Of course. If it's a situation where your only choice is to wrench the wheel and slam on the brakes, go for it!
Another thing I thought of this AM (while driving on a 2-lane highway):
Headlights on for safety.
We've had DRLs on all cars in Canada since sometime in the 90's. I know some cars in the States have them, but not all.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 62.4 mpg (US) ... 26.5 km/L ... 3.8 L/100 km ... 74.9 mpg (Imp)
That's what I've always had in mind. If I had the choice, I'd rather sideswipe the car to the right of me that's going closer to the same speed as me, than to hit something head-on that's going a much different speed. It's that speed differential that'll determine how back it's going to be.
Maybe it's just me, but it always seems like a lot of crash tests have shown that not just head-on crashes, but slight overlap are the worse kind (vs. dead-on). Does anyone else notice that?
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View my fuel log 2017 Mirage GT 1.2 automatic: 37.5 mpg (US) ... 15.9 km/L ... 6.3 L/100 km ... 45.0 mpg (Imp)
Yeah, overlap seems worse. There's less crumple zone to crumple in an overlap verses straight head on. And there isn't much metal there behind the fenders.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)
Crash tests are intentionally offset for that very reason.
https://www.iihs.org/ratings/about-our-tests
Simplify and add lightness.
Many moons ago, when I was a Honda tech, we were at a Honda training facility. Topic of the day was airbags, and how people overestimate their effectiveness. Instructor told us in a collision there are always 3 impacts:
1. Car into other car/tree/etc.
2. Your body into the seatbelt/airbag
3. Your internal organs against your body
A lot of times, the safety devices work great. But at higher speeds or harder impacts, there isn't much that can be done. The way the heart hangs in the chest, a severe sudden stop often rips the aorta away from the heart. Not to mention the head trauma from brain hitting skull.
Did I mention I left flat rate work to get my BSN? I've worked in the ER and the ICU; make sure you're all prayed-up before you hit the road, folks. Nobody ever thinks it will happen to them...
Yeah and wear your seat-belt. Heads go threw them surprisingly easy. And become detached just as easily. So you're gonna have a bad time. And don't forget to bring a towel. And a helmet.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)
If you're driving a Mirage, yes. Theoretically, two equal cars heading-on (is that the correct verb?) with the same speed, get the same deceleration as if they smashed a concrete wall right-angled, and so have he same damage (both car and driver).
So in that case avoiding a head-on by driving into the wall won't help you. (But the other car lost it's opponent, and can have no damage at all).
Things change when the cars are not equal. The heavier car will decelerate less, and have less damage. The lighter car will decelerate more, and so have more damage.
Odds are that a Mirage is the lightest of the two, so yes, you'd try to avoid a head-on. On the other hand, if you're in a Hummer, and you have the choice between a head-on with a Mirage and a right-angled crash into a firm concrete wall, or a substantial tree, for your own health you'd better choose the Mirage.
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View my fuel log 2013 Space Star Cleartec Intense 1.0 manual: 55.8 mpg (US) ... 23.7 km/L ... 4.2 L/100 km ... 67.0 mpg (Imp)