Falling out of a window onto a car?

Question · Aug 15, 2012

In a fight scene in my WIP, my MC is knocked out of a window by a supernaturally strong creature. He falls maybe two or three stories onto a regular car -- although I won't mention it, lets say it's a Ford Fiesta, since those seem to be quite common -- on his side.

My MC is a bit tall for his age (let's say 5'11-6), so he's possibly 150lbs. What kind of damage would he sustain from this kind of fall? What kind of damage would the car sustain?

I'm assuming he'd crack the safety glass and dent the bonnet. I was thinking he'd probably be able to limp out of there okay, but I don't know if a fall like that would break ribs, or his arm, or something internal. I'm guessing it's also dependent on luck.

I just want to be realistic, haha. I don't want to describe him falling onto the car, then the car explodes, then he walks out of the flames unscathed. Nor do I want the glass shattering if glass wouldn't realistically shatter from such an impact.

OH, and he falls onto the front of the car, for what it's worth. I see him hitting the bonnet and the glass (glass with his shoulder, maybe).

If anyone has a CLUE how this would pan out I'd be really happy if you could help

Bufty · Aug 15, 2012

Two or three storeys is around ten metres!! That's the same height as as the high-diving board at the Olympics.

If he's thrown out the window by a supernaturally strong character he's going to be travelling downwards in an arc and with considerable impetus. Dent the bonnet (hood) and limp away? I'm no doctor but I doubt that very much. You mention 'bonnet' which suggests you're English - wouldn't the engine be under the bonnet?

I would have great difficulty believing that scenario unless the tone of the book was such that the scenario fitted - otherwise why not a larger truck with a soft top and packed full of something that has a bit of give in it? Like crates of popcorn or cornflakes. Or use the ground floor?

KatieJ · Aug 15, 2012

I hope your MC is supernaturally strong, too! I think he'd be traveling about 44 feet per second when he hits the car. He'd hit with about 13,000 pounds of force.

At best, while survivable, he'd probably break every bone in his body on the side he hit, puncture his lung,at least crack some vertebra if not break them. His internal organs would be at risk for damage from the pulverised bones. It isn't going to be a "Oww, bumped my shoulder - let's hop down from this car and run down the street" moment. Worst case, his internal organs resemble meat loaf.

I second Bufty

Go with the first floor unless this guy has super-regenerative powers.

KatieJ · Aug 15, 2012

Oh, and I'd think the car windshield would be caved in but maybe still intact, and there would be a large (MC-sized) dent in the bonnet (or hood,

).

Question · Aug 15, 2012

Holy crap! Well I'm not going to go flying out of any windows any time soon xD

Thanks guys! You are awesome! First floor it is xD I didn't realize such a height was so dangerous... My MC isn't supernaturally strong, so he doesn't get off lightly.

And yes, I am English, LOL

KatieJ · Aug 15, 2012

A pleasure - it's an interesting question!

Snick · Aug 16, 2012

I once saw a guy who went out of the 18th floor of a building and landed on a car. The guy died, but not instantly. He was not in terribly bad shape, because the hood absorbed much of the force. The hood and the windshield were damaged but not all that much.

I would think that from the third flooer there wouldn't be much damage to anything. The windshiled would be cracked, and there would be a dent in the hood, but I would think that the character could crawl away with serious bruises and a few broken bones.

leahzero · Aug 16, 2012

It is entirely possible to survive a three-story drop onto a car without serious injuries, especially if the car roof is designed to crumple on impact.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/crumple-zone.htm

http://community.yourdiscovery.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/95010646/m/150107663

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2004/may/20/thisweekssciencequestions2

http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-a-Long-Fall

etc.

The problem is going to be deciding how to injure the MC in a way that doesn't take him out of the action for months. The less you want him to be injured, the more improbable and unrealistic it will seem. If you're striving for realism and don't want him to be hospitalized for most of the next year, it'd be smarter to tone it down.

If he fell into a pool, or on an awning, or a blow-up bouncy castle, he could walk away unharmed. But that's pretty cheesy.

thothguard51 · Aug 16, 2012

At 5'-11" to 6 feet tall, but only 150 pounds, the guy is going to have a lot of injury from a fall like this. He's pencil thin for that height...

glutton · Aug 16, 2012

thothguard51 said:
At 5'-11" to 6 feet tall, but only 150 pounds, the guy is going to have a lot of injury from a fall like this. He's pencil thin for that height...

It sounds like he's a teenager, but yes.

Mr Flibble · Aug 16, 2012

My husband once fell out of a window (first floor, or second for the US) and landed on a car. He then promptly fell asleep -- he was quite squiffy at the time, and the man can sleep anywhere -- and had no injuries apart from a bruise on his arm. The same could not be said for the car.

Mind, he fell, wasn't thrown. That would add a fair bit of extra force, and incur more possibility of injury I should think.

But in general, what appears to be an OMG! accident doesn't always have to be. I've walked away from a 60mph motorbike crash (well he was going 60, I was stationary, though I did travel down teh road a fair way after the bike and I parted ways) with nothing more than bruised ribs and some whiplash.

So, what level of injury do you want him to have? As long as it's plausible, and you handle it right, you shoudl be fine.

Falling out of a window onto a car?

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