[bwilson4web]

http://www.examiner.com/autos-in-nat...k-rates-poorly

The 2011 Toyota Prius five-door hatchback became the second small car to earn NHTSA's top five-star rating under its revised crash test program.
. . .

Here is the NHTSA report:
http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shop...?vehicleId=454

Bob Wilson

[HighDesertHybrids]

Bob, you may be interested in this story, particularly the photo...

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-...ice-chase.html

[bwilson4web]

HighDesertHybrids said:

Bob, you may be interested in this story, particularly the photo...

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-...ice-chase.html

Thanks,

An interesting incident, it doesn't rate inclusion in my study:

http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/accident.html

I'm interested in North American and USA Prius accidents and the last one has me going "hummm . . . "

A 75 year old man on a flat, two lane road with generous shoulders runs off the road into the only creek in miles and dies. This reminds me of another elderly driver who runs off the road into a tree in New England and dies. Then in November of last year, some recently graduated high school friends run off the road across the median and three of them die along with two people in an SUV. I'm seeing a pattern of lane departure accidents ... an ugly pattern that is maddening too common.

After the Saylor accident, Toyota formed regional quality/safety teams and I hope they are looking at the same data and seeing the same patterns that I am seeing. It really looks like lane following and accident avoidance would help Toyota keep their repeat customers alive . . . if they want them.

Any casual examination of fatal accidents suggests therre is a greater than 5x multiplier of injury accidents. These don't get the news coverage of fatal accident and nothing by the NHTSA unless they want to pass "Bell the Hybrid" legislation. It is shameful on two groups because the results are written in blood.

Bob Wilson

[HighDesertHybrids]

Date=2011/02/19 Where=Albuquerque(NM) Model=2008 Fatal=1

I've been watching for the remains of this wreck to come up on the insurance auctions, but nothing yet. This made a lot of local news because the driver was under a lot of pressure due to being sued for malpractice, and there was talk of it being a suicide, but it seems pretty clear that he just fell asleep. I think he hit the same bridge that a district court judge hit a few years earlier in an SUV, also fatal.

[bwilson4web]

Accidents with a lot of blood may leave the vehicle in a state that for public safety, can not be sold. The problem is blood borne diseases, they become another form of medical waste with the associated health hazards. But I don't know if New Mexico has laws or regulations that govern disposal of such vehicles.

You might call the local police or vehicle department to find out what happens to fatal accident vehicles. Are they put up for auction or public disposal? I just don't know.

Good Luck,
Bob Wilson

[HighDesertHybrids]

I would have thought that this would show up as a non-rebuildable, meaning that it could not be rebuilt and registered again. I'll ask my shop neighbor, who has a dismantling license.

[jdenenberg]

They can be registered as "salvaged" vehicles.

JeffD