150kWh

This happened last year, but (I searched) don't think it's been on the forum yet.

This photo gives me chills

http://www.pinellas-park.com/governm..._into_tree.php



Teenage passenger recovered. Teenage driver was fine!


(It's been a year, so by now the father has most likely recovered from the intense beratement for giving them access in the first place!)

PS Any other C5 or C6 side-impact crash photos (especially verts) welcome, thanks

Crosis

The age of the driver says it all. I am sure other wont agree but there is no way I would put a 350 + HP car in the hands of a teen.

vectorz

I would simply call that luck. I don't think the C5 door safety design had anything to do with it. If you've ever opened one up, you'll see there's not much there to protect you. It's hollow and nothing that I can see for structural safety.

David Shiel

I don't see much in the doors to mitigate side impact injury. Since I drive a vert, I feel just slightly less in peril than when riding my Harley. At least we have more rear and front impact protection than when on the bikes, and we are more likely to be seen. That was some crash.

4deatr

BlueDragon

I agree, the door probably did not have much to do with the safety. Given the way the car is built and the fact that it was a tree I think the frame had more to do with saving the passanger than the door did! The seat sets inside the frame rails.

painter306

"Teenage driver was fine" until he got home.

jrose7004

I am glad that they lived!

Jessestar06

"The age of the driver says it all. I am sure other wont agree but there is no way I would put a 350 + HP car in the hands of a teen."

Well that aint true i was just 17 when i got my c5 and no i dont come from a rich family. I worked 3 jobs when i was 17 to get my c5. But i guess i knew the value of a hard earned dollar so thats why i took care of my car

Vetteman Jack

Damn that was a hard hit. I agree that most likely the frame rails had a lot to do with the passenger survival.

Choreo

The only reason it did not kill the passenger is because IT WAS teenagers. After a certain age women ride in the passenger seat

Dixiecrat

David Shiel

handle 345 HP. Here in SC they can be on the road at 15. That is nuts.

Phanni

The doors on a C-5 have a crash bar built in to them. It is a bit over an inch in diameter. They do offer some protection from side impact.

skydiven4fun

That picture and the talk of how there is not much protection in the doors of a c5 makes me think I might install a roll bar in my car. I'm glad the kids survived, thats a hard hit.

150kWh

Folks, can anyone verify: to the left on the photo is that the coupe's roof?

The tree appears about half-way between the wheels.. so yeah, the fact they're alive is all about the frame. (Period)

I wonder if he (passenger) would have been less injured--in this particular case--if it had been a convertible with the top down vs the coupe with a roof..

Big Duk

The bar in the door is to keep it from sagging, it is there for support only, it does not provide any side impact protection.

Phanni

I've seen several of those bars that have been bent pretty badly, you may think they are there only for support, but having parted out several C-5s, I can tell you they do offer some resistance to a side impact.

Rookieracer

Looks to me like the hit is right at the firewall, which is probably why the passenger survived.

UFL337

Wow! That is a scary scene; glad they are both okay! I won't speak for everyone, but I know I've gotten lucky a few times... they both got very, very lucky IMHO.