Size matters in car collision test
Web video shows three front-to-front crash tests, each involving a microcar or minicar into a midsize model from the same manufacturer.
Bigger really is better when it comes to driver safety in a head on collision. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, minicars and microcars take a lot more damage than their midsized counterparts do in 40 mph car-to-car collision tests.
The IIHS this week published its findings, and posted a Web video on YouTube.
Although smaller cars are a lot safer than they were just a few years ago, they crumble and buckle in head-on collisions. The smaller, lighter weight cars are also propelled backward during a crash, causing further damage to the car.
According to the test findings, the Honda Fit, Smart ForTwo, and Toyota Yaris (shown in the video) are good performers in the frontal offset barrier test, but all three are poor performers in the frontal collisions with midsize cars.