I don't know if you saw the crash tests conducted late 1996 on current minivans, or not.

These tests were conducted by a representative of the US insurance companies.  These crash 
tests involved an offset barrier (as opposed to a straight wall, as used by the US DOT).  
This test was similar to that used by TUV (German gov't).

In these tests, most severe injuries where caused by the floor buckling upward, just in 
front of the driver's seat and crushing the driver's legs.  This was consistent in all vans, 
except the Ford Windstar (did not test EV).  I figure that this was caused by an over stiff 
engine compartment, which caused a lot of the crash energy to be transferred into the 
passenger cell.

So much for that protection, UP-FRONT!

Besides, most modern cars are designed so that the engine/transmission easily slides under 
the floor in a frontal impact.

Then, there's those airbags ....

____________________________________________

  Michael Stocker <mdstockr@neo.lrun.com>   
  North Canton, Ohio, USA
  3/29/97 10:22:01 PM EST
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