This Prius was doing 60 mph when someone decided to make a left hand turn across the road, all air bags came out with the exception of the side ones--save our lives I am sure. Came out of it with bad bruised chest and the passenger had a broken wrist, just got a new one Pearl Blizzard maybe they can see this better
Wow! Let me second the statement that I'm glad you are OK. Three weeks ago a guy run a stop sign and t-boned my 2000 Ford Focus wagon with 200,000 plus miles. That got me my Blizzard Pearl Prius.
I am glad only the car was totaled, not the occupants! Does that first picture show the main radiator on the bottom, and the inverter radiator on the top, in a 2010?
Check the 3d photo and center console. Also, the engine cover peeking under the hood. But you can also see the hood pretty much 'came loose' and deformed. The 2010 Prius has quarter panels and hood redesigned to meet the European pedestrian safety standard. Thanks for the photos, Google has no details on the accident. Where did it happen? BTW, glad you' all escaped without severe injury. Bob Wilson
Thank God everyone came through the crash undamaged. Obviously the excellent design and the many safety features made that possible. Thanks for the proof of how wise we Prius Owners are to have such a wise choice for transporting ourselves and our familys.
Glad everyone's ok! Is the bruising due to the airbag by any chance? Also, how did the knee airbag fare? Did it help prevent your knees from hitting the lower dashboard? Also an interesting note... the passenger airbag is Toyota's new "Twin Chamber" airbag that first debuted on the 2nd Gen IS/Altezza. Note how there's a seam that goes right down the middle of the passenger airbag. The idea is that the two chambers will cushion your face like a pillow should you make contact vs. the standard passenger airbag that's one giant balloon shaped like a boxing glove.
Were they just unaware or were they trying to race you? I see a lot of left turners here in Texas that basically drive the wrong way on the wrong side of the road for extended distances before completing the turn because they do not want to slow down or wait for traffic to clear.
Glad to learn that all of the injuries were minor. You credited the airbags with saving your lives. Several people who got broken wrists in relatively minor car crashes have told me that they would have been uninjured if the airbags had not deployed and if they had not moved their hands forward as a misguided protective action. I'm curious to learn whether your bruised chest and your passengers broken wrist were from airbags or were more likely from the impact from some other part of the car. These are acceptable prices to pay if the airbags really prevented more serious injuries, but perhaps we should have better cautions about how to avoid airbag wrist injuries in car crashes.
Your prius took the impact like a champ, crush zones and airbags must have worked well. Surprised he didn't see your barcelona red color...
@OP: Glad to hear everyone's ok! The car's replaceable -- you're not. @Mad-dog-one: It always amuses me when someone makes a comment like that. (Keep in mind, this isn't directed at you -- you're just reporting what someone else said.) If my uncle had tits, he'd be my aunt. While they may not have a broken wrist, they might have a broken rib or a broken nose from a lack of cusioning by the airbag. And, if these same people are so confident in their precognitive assessment of "what if", how is it they weren't aware the accident was going to happen and avoid it in the first place? As Edina in Absolutely Fabulous said in one episode: "If you're my psychic psychologist, why am I always having to call you???"
chrisj428: Glad to have amused you with my question. Regardless of their obvious benefits, I think it is worth our effort to discover how to avoid or minimize airbag injuries.
We're glad no one was killed and hope everyone heals quickly and completely. After 43 years of "close-calls" while touring on motorcycles, I am convinced by your Prius crash experience and pics that I made a very wise decision selling the last motorcycle and buying the Prius. The wreck you had is one of the most common ones for motorcyclists, and motorcyclists rarely survive them. I hope your new Prius never sees an accident; or, as they say in the motorcycle culture, "Ride Safe."
I did the same, but I still maintain the M class on my license in hopes that someday I can find one of those traffic free roads with fantastic scenery and nobody trying to kill you that I see in commercials.
One thing I read long ago was that, rather than keeping your hands at the "ten and two" positions that has long been recommended by driver's ed teachers, it's better to keep them at nine and three in a car with airbags. (In the extremely unlikely case somebody hasn't encountered that recommendation and has no idea what I'm talking about, the numbers are referring to positions on a clock.) Other things are often seen in user manuals; sit far back from the steering wheel, keep your seatbelt on and properly adjusted, etc. There's a youtube video that I saw (I think linked from PC) that showed a guy deliberately crashing into something; just prior to the crash, you can see him move his head back against the headrest and move his hands off the wheel; though in a real crash, I'd bet you'd still have your hands on the wheel trying to avoid the crash.
