a head on collision between 2 cars be more damaging to the occupants if the cars stuck together or rebounded?

Question

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Answer 1

Every accident is a little different, but in theory, a few principles apply:

1) The higher the combined speed of the vehicles, the greater the risk.
2) The greater the "acceleration" (meaning rate of change in velocity, and includes "deceleration") of a vehicle, the more damage.
3) The heavier vehicle or the one traveling faster will usually have an advantage.

Now, we can analyze those principles further. Point #1 combines the vehicle speeds (velocities). If the vehicles are travelling in exactly opposite directions, this will be at the maximum of simply totalling the two vehicles' individual speeds. If they are at any other tangent to each other, the math is a little trickier, but it won't be at the maximum when combined. Point #2 shows that it is the _change_ in speed that causes damage. From this principle, I would far rather not "bounce back," as this means I would have changed speed all the more. To simply stop, means I have gone from, say, 60 to 0, or changed 60 mph. To bounce back means I have gone from 60 to -20, or changed 80 mph (not necessarily those numbers, but you get the idea). Point #3 is true because the heavier and/or faster vehicle will usually keep going, forcing the slower/lighter vehicle to reverse direction. Therefore, one vehicle might go 60 to 10 mph (change of 50) while the other went from 55 to -15 (change of 70). Having said that, it would be pure foolishness to increase your speed before the accident, owing to principles #1 and #2.

Answer 2

As long as we assume the passanger compartment remains intact, the occupants would suffer more damage if the car rebounded because they'd come to a complete stop in the direction they were going and then accelerate rapidly in the other direction causing internal damage.

When the cars stick together they typically crumple together and the energy goes into crumpling rather than reversing the acceleration of the cars and occupants.

Answer 3

this is annoying to grant a diverse answer tothis question. If the autos stick at the same time--i.e. impact and supply up, sure they're designed to take the potential of the collision and direct it around the occupants. inspite of the undeniable fact that, this would not consistently artwork. remember Dale Earnhardt, Sr? He hit the wall in a vehicle extra useful designed than a generally happening vehicle and it did no longer help him. See, there are 3 impacts in each and every vehicular collison. impact a million: vehicle vs regardless of it hits. impact 2: occupant vs area of indoors of vehicle impact 3: occupants' inner organs with different organs and/or outdoors of occupants physique. the final collsion is the only the place all 3 impacts are saved to a minimum, or a minimum of potential of collison would not surely make it to impacts 2 & 3.