Are you ‘crashworthy?’ DUE to the large vol- ume of jnformation } pore over in order to bring you, faithful reader, astoundingly researched traffic driv- el, I occasionally find myself with enough left-over information to warrant an entire col- umn. Lasr week we discussed a few of the more popular vehi- des cargered by thieves. This week, a few of the more pop- ular vehicles targeted by con- suimers and cement walls, As population swells and traffic saterv becomes adversely affecred by saturat- ed roadways. consunters are apt ro consider purchasing a safer motor velttcle. In the United States, a srudy by the Insurance [nsucute tor Highway Safery (IIHS) lists some of the most “crashwor- thy” vehicles as deduced by technicians who drive cars into cement walls at roughly 65 km-h. (*Crashworthy” refers to how well a car can protect people in a crash.) You've prabably seen simi- lar tests on TV, and che Instirure has complied a lise Classic THE classics are coming. The Vancouver — Classic Motoring Show steers into BC Place in downtown Vancouver tomorrow (Saturday, Aprit 4). The one-day show: will fea- ture over 300 of the finest classic, sports and racing cars ever built (motorcycles tool}. In addition ta the conmer- cial dispiays «of — Lower Mainland dealers, the show will feature a% indoor car cor- ral with classic automobiles ior sale. The fee to sell a car is $75 ($50 for a motoreysle} and no commission is required. Last year 110 cars were on the sell- ing block. Trev Deeley Harley Davidson will be on hand with a fleer of new Harleys, along with some of their pristine museum-quality picces, and MCL Motors will display 2 variety of new models trom Aston Martin, Rolls Royce and Porsche. ; The largest indoor classic show in che Pacific Norihwest takes place tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. 10 9 pan. (the sale corral is oper: until 4 p.m.). Admission is $8 for adults; Cede 277-0277 * gensral inquiries 665-1211 B.C, Transit 521-0400 West Van Btuo Sus AirCare Hatiine 1.C.B.C, Ministry of Highways BCAA | 985-7777 | 681-2100 660-9770 288-5650 |. “om | siguals of numerous different cars built in the fast nwo or three sears and ranked then tor their crasiworthiness. The results take inte account numerous factors such as “injury measure” (measured with test dummies. we assume), head restraint design and bumper pertor- mance with 2 generalized “overall evaluation” used in ranking. Of the midsize four-door cars -— your typical family car — worthy vehicles Include the Ford Taurus 7 Mercury Sable, the Chevy Lumina, the Volkswagen Passat, the Volvo 850/870 and the Toyota Camrv. The utteriv unworthy vehicles tn this class, accord: ing to the study, include the Chevy Cavalier, the Mitsubishi Galant and the Hyundai Sonata. Alot the small tour door cars rank from barciv ade- quate to downright lousy, with the Honda Civie ai the top of the barely worthy list and the Plymouth Neon at the bottom, In the midsize sport utility vehivle chiss the Tovote +Runner and the Land Rover Discovers received crashwor- thy kudos white the Caevy Blaver and the GMC limmy received boos and jeers, Crashworthy passenger vans include the Tovoty Sienna and the Ford Windster and definitely: do not include the Pon Transport or the Chevy Venture. In the luxury car clos, for many North Shorians the only way to drive, the BMW 5 Series and the Lexus LS 400 are totally worthy. ‘The Infinit Q45 and the Cadillac Seville are not, This list may be of com- fort to many crashworthy-car owners and a great aid for the new car shoppers our there, Glad to be of service. But what about thes, of vou who own one of those un-crashworthy vehicles? Worse, whae if youre like me, the starving back-page writer, and drive around in an 1982 Chevette thar doesn't even rank? Be arraid. Be very afraid. We're not worthy! We're not worthy! In all vour fear and unworthiness however, chere is a faint glimmer of hope. There is one, simple, lite thing vou can do to avoid becoming an unworthy crash stat. You could learn vo drive. I'm constantly patting myselfon the back during my daily travels. I've avoided so many head-on collisions with cement walls it would make sour head spin. My car lacks air-bags and side-impact beams and ver F remain remarkably unscathed. As it turns out, paving Attention when you're out there on the mean and crash- worthy streets is the first, best way to keep your crum- ple-zones un-crumpled, your ar-bags un-aired, your head- restraint un-headed. Regardless of what the crash dummies say, the most crashworthy car is the car that doesn’t crash, which is alsa the car driven by a sate driver, so by all means, be safe. car show at BC Place S4 for seniors and children under the age of 12 get in free. Tickets are available at the gate at near Terry Fox Plaza. For sale information cal 294-6031. ar of the 2 *5t century. All-alumin Visit the Vancouver Classic Motoring Show website at sw infosrurf.com/shoawears Friday. April 3, 1998 — North Shore News — 37 JAYLGRMOTIVE, TUNE-UP SPECIALISTS AirCare - Gov. Certified #50222 B.C.A.A. - A.R.A. APPROVED CENTRE a hae Award-winning AirCare Technicians available to service your car or fight truck. “Our 40th Year” TALKING Estimates x ALSO COMPLETE Wisco eo .,, Consultation MECHANICAL REPAIRS £4299-3000 d (7isisls. 985-7455 Guaronteed 1 year 176 Pemberton Ave, N. 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