RAV4 crash safety

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fisher83

fisher83

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Jan 26, 2012
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Omaha, NE USA
Hats off to Toyota for building such a safe and reliable car. I was involved in a serious accident last week in the wife's 2015 Toyota RAV4. I was at a complete stop waiting to turn into my driveway and got hit full force by a 3/4 ton crew cab Chevy towing a large metal trailer full of roofing materials. Traffic is usually going around 40-45 in that area and it's a slight downhill slope. By the time he hit his brakes it was too little too late. He rear ended me right on the driver side corner which spun me around then immediately t-boned me pushing me up over the sidewalk and through my neighbor's fence. 3 airbags deployed, the whole rear and driver side of the car were completely destroyed with damage to the front as well. Total damage to the RAV was just under $16,000.00. I was able to crawl out of the passenger side completely unscathed. I used to pick on her about that car and had nicknamed it the Barbie Jeep. Little did I know that it would one day save my bacon!
 
Modern engineering and the cars that it has built is unbelievable. People walk away from high energy crash events these days that not all that long ago the coroner would have had problems id'ing body parts from.

I love watching the videos of them crash testing really old machines and how bad they simply fold up and compromise the passenger compartment in relatively minor accidents.

Glad you made it out unscathed!
 
I was pretty amazed when I got out and saw the extent of the damage and even more amazed to not even be in any pain. I don't know the weight of the truck and trailer but they sure weighed a whole lot more than the RAV4. It was declared a total loss and the wife chose a new Subaru Impreza as a replacement.
 
Originally Posted by fisher83
I was pretty amazed when I got out and saw the extent of the damage and even more amazed to not even be in any pain. I don't know the weight of the truck and trailer but they sure weighed a whole lot more than the RAV4. It was declared a total loss and the wife chose a new Subaru Impreza as a replacement.

Pain at incident is not a reliable indicator. I've seen people shot to [censored], crushed, maimed, etc acting like they don't hurt. Always err on the side of caution!
 
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by fisher83
I was pretty amazed when I got out and saw the extent of the damage and even more amazed to not even be in any pain. I don't know the weight of the truck and trailer but they sure weighed a whole lot more than the RAV4. It was declared a total loss and the wife chose a new Subaru Impreza as a replacement.

Pain at incident is not a reliable indicator. I've seen people shot to [censored], crushed, maimed, etc acting like they don't hurt. Always err on the side of caution!



True enough. We're in to two weeks since my wife got rear-ended and the car destroyed. She's been having concussion like symptoms since about day 3.

Fun part is, try getting a neurologist to see you when you've been involved in a not-at-fault wreck where there is even the very tiny remote chance it will go to litigation. We're on attempt #3 now to get someone to see her.
 
Originally Posted by ctechbob
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by fisher83
I was pretty amazed when I got out and saw the extent of the damage and even more amazed to not even be in any pain. I don't know the weight of the truck and trailer but they sure weighed a whole lot more than the RAV4. It was declared a total loss and the wife chose a new Subaru Impreza as a replacement.

Pain at incident is not a reliable indicator. I've seen people shot to [censored], crushed, maimed, etc acting like they don't hurt. Always err on the side of caution!



True enough. We're in to two weeks since my wife got rear-ended and the car destroyed. She's been having concussion like symptoms since about day 3.

Fun part is, try getting a neurologist to see you when you've been involved in a not-at-fault wreck where there is even the very tiny remote chance it will go to litigation. We're on attempt #3 now to get someone to see her.




ER--->Neurology referral.


Conversely, your PCP should be able to manage that.
 
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by fisher83
I was pretty amazed when I got out and saw the extent of the damage and even more amazed to not even be in any pain. I don't know the weight of the truck and trailer but they sure weighed a whole lot more than the RAV4. It was declared a total loss and the wife chose a new Subaru Impreza as a replacement.

Pain at incident is not a reliable indicator. I've seen people shot to [censored], crushed, maimed, etc acting like they don't hurt. Always err on the side of caution!

I'd advise the OPer to contact a physician and his insurance company if he has ANY hint of back, neck, or joint pain and/or any strange neurological symptoms.
I had no pain at the scene when my first car was totaled after being hit from behind, I had a sore back for a couple of days after but I just let it slide when that went away.
My hip started to hurt a few months later and that turned into more than ten years of dealing with sciatica....I didn't make the connection to the accident, but the orthopedist who finally diagnosed me properly told me it was extremely likely that it was the source of my issues. I am at 20 years with no pain from sciatica after a bunch of PT and continued attention to my lower back and abdominal muscles.
 
