I spoke with the collision investigator, and he said the seat back broke and the mounting bolts were ripped right out of the floor. He said even with a roll cage, harness and Hans device he would have suffered extensive damage to his body and probably would have died or been paralyzed.

He said the forces exerted would have done the same thing if the car was brand new. Had nothing to do with age, make or model.

 

Sorry to hear about your friend. My sympathy to you, yalls friends, and his family.

As far as the comment about him being buckled up with it behind him. Refer to the laws of physics. What is in motion will stay in motion until an equal and opposite force is applied. In other words, the seat was not a strong enough opposite force to stop the person from moving. Though it was a force and slowed down the impact to some degree, and to what degree I wouldn't know.

Like other have stated about the give, and stiffness of a seat. If the seat doesn't give and you were hit while you were sitting and that car was going 60mph that hit you. You internal parts squish inside of you at 60mph at point of impact. Seats give to cousin this impact.

It would be like putting you hand on a piece of steal and letting someone else hit the steal from the other side with a sledge hammer. It is not going to hit your hand directly but the force will move though your hand, and it will hurt like hell. Same with 2 stiff of seats, to much force and bye bye hand.

I would think that a roll cage and a 6 point harness might help. That would be a 5 point where it all ties behind the seat and a 6th in between the legs that will be bolted to the floorboard in front of the seat. I don't know if that is possible or if they make such a seat. Still with a strong enough impact you could loose your arms.

 

So any seat could have broken in that accident. New, old, whatever. At least we get to learn something the hard way, and feel a little safer in our cars.

 

One style of seat that's available on some OEM vehicles that is much safer in a rear impact is the ABTS (All Belts To Seat) versions like those in a Chrysler Sebring Convertible, BMW 8-series, and some GM Trucks -- I'm sure there are others. Because the shoulder belts mount to the seatback, the seatback is much stronger than the others. This added strength doesn't come free -- those seats are much heavier and more expensive. On the positive side, the shoulder belt tends to fit the occupant better. The floorpan is also beefed up for those applications, with stronger seat crossmembers.

 

im currently rebuilding my entire car and i drcided to go with a 4 point harness hopefully that will keep me in place

 

They said even with all that, the force of the impact would have crushed his insides... so whats worse, instant out, or painful internal hemorrhaging?

 

I am sorry for your loss.

Be safe all.