[VW2010]

That of course remains my opinion. I have neither data nor first hand experience. I am open to any data points anyone may have on the sam

No one is going to test this for data points . There are too many variables to say if a sedan is survivable or not. The angle of impact, the availability of safety features, the build quality.

Between a Japanese and a European car the chances of survival could be different because of the build itself sometimes. But these days the gap is getting closed and i should assume at kph we should start praying and hoping that we would survive.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

However, I'm not sure even if an 80 kph side impact with a sedan is survivable.

That of course remains my opinion. I have neither data nor first hand experience. I am open to any data points anyone may have on the same

I too think the same. There is no crumble zone to absorb the impact and other protective measures (like seat belt, head restraints) do not help here.
But some of the force will be nullified as the car being hit is likely to be pushed/dragged by the other vehicle (unlike in the head on collision).

[srikrishna717]

You are indeed saved by God and this is confirmed after seeing the pictures.
I know this accident will shake you mentally for some time to come, just think that you got a new life and move on

[Modifiedsachin]

Man seriously you are being watched by an angle.

I remember that turn very well, I just started driving (Had proper license) and took my GF (Now wife) on a ride to pune.

Few months before the ride we stayed at a bungalow near by that spot & I was trying to show her the same while I was in the first lane & at speed of app 100 - 120. And just moments before mishap I realized I had crossed the solid line and was inches away from the barricade. And somehow l managed to turn away instead of breaking (Breaking would have killed both of us for sure, my Zen never had ABS or Airbags, the only safety we had was seat belts).

Still scary for me. I can't imagine what you went through.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by Frontosa

Hello! these are well raised points.

Dear Frontosa,
Am very happy that you have emerged literally unscathed out of this episode except a few ribs. God has indeed been very kind to you. Was shaken up myself reading your thread and some nicotine helped me calm myself down. Have a few questions which I wanted to ask, please do not feel that am pointing a finger at you or questioning your driving skills

1) You mentioned that the trigger was the truck brushing the car. Why did you let the truck get close to you? Were you slowing down to take a corner?
2) The car fell into the ditch, did the car plunge head first? If the car had plunged head first then the Airbags must have opened up

Thanks to the angels above you have had a rebirth and Polo should be your next car again

Get Well Soon Mate, See you Behind the Wheel Soon

[NSK123]

@Frontosa, You were saved thrice.
First when you crashed into the pit.
Second your car still managed to be above the water level.
Third with all these, you could get out of the car.

Nothing more can be said. Wish you speedy recovery.

Coming to your next car, look for the one with ABS + EBD (Fiat Punto / Linea has it. Not sure about others in < Rs.10L range). If it cannot avoid, it will minimize the impact definitely.

One more important feature in Punto / Linea is auto fuel cut-off which I think is very important but often ignored.

[mac_guy555]

Originally Posted by Frontosa

Thank you all for your messages. I'm attaching few more pics which may assist in analyzing if at all.

Yes many accidents have happened at this spot. I went to MSRDC office yesterday and offered a senior office to sponsor a "Drive safe accident spot" board. He politely said, he will do his best to get such a board put up and inform me once done and that I dont have to pay - inspite of my request.

GEEZ MAN !! You are right to thank GOD and you should also thank your stars you are all right albeit a few broken ribs and scratches ..... Wish you all the best in life and safety in your next car too !! Take care ....

[jinojohnt]

Originally Posted by Frontosa

I think only GOD saved me and no other car would have. Please share whatever thoughts you have for this incident.

I doubt whether you were saved because of a rigid shell. The shell (especially the pillars) have crumpled where ever there was heavy impact.

From the photographs, it looks like GOD put you in the safest seat in this accident.

1. Front (left) passenger seat - Nobody would have survived in this seat. The B-pillar (which holds the seatbelt) and the A-pillar have caved in. This would result in severe head injury even if one was wearing the seatbelt. You can see the (caved in) B-pillar right in front of the passenger head rest!

2. Rear right seat - This is better than the Front left seat, but see that the C-pillar has caved in slightly. Head-injury is definite, especially when the car over-turns.

3. Rear left seat - Better than the Rear right seat. Minimal damage to the C-pillar. Chances of head-injury is less if belted. The door has caved in, but high chance of survival.

