van safety

[stormer]

Vans, most specially those without a "snout" or a hood protruding up front are the most dangerous vehicles when it comes to head on collisions. I have my fair share of van related accident sighthings and let me tell you, it is one hell of a mess. Despite the obvious risk of owning one (some of them even cost and cross the 1 million peso mark), pinoys love 'em. Is it because we love to take a gamble, even with our lives, sitting behind the wheel of these vehicles or are we just callous to the fact that we don't even want to think that we would involve ourselves in such ugly accidents, or don't we have any other choices but to buy these people carriers, since we are a family oriented people? No offense to van owners but the real score here is that it is not a safe vehicle, a " snoutless" van that costs a million bucks, with all the bells and whistles doesn't change the fact that you are separated between the road and the vehicle by a thin sheet of metal and a couple inches of plastic. Seatbelts are useless in these vans in high speed collisions. As for the vans with "snouts" like for instance the starex and qrv, at least they give you a little room for safety. I think everyone should consider the safety issue when purchasing vans and cars too. It may mean between life and death. One thing more: You may be a very careful and defensive driver but there are a lot of idiots out there that are not.

[rsnald]

ala bang front impact beams ang mga vans??? :P :D

[FrankDrebin]

Kaya takot akong sumakay sa harap ng mga van. Lalo na kung tumututok lagi yung driver...nakupo!!!

[OTEP]

I used to drive a Besta and was very well aware of the safety issues that hounded it. I have been to the Columbia Motors stockyard and have seen Bestas that have figured in massive head-on crashes.

I guess it was a personal decision on my part. After weighing the risks, I found the Besta to be the perfect vehicle for my needs, my wants, and my budget. I never did get into an accident all the while I had it. Not even minor fender benders.

Despite the obvious design flaw, some safety features are still packed into these vehicles. Kia, for instance, uses a Y-shaped frame which shortens like an accordion to absorb and distribute front-end impacts. And being on a monocoque chassis (hindi body on frame ang Pregio at Besta) results in a more rigid shell.

The Mercedes Benz MB100 puts the engine ahead of the front passengers (it is technically a front-engined vehicle) and uses massive tubular structures and a rigid body (one-piece front doors, etc.) to increase the safety level. AFAIK, the MB100 passes European safety standards (50kph crash test, etc.) applicable to its class.

As with most vehicles, forward control vans also use impact absorbing steering columns and softer interior materials which are both shock absorbing and fire-retardant.

[HBOY]

isa lang.. you dont use the van if you want to travel high speeds.... and obviously.. alisto ka rin sa kalsada... you dont want to be on the fast lane if you know you are not fast.....

one of the factors that should be taken in is, no matter how safe your car.. if you dont respect the power it has or how it was made.. you'd still fare in an accident that could cost you your life.

And with most of our Van driving people (hopefully some lang), these people dont understand the principles of driving a van. High center of gravity, bigger mass being carried, drum brakes for most vans at the rear.. simply not suited for high speed driving.. yet the drivers of these vehicles still move around the city like there was no tomorrow.. hataw ng hataw... pag nabiglang kabig, taob o bangga ang van!.... nde po kotse ang van.. so dont drive it like one.

[boybi]

tapos ang dami pang mga galing subic na RHD converted to LHD vans, naka 4x4 pa! ang bili siguro tumaob ng mga ito dahil sa high center of gravity.

kaya hindi kami bumibili ng vans na walang ulo (hood) especially hindi kami nagpapa drive sa drivers sa mga family trips. i'm the official family driver here. :mrgreen:

[mikey177]

that's why we chose to get a van that has a snout --the sedona-- because we do a lot of highway driving. pero gaya nga ng sinabi ni stormer, even though we may be careful and defensive drivers, there are many others out there who are not.

i should know. i just came back from a vacation in baguio. we have to negotiate a narrow, winding road to get to the house where we were staying. on our last night there, we were negotiating the said road, and there was a light truck going uphill in the opposite direction. nagkasalubong kami sa isang curve, tapos nag-dip ako ng headlights at nag-full stop para mauna sya dahil alam kong di ako kasya sa curve pag nauna ako. yung magaling na driver ng truck, nauna nga, pero mali ang pagkuha nya ng curve kaya kahit nakatigil kami ay sumabit pa rin sya sa left rear fender namin. bad trip talaga! worse, di sya tumigil pagkatapos... tuloy-tuloy syang umakyat ng mabilis. di ko naman sya mahabol kasi di ako maka-u-turn, at di ko din nakuha yung plate number nya dahil wala syang license plate light sa likod.

kaya ingat na lang palagi, mga peeps. kahit may insurance, laking abala pa rin pag nabangga ka.

[Dakila7]

isa lang.. you dont use the van if you want to travel high speeds.... and obviously.. alisto ka rin sa kalsada... you dont want to be on the fast lane if you know you are not fast.....

one of the factors that should be taken in is, no matter how safe your car.. if you dont respect the power it has or how it was made.. you'd still fare in an accident that could cost you your life.

I totally agree with you ser HBOY - I for one am a van driving person because just like what ser OTEP said it fits the needs.
When driving a van kailangan wala kang attitude problem - the first thing that you have to keep in mind and accept is that Vans are not sportscar.

[wreckless]

i've been involved in a head-on accident using a 92 toyota liteace.. 3 years ago..
bumangga yung van sa poste ng lrt.. 8 am in the morning..
di ako inaantok..d rin ako mabilis (kagagaling ko lang sa isang stoplight (full stop) bago ako nabangga.. without seatbelts (tinanggal ko kasi dahil bumaba ako somewhere at d ko sinuot ulit dahil malapit na ako sa pupuntahan ko)...
aksidente talaga kasi it was hard to figure out paano nangyari yon.
around 100 thou yung nagastos yung inabot sa repairs...
ganun kalaki yung damage...

bukol lang sa noo and a small wound sa noo ang inabot ko(luckily yun lang but many thought namatay yung driver nung nakita nila yung van)..
nauntog kasi ako sa rear view mirror (nabasag yung mirror)...

hanggang ngayon ok pa naman yung sasakyan..ang tibay!!

for van safety...nasa driver talaga yun..
as a van owner.. i don't travel at high speeds..
van owners should always consider the size of their vehicle.. mahirap ang mabilis lalo na when transacting curves!

in fairness to vans.. d rin naman sya ganun kabilis tulad ng mga kotse (not unless modified)...because of its size and weight.

in my opinion, i believe the designers of vans without snouts have also considered its safety..
as for its drivers, precautions are indeed needed..
nasa pag-iingat talaga yan.

[ace]

I also drive a lite ace van and am aware of the risks involved. Actually natuto at nasanay ako sa seatbelt dahil sa van :wink:

My question is, what do you think is the maximum safe speed (highway driving) for a van. I usually run at 100kph. Pag umaabot na ng 120Kph, kumakabog na ang dibdib ko.

[OTEP]

ace,

I top out at 140 kph in the Besta. Sa MB100, 130 kph pa lang ang nagawa ko.

I usually cruise at 120 kph but other factors such as road conditions, fatigue, etc. usually dictate how fast I can safely go.

[vinj]

We're in the market for a car or van and if we get a van, Hiace yung kukunin. The front impact issue is also the one that keeps me thinking. We've owned vans before and we travel around a lot, usually yung mga nakikita namin na head-on are those that overtake na "alanganin". One important factor is that you know the car, it's power and limits talaga.

It could also work to your advantage since that if you know ikaw yung dehado pag dating sa accidents, you'll take it easier on the road. One thing i've noticed kasi is when you know you're in a big and powerful car, one can have the tendency to push harder talaga. It gives you a false sense of safety IMO.

If you remember the F150 incident of Vandolph, kahit F150 yung ride niya