So I was on YouTube and happened to stumble upon this video..

http://youtu.be/EfRHwlLcMhE

Remind me not to hit a wall like that in my truck. I can take a hit, but I'm not so sure I could walk away from something this extreme.. What are some major safety upgrades we could make on these kinds of trucks?

Personally I think the safety of a vehicle also has a lot to do with the driver and how they handle situations but certainly newer technology can help.. Right?

 

Can't really make major safety upgrades without spending tens and tens of thousands of dollars. You bring up an interesting point though, since it would be cheaper or more practical to simply drop the body on a Ranger or S-10 frame. If you want a modern truck, buy one, has kind of been my viewpoint.

 

I've been in a bad crash with mine and walked (actually drove onto the trailer) away. I'm convinced that it has more to do with when the Man upstairs says it is our time than anything else.

 

Safety? That went out the window when you got the truck.

 

Well I'm 18 so that means I'm basically invincible right?

 

About the only thing that comes to my mind are 3-point seat belts. I getting ready to put them in my '66. My '64 never had belts. I feel naked when i drive it. It will get them eventually.

 

My BIL was interested in buying my '65 and then bringing it up to modern safety standards, with seat belts, air bags (not air springs mind you) and all the stuff. He has millions to do it, but told him it would certainly ruin the truck and be obscenely expensive if possible at all. I know given enough money time... but. He wanted it to drive between his beach homes, but bought a BMW X5 instead. Must be nice. Good dude though.

 

My observation is that a lot of the modern safety features are negated to some degree because 1. people drive that much faster and 2. follow that much closer, 3. think the ice is less of a factor because they have 4WD, and 4. the "what the hell, I've got airbags and insurance." factor.

The plush interiors, sound absorbing materials, power steering, power brakes and the rest of it lead to a kind of disconnect on the part of the operator. Don't get me wrong, technology is great but. Further, add all the latest and greatest smartphones, text messaging, LCD displays on the dash, finally the driver training programs were apparently ended some time ago, have seen stuff that is really hard to believe. Millions of folks on the road can't or won't speak English, don't have insurance, etc. Pretty scary for any sane person out there.

Drive careful.

 

I live in a big city with a lot of new drivers driving expensive, fast cars with all the safety features that render them invulnerable.
My safety solution is to plan a move out of this madness.
Eric

 

Watch this safety video.

 

It's important to remember that safety features in modern cars are designed as a system and everything works together.

After a large frontal impact occurs the chassis starts doing its work absorbing as much energy as possible. The bumper mounts deform and crumple zones start crumpling, making the whole car look like an accordion. Inside the cabin, the seatbelt inertial lock engages. The belt is designed to stretch, allowing your body to move forward towards the dash in a controlled fashion. At this point the airbag deploys and catches your forward moving body, preventing you from hitting the wheel/dash with any appreciable force. Depending on the severity of the impact, the passenger compartment space may be compromised. A modern 3 point belt actually allows your body to be pushed around by the dash/roof/doors as they are folded in by the accident.

All of this happens with the primary goal of reducing the magnitude of deceleration of the occupants relative to the that of the vehicle.

The take-away here is that you can't just slap an airbag and 3 point belt in and say its safer. The belt you put in may be designed to stretch so much that you wind up hitting the dash. The airbag you put in may go off earlier/later than you'd like and winds up punching you in the face. Both of which would hurt.

Here are my thoughts on increasing your safety in your truck in the order that I would do them without spending too much money.

1. Be vigilant while driving. The vast majority of accidents can be avoided simply by paying attention. The most dangerous scenario for us in these trucks is being hit by oncoming traffic.

2. Make sure cab/seat/everything isn't so rusty that the truck will disintegrate in an accident. At that point all bets are off.

3. Replace the single piece steering column with one that will collapse in an impact rather than stab you.

4. Install some manner of seat belt. Ideally you want a 3 point belt that locks quickly and doesn't stretch so much you hit the dash but anything is better than nothing in this regard. Proper belt mounting is very important.


As always take the advice of random people on the internet at your own risk