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once the government (and market) got serious about crash testing, they found one thing in common with all small cars - they were nowhere near as safe as their larger brothers...
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But not because of their lesser weight, but because of poor design. Vehicles heavier than late 20th century compact cars
tend to be safer for their occupants because of their increased structural strength, not because of their increased mass. The safest automobiles in the world are also the lightest: F1 cars. A properly designed automobile will allow its passengers to walk away from a high speed impact, just like F1 cars often do. The trouble is getting the ultra conservative car manufacturers to embrace radically new and efficient designs and to quit their love affair with cheap, but heavy and corroding steel. Of course, the lighter a vehicle is, the more efficient it becomes. With proper engineering, (such as employing carbon fiber reinforced plastics in a monocoque chassis) you can create a vehicle that is very lightweight (efficient)
and safe.
Check out this news story about weight and efficiency -->
Racing principles' role in cutting emissions