Crash test questions

After reviewing the crash test results from various vehicles to decide on
which vehicle is the safetest. What I found out is vehicle such as
Volvo or Mercedes (some models not all) performs basically same as mid size
US car while most of Japanese vehicle perform somewhat better than basic US
design vehicle such as Cavalier/Sunfire. Please refer to Crash test link
pasted below. For example:

Chest deceleration drv= 44g pass=44g

Chest deceleration drv= 54g; pass=48g

Chest deceleration drv= 42g pass= 41g

Chest deceleration drv= 51g, pass=48g

Chest deceleration drv= 46g; pass= 41g

factor
Chest deceleration drv=45g; pass=53g

Chest deceleration drv 42g; pass=36g

Chest deceleration for drv=45g; pass=42g

Looking at this short list, if reliability or cost of ownership is not
important, I would say Toyota Corolla and Saturn 2003 Ion are not so bad
interm of Chest Deceleration "G" force
value follow by 2000 Sunfire Coupe or Saturn LS2002 (still 1g more for the
driver). Volvo S70 performs not so bad even it receive a 5 stars rating but
Chest deceleration "G" is much higher than Saturn Ion or Toyota Corolla
while Sunfire sedan and Toyota Echo from my view is not acceptable.

So, I have a few questions:
1> Am I right to use only Chest Deceleration "G" results as a guideline for
frontal collision?
2> Why would the driver and passenger have two diff. Chest Deceleration
value?
3> It appears that vehicle weight does not matter as the design of the body
damper the effect, or is it?

Please share your view
Paul


http://www.crashtest.com/

 

A volvo. A Saturn. They should not be used in the same sentence. If you are
looking for one you should not be looking at the other. Roy