Crashes and durability of newer trucks ?

[bake74]

     First off I want to say this is not going to give too many details, this is about durability.  Second thing I have to say is I have never in the 30 years I have been driving has this happened to me.  I was stunned and shocked at the same time.
     To give minimum details, last Friday I was driving back to work in my work truck (F350 diesel with utility bed and full racks along sides and over the cab area, loaded with tools and such.  My truck weighs just around 9400 - 9600 lbs loaded) with my 21 yr old son in the passenger seat.
     We are in the fast lane doing 75 mph ( speed limit is 65, but I always set my cruise control around there).  The next thing I knew there was a newer (2007 - 2010 I am guessing, even after I could not tell what year), crew cab 4wd Chevy there next to my passenger door and moved over into my lane. It happened so fast I had no time to react.
     The vehicle collided with my truck at my passenger mirror (did not hit door) right after the second set of doors, beginning of bed.  The only thing I could do was stand on my brakes, which allowed the other truck to slide along my passenger front fender and basically since I was slowing down the other vehicle continued to go forward to the point where I basically pitted it  and forced the vehicle to start sliding to the left in front of me.
     This is the part where "if it hasn't happened to you it is hard to believe, but like in cartoons, everything seemed to slow down and go real slow (even though I know better).
      To make a longer story shorter, I witnessed the truck while in front of me (while I was trying not to flip it over on freeway), my son witnessed it after it left my site ( I was concentrated on the road in front of me).  As soon as we separated,  the vehicle whipped around to the right and shot across 3 lanes of freeway into a earth ditch off the freeway.
      This is where my son watched as the vehicle hit the ditch and the embankment on the other side.  In his words, the truck shot across the freeway, went nose first into the ditch, basically folded in half between cab and bed, went up into the air, stood there for a second then rolled to the left and twisted at the same time coming to rest on the roof of the truck.
     By the time I had stopped and was able to back up to get close to the crash, I could not determine much of the truck because it crumbled into something that did not look like a truck anymore.
      My point to this story, besides wanting to share is the newer vehicles have loads of safety built into them, but when you crash they are pretty much destroyed beyond repair, mostly depending on severity of the crash.

[Blazin]

I agree, have seen a few wrecks were it is obvious that the reason the rig was wrecked was because of the huge impact. On the other hand have seen a couple that you would think it was no big deal, but when you start looking at it its a total loss.
I have witnessed a few wrecks on the interstate. All seemed to be in real time type deal. On the other hand have been in a couple accidents and there is a point that everything seems to switch to slow motion, then back again right near the end!

[thirsty]

Wow! Good thing you are ok. That could have been bad if you had gotten tangled up with him.
Fortunately I have not been in a wreck with a newer vehicle that crumples to absorb impact. I have been in wrecks with the older vehicles though (I might of been a little wild in my previous life  ). It was always a hard hit with a solid old rig.
I had almost the same thing happen to me with a company truck before and did the same thing as you...got on the brakes and the other vehicle scraped down the front of my truck. Only difference was that the other driver that claimed I was in his blind spot didn't loose control but the car behind me ate my bumper. The old 87 C20 crew loaded with roofing supplies took it well and finished the trip home for me. Funny thing was though both of the other drivers said it was my fault. The first driver forgot to look over his shoulder and missed seeing a big red crew cab and the second driver behind me must have been drafting to save fuel. 

Good job on keeping control and being able to post about it Bake.

[black85k10]

I know it seems that the metal just is not there any more. where i work we got an email when the 2007 Chevy came out not the lean in to the bed when spraying them. just your knees pushing in would dent the side.

[bd]

Seems like industry is gradually folding worldwide.  Nothing is built for consumers that is NOT disposable anymore - no matter the price.  I'm glad that you and your son came through unharmed. 

[txchainsawgogi]

this is exactly why I'll never buy a new car.ever time my girl asks,I point to a story like this.

glad you're ok (how's the furd ?)

[bake74]

this is exactly why I'll never buy a new car.ever time my girl asks,I point to a story like this.

glad you're ok (how's the furd ?)

     If you are refering to the other vehicle, it no longer looks like a truck, kinda looks like godzilla was playing soccer with it.

[bladerunner]

My point to this story, besides wanting to share is the newer vehicles have loads of safety built into them, but when you crash they are pretty much destroyed beyond repair, mostly depending on severity of the crash.

Well I think automakers design their vehicles such that the passengers survive, but not the vehicle.  I think the solid steel of our trucks lend themselves well to lower velocity crashes/impacts as they resist deformation better then crumple zone laden late models.  Though again, I think this lends more to the truck surviving, not the passenger. When resisting deformation, that steel will transfer energy to other parts of the vehicle, including the passengers.  So yes, at 25 MPH, an old car or truck will likely walk away when a new vehicle will deform greatly, but at less risk to the occupants.

Personally, I think the greatest weakness of old vehicles is lack of protection from side impact.  Our trucks lack even the simplest side impact bar protection that even cars had in the 70s and 80s.

Tough for any vehicle to survive a crash at 75 MPH or higher though. Incidentally, what happened to the driver of the Chevy? And is your F350 a late model or no?

[bake74]

     My F350 is a 02, the occupants of the other vehicle I do not know, they were carted off to a hospital by ambulances and all I will say is there was blood involved.

[PromiseKeeper]

Bake,
Glad to hear you and your son are OK. I'm sure this is something that will impact (no pun intended)  both of you for a long time. Sometimes the best thing is to simply thank God for protecting you instead of trying to understand the "what ifs". In the end, He is the best crash protection we can have!