Car crash scene [moved from Novels]

It depends on several things: the type of car, the speed traveled, and the angle of the crash.

For example, I once saw a Jeep flip on its side when the driver was only going 5 mph. She turned left, her left front tire hit and climbed a 2 foot concrete sign base, and the jeep slowly flipped on its side.

Then again, those movie crashes where a car hits another from behind and flies up and over the other car are wildly exaggerated.

How fast are your vehicles traveling in the crash?

Have you tried Google? Spectacular car crashes? That will at least show you some. Good luck.

Best tip I can give - keep it simple. The more detail you try to cover the more research you are going to have to do.

Go to YouTube, and in their search box, type 'cars crash'. You will see many crash videos that may be of help.

What do you need to happen to your characters? I've seen a car go off the road on an uneven shoulder, driver over-corrected, and the car flipped in the middle of the road. Looked dramatic, but the driver walked away.

I went to a scene where two semis collided ... that was bad.

Most cinema crashes are HIGHLY dramatized. Cars don't normally burst into flames like that.

Then again, there are the "They lived" Volvo commercials where the car is a crumpled piece of metal, and everyone allegedly survived.

So, do you need a good, dramatic crash that everyone walks away from or something not so ... survivable?

Re the film comment, it drives me nuts to see characters in film driving along 'swinging the wheel right and left all the time' even on straight roads. Nobody's going to last long in real life steering like that.

Ah! A little grump every now and then does the power of good.

Christabelle said:

What do you need to happen to your characters? I've seen a car go off the road on an uneven shoulder, driver over-corrected, and the car flipped in the middle of the road. Looked dramatic, but the driver walked away.

I went to a scene where two semis collided ... that was bad.

Most cinema crashes are HIGHLY dramatized. Cars don't normally burst into flames like that.

Then again, there are the "They lived" Volvo commercials where the car is a crumpled piece of metal, and every allegedly survived.

So, do you need a good, dramatic crash that everyone walks away from or something not so ... survivable?

Click to expand...

SaveitForaRainyDay said:

Honestly, I have no idea. I was thinking that one is traveling slightly faster. A car approaches a junction, doesn't see the other car, and then there's a sideways collision.

Click to expand...

Okay, more details:

How many occupants?
Type of car impacted?
Type of car doing the hit?
Road conditions? (Ever notice how Hollywood always has wet roads for everything?)

I can come from experience on a T-bone accident. I tried to make a left, didn't see the other car coming, and got nailed, dead center of my two passenger side doors. I was in a Dodge Stratus, got hit by a Ford Astrovan. They hit me at 50+ mph, and I slid across the intersection.

I was the only one in the car, walked away with a sprained wrist and lots of glass scratches (including on scratch resistant glasses). The other people went to the hospital, but I think they were okay too.

Stratus was totaled, as it bent the car's primary frame.

I've been in minor crashes 4 times either as driver or passenger. Five if near miss counts (friend drove on snowy highway, swerved over the ditch onto the oncoming lanes; nothing happened --very enjoyable).

What do you need? 128 people killed or everyone walks away? Do you need stun drivers or a driving iDog?

I have been in a 60 mph 3/4 front collision, also a 60 mph hit from behind by another car going 60 and several relatives that have been in T-bones like you are asking about -- what speed are they going in your book? Is it an intersection of a country road onto a highway, or a school zone, or a city street at 25/35 mph?

I agree that make and model of vehicles involved will be important to the outcome.

Do they need to die, go to a hospital or just walk away?

oh, man, there was a commercial that has that same layout you're describing, and it was in slow motion too. I can't remember who made it.

but it this guy is approaching a T-section. He's got a son in the backseat. He stops, looks both ways, then proceeds to move forward when he doesn't see a car coming.

but there is a car coming, except he's moving at like 100mph, so the guy at the T-section hasn't seen him yet.

Then the cars stop. They get out. The dad asks the speeder not to hit him, he's got a kid in the back. The speeder apologizes, says there's nothing he can do, he's going too fast.

They get back in the car and the crash resumes.

Hopefully either someone else can recall that video, or I've given enough information for you to search for it.

As a general rule, accident under 30 mph and you an 80% chance of surviving injuries; over 30mph and you have an 80% chance of dying. BTW, most police departments have an accident reconstruction expert. That person may be willing to help.

Try the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: http://www.iihs.org/

They have tons of crash data and information, videos, etc.

Chompers, you're remember a car safety ad from New Zealand. Quite dramatic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2rFTbvwteo

NDoyle said:

Chompers, you're remember a car safety ad from New Zealand. Quite dramatic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2rFTbvwteo

Click to expand...

Yes, that's the one!

I just had this happen actually, a couple months ago...right before Chevy recalled those ignition switches. Accident, 2 months later I receive my recall notice. Anyway, 55mph, no brakes or steering (or airbags), car flipped. I was lucky, and I think it was because the tree stopped the roll, taking the brunt of the impact at the trunk.

Exact blow by blow memory? Ridiculous. Doesn't happen. Memory is not a tape recorder and I'm educated enough to know not to push it. False memories are very real. A few points.

-Everything stopped and I was in my seatbelt. Sideways. Without a scratch. Brain kicked into supercharge at that point.
-Car doors are heavy. Standing in a car while it's on its side, pushing up on the passenger door doesn't work. I'm average on physical prowess and not short, but it took two bystanders to help me out through that passenger door. Alt plan: I was going to go out through the trunk to get out...window was smashed already and it appeared to be an exit.
-Maybe it's just me, but I kept thinking fiery inferno so I turned off the ignition first thing. I was told after the fact that this saved the engine (for all the good it did the rest of the car). Engines that otherwise survive accidents are blown by the ignition being left on. Common cause of engine damage in accidents, according to My Mechanic Uncle.
-Memory (such as it is): needed to stop, couldn't, brake taps, nothing, more brakes, more nothing, why can't I stop?, brakes, nothing, oh shit, tried to turn the wheel a little bit to avoid impact with another car by swerving into the shoulder, the wheel WRENCHED sideways sending the car on a 90degree spin toward the ditch, airborne feeling, the world tilts, OMG-GO-LIMP-YOU-IDIOT, arms/legs do the best to let go of steering wheel (no idea if i did), IMPACT, slide, tree stops roll, blink, take stock. Oh shit, will the car explode now? Turn off engine...remove AWESOME seatbelt then work on getting out, cuz, fiery explosion images from every bad Hollywood movie are dancing in my head.

No fire explosion happened. Cop arrives and shouts at the wrecked car only to have me walk up and hand him my license. He proceeds to ask if my cruise controlled at 55 vehicle was speeding...no less than 17 times. Including flashing the radar gun in front of my face for a reaction. Asshole.

There's one perspective for you, such as it is.