I did visit the ER and get checked out as a precaution. The accident happened last Friday morning and so far so good as far as pain/injuries go but I will most definitely be diligent about following up with the doctor if anything develops. The safety ratings on the Subaru were definitely a factor in choosing it as was the all wheel drive capability and Subaru's 0.9% financing.
 
Originally Posted by ctechbob
Modern engineering and the cars that it has built is unbelievable. People walk away from high energy crash events these days that not all that long ago the coroner would have had problems id'ing body parts from.

I love watching the videos of them crash testing really old machines and how bad they simply fold up and compromise the passenger compartment in relatively minor accidents.

Glad you made it out unscathed!


Older people always complain how modern cars crumple right up in a wreck and total out easy. Which is true. But they are designed to do that; the car is designed to sacrifice its life to save the occupants inside.

Unlike the older cars; the car didn't take the damage - YOU did.
 
Originally Posted by Miller88
Originally Posted by ctechbob
Modern engineering and the cars that it has built is unbelievable. People walk away from high energy crash events these days that not all that long ago the coroner would have had problems id'ing body parts from.

I love watching the videos of them crash testing really old machines and how bad they simply fold up and compromise the passenger compartment in relatively minor accidents.

Glad you made it out unscathed!


Older people always complain how modern cars crumple right up in a wreck and total out easy. Which is true. But they are designed to do that; the car is designed to sacrifice its life to save the occupants inside.

Unlike the older cars; the car didn't take the damage - YOU did.

Exactly. And some older people call MY generation materialistic....
 
Originally Posted by fisher83
I was pretty amazed when I got out and saw the extent of the damage and even more amazed to not even be in any pain. ..... wife chose a new Subaru Impreza as a replacement.

fisher83;

Good you are O.K..

Question I wonder about.

Did you have any windows open and did the airbags damage your eardrums?

My wife was rear ended by a box truck going 50 mph in a little 1996 Impreza wagon while she was stopped to make a left turn.

That car was crushed right up to the back of the front seat. She had a sore neck for a few days then she was OK.

Only problem with crumple zones is if you get in a 70 MPH accident you are likely toast

But That would. usually be true anyhow.

Its true that the modern Airbag suite and seatbelt combination seem to prevent massive neck and head injuries in "typical accidents.

Be well. Enjoy the Subaru.
 
The driver side window blew out from the impact but no windows were down at the time of the accident. No damage to me or my hearing from the airbags.
 
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
Originally Posted by fisher83
I was pretty amazed when I got out and saw the extent of the damage and even more amazed to not even be in any pain. ..... wife chose a new Subaru Impreza as a replacement.

fisher83;

Good you are O.K..

Question I wonder about.

Did you have any windows open and did the airbags damage your eardrums?

My wife was rear ended by a box truck going 50 mph in a little 1996 Impreza wagon while she was stopped to make a left turn.

That car was crushed right up to the back of the front seat. She had a sore neck for a few days then she was OK.

Only problem with crumple zones is if you get in a 70 MPH accident you are likely toast

But That would. usually be true anyhow.

Its true that the modern Airbag suite and seatbelt combination seem to prevent massive neck and head injuries in "typical accidents.

Be well. Enjoy the Subaru.

A friends husband went off the road at 80. Fell asleep. Hit a tree. Bad injuries, but he lived and will have good quality of life after healing. Modern vehicles are amazing. Another friend flipped a c5 vette 3x. Walked away with a scratch. Car looks like it got stuck in a trash compactor. His passenger walked away with no scratch.
 
Originally Posted by fisher83
The driver side window blew out from the impact but no windows were down at the time of the accident. No damage to me or my hearing from the airbags.

Acoustic trauma can mimic some neuro symptoms. Vertigo. Nausea. Etc.
 
I was actually T-boned in the hybrid, and the strength of the safety cage and door reinforcements really showed. Had a cousin t-boned by an F150 moving at 40 in the drivers side. She was stuck in her Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, but she only had 3 pelvic fractures. No surgery. She is VERY lucky she was driving a moderately safe car. New cars are significantly more safe.
 
Hate to rain on the parade but this seems the new normal today. Which is good, I'm not complaining.

I think of modern automobiles as an engineering marvel. Designed to last a decent amount of time over rough use yet designed to fall apart in predetermined ways so as to protect its cargo. Quite the feat of engineering to accomplish so many tasks (looks, mpg, power, etc).

Edit: sometimes I think I should give good though to stepping out of my twenty year old Camry for this reason. Doesn't have to be new but whatever I spend will likely be paid for whatever injuries I don't receive.
 
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