Old car safety ?

Gaston Edgcomb: And ................ let's not forget that they did not have impact absorbing steering wheels or collapsible steering columns either. Also there were innumerable protrusions such as door handles and control knobs on the instrument panels. There were fewer crashes but, then again, there were far fewer cars on the road and even fewer people drove them at 90 - 110 MPH. These cars wallowed like pigs at 60 MPH. And times were 'gentler' also. Everybody on the road was more courteous and everybody wasn't trying to be the first one to work or to the cottage on the weekend. I remember riding in cars in the mid 50's and I had my license by 1967. Trust me; the cars may be safer today but the roads are 10 times more dangerous than they were 'back then'....Show more

Lizzette Wendroth: If cars from the 50's were safer, the NTSA would be making sure cars were built like they were in the 50"s.The reason there was less crashes back then is because there was about 1/! 10 as many cars on the road. Cars were definitely more dangerous back then.

Season Confalone: Yes, that is correct. I still restore old muscle cars and hot rods. Due to changes in laws, many have to have seat belts added and other DOT safety requirements to be legal on the road.I have a Firebird now that is built like a tank. It has been hit several times over the years by different vehicles, rarely has dented or needed more than rubbing compound to buff out scratches. Other vehicles that hit it were often damaged heavily. But, they walked away with little or no injuries. Even when my car survived well, I always felt it by the next day. Even with seat belts and air bags installed. The jarring effect of not having crumple zones will hurt you.My older project cars, 1957 Bel Air and others, were better than tanks, but all were death traps....Show more

Cordia Fivecoat: Old cars are much less safer to the passengers than today's cars, because of more than a thousand! advancements in automotive engineering. Everything from the t! ires to the frame to the glass has been re-engineered with safety in mind. There is one place where old cars did better, and that was in minor accidents or "fender-benders". Today's cars are much more complex, including lighter materials that cannot be repaired with simple tools and techniques like the old days. Factory paints are more sophisticated and require more than just a paint sprayer and buffing wheel to repair a scratch or a dent.Pretty much anything bad that happens to a car today requires a trip to a qualified mechanic's shop, unless you have a whole lot more tools and training than what was required just 20 years ago to fix a car....Show more

Nadia Crauswell: Yes Sir that is correct.