Understanding Car Crash - Vehicle Safety (Physics)

Amongst the most important factors to consider in vehicle design, engineers have to overcome the two factors i.e: inertia effect and impulsive force.

Some of the safety features incorporated in cars:

1. Headrests - prevent the passengers from suffering severe neck injury when car is hit from back and reduce inertia effect on driver's and passengers' head.
2. Padded dashboard - increases time interval of collision so that impulsive force is reduced.
3. Safety belt - help to hold the passengers in their position during collision to prevent them from being thrown forward due to inertia.
4. Airbags - to increase the time of impact and to cushion the driver from being hitting the front of the car. Passenger safety case - reinforced to protect passenger.
5. Collapsible steering - to increase the time of collision if the driver crashes against it.
6. Front and rear crumple zone - easily crushed to increase the time of impact.
7. Shatter-proof windscreen - it will not break into pieces easily and broken pieces may hurt the driver and passengers.
8. ABS braking system - to prevent the car from skidding if sudden brake is applied. .
 Watch the video for some basic information on vehicle safety.