- 0:00.1 The front bumper and grill collapse as the vehicle makes contact with a stationary solid object (what you hit).
- 0:00.2 The hood crumples, striking the windshield. The rear wheels lift from the ground, and the car's fenders wrap around the object. The car frame has halted, but your unrestrained body is still going 55 mph. Your legs stiffen against the crash and snap at the knee joint.
- 0:00.3 The steering wheel starts to disintegrate as your chest is propelled toward the steering column.
- 0:00.4 Two feet of the car’s front end is wrecked. The rear end still moves at 35 mph, and your body continues traveling at 55 mph.
- 0:00.5 You are impaled on the steering column, and blood rushes to your lungs.
- 0:00.6 The impact builds, ripping your feet from tightly laced shoes. The brake pedals come off. The car frame buckles in the middle. Your head smashes into the windshield as the rear wheels, still spinning, fall back to earth.
- 0:00.7 Hinges rip loose, the doors open, and the seat breaks free, striking you from behind.
What used to be your car is now a mess of mangled metal. There is smoke coming from beneath the hood. The windshield is broken. The airbags have deployed. One of your shoes lies on the roadway. By this time, someone has likely seen the crash and is trying to dial 911. So far, all the operator knows is that there has been an crash. The ambulance may not arrive for another 5-10 minutes.
The last three tenths of a second mean absolutely nothing to you because you are DEAD
**Editor's note:
This is just a glimpse of what could happen to you, your family, or your friends. It's a scary thought. One second is enough time to take a breath. So please buckle up--unless this is how you want that last breath to sound.
(adapted from http://www.vtchamber.com/pdf/NETSAnatomy.pdf)
