hit head-on at 40mph..

his crappy early 80's Nissan was bent ...
the new Impreza that hit him was crumpled all the way to the A pillar..

the problem was the Subaru guy opened the door and got out... airbags and crumple zones did there job.. my friend hurt all over and had pretty big seatbelt marks and was messed up for two days..

A 911 may stay intact pretty good... but i would rather sacrifice more of the car to keep me safe..(as long as the passenger compartment wasn't compromised)


BTW when did the crash beams in the door show up?

[930LDR]

I am much more comfortable in my 930 than I was in my NSX. I still remember seeing NSX wreck pics where the car was cut in half thru the cabin. All that Aluminum was nice and light but I could see that thing crumpling up around me.

[Dantilla]

Originally posted by air-cool-me

when did the crash beams in the door show up?

1973.