Which is safer?

[Darky]

Yes and no:
You guys are over simplifying this...

Yes, a 50 + 50 /= 100 mph crash. That is assuming you are both driving cars of equal mass.
If you hit a semi going 50 and you are going 50, the semi wont have nearly the same amount of (de)acceleration as the car does.

Conservation of momentum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum#Conservation_of_linear_momentum

A 50 + 50 mph wreck would only equal 100mph IF the vehicle you were hitting were of infinite mass.

I can assure you that the jeep in the above picture expirenced a wreck far more damaging than hitting a wall at 50mph. Without doing the math, this wreck was probably closer to hitting a wall going 70 or 80 mph.

But MYTHBUSTERS!

 

[CherBear]

i lIkE tUrtles

But MYTHBUSTERS!

Don't hate because I proved you guys wrong.
:banghead::banghead:

Haters gonna Hate.

 

[tbburg]

Actually, the Mythbusters were using identical cars.

 

[DrMoab]

My only point was that 50 + 50 mph doesn't equal 100 mph. Obviously tangling with a semi will hurt worse than another car.

Either way, it looked like an ugly wreck. I'm glad she came out with her life...she was lucky, airbags or not.

 

[CherBear]

Actually, the Mythbusters were using identical cars.

Yes I know, I watched the video. That is exactly why this scenario DOES NOT apply to the Jeep vs Semi wreck. :badpc:

 

[Darky]

I put forth that airbags played no part in stopping the hood from getting her. An airbag is a piece of fabric that a sharp point would go right through.

 

[tbburg]

'Have to disagree. The bags are reinforced polymer fabric. 'Pretty tough stuff. If the intruding hood came in past the steering wheel, the bag probably kept her head from impacting it while inflated. The back of the bag might get ripped, but would still inflate(actually wouldn't get ripped until after inflation) and would still cushion her face from impact.

Airbags are vented, and deflate in just a couple seconds anyway.