4. Driver seat - The safest in this accident, IMHO. The impact was not directly on the door, but between the doors below the window level. The B-pillar has survived as a result, and you can see a 'God-sent' safe space for the driver inside the car, even in the crumpled (over-turning) car.

What I don't understand is how you got your ribs fractured even after wearing seatbelts.
Did the 'caved-in' B-pillar cause the seat belt to give way, making your chest hit the steering wheel?

[mkpiyengar]

Geez Man It is increasingly becoming difficult to drive on roads.
My Ikon was rear-ended today by an Wagon-R who hit a indica who hit me...

It's a school zone in Kalyani Nagar, Pune. and as we approach the junction you normally are slow @30kmph.

I braked at the junction(Cybage-HSBC junction) and the indica behind me also stopped. However, the Wagon-R behind him could not control and hit the indica, which hit me !!

Now, pray tell me what to do if you take all precautions yet, some one comes from behind and bangs u..

Just 2 days before the PMC bus driver(red bus) cut across and broke my left side rear view mirror. I was just sandwiched between the asiad bus on the right and though i braked he still hit my mirror. If i had not reacted on time then my left fender was gone..

Now, I know why some guys keep their Side view mirrors safely closed

Cheers
MKPI

[RGK]

Thank God. Let me pray to give you mental strength to completely come out of this shock.

[devansn]

Welcome back to life, Frontosa! That was a close save... I like the way you reacted to the situation, even when some of your bones had fracture. Don't think most of us would be able to maintain that kind of presence of mind when things like this happen.

Originally Posted by parsh

I am sure you meant it in the right spirits. I would say lets just respect and leave it to the faith of people expressing it and I say this myself being an atheist.

"Agnostic" is the word, my dear friend.

Originally Posted by Guna

The car does look totally mangled to me. Incidentally the least deformed point is where the driver was sitting. Anybody present in the co passenger seat wouldn't have much chance. Considering this, i would think that the body shell/super structure is as good or as bad as any other modern car.

Exactly my thought. However, Polo feels much stronger than many other cars in and around its segment. But at the same time, its pure coincidence that the driver's seat is the least affected.

As someone pointed, let us not try to attribute everything to the almighty and instead try to learn some lessons from this incident - like how Frontosa kept his cool when this happened, how the car's structural strength may have played an important role, how long a tire can be trusted, what are the things we can take care to avoid such incidents in future, etc. Because even the car manufacturers have their Gods and attributing vehicle safety to Him may convey a wrong message to their research wing... That "how much ever we try to make our cars stronger, its ultimately in the hands of God, then why should we do all this research to make our cars safer?"

[parsh]

Originally Posted by devansn

"Agnostic" is the word, my dear friend.

Bit of OT here, sorry mods. I would say I have seen them used sometimes quite interchangeably though their in-depth meaning differ. Thanks, I will stick to Atheist, which is what I meant.

Atheist - somebody who does not believe in God or deities
Agnostic - somebody who believes that it is impossible to know whether or not God exists

[newtonMeter]

some safety points from official made in india (polo 2011) internal documentation

crumble zones


steel strength index




airbag activation sensor

[wartikars]

Originally Posted by honeybee

We all must understand certain basic facts: Deployment of airbags is governed by a set of rules. If these rules were satisfied in Frontosa's @wartikars, after this incident, I wonder why your faith in VW has not increased manyfold since the tough body ensured Frontosa walked out alive. Which 'problems' did you notice in the Polo from this incident?

The median between the two sides of the road: can it be designed in such a way that it will allow a vehicle to come to a stop in case of an accident without the vehicle breaching the median to go to the oncoming lane? Can it be a mud pit?

I guess I have not communicated properly. I was turned down by the engine (3 cylinder) and the price. I had used a VW Polo in South Africa which was far more superior in quality as compared to what we get in India. But in comparison with its Asian competitors its much better. And I might be feeling this becuase I am currently using Mercedes Benz which makes me believe that the German standards and quality of a car is far more better than what we Indians get here when we buy a German car but yes theya re far more better than the Asian cars.

[NevGin]

I currently have a Polo TDI (2010) and Vento TDI (2012). To add, I just returned from a personal trip from Durban where my family friend has a Polo. No difference in quality at all in the two Polo's. However in comparison, the Vento build and quality is way below par. Localization may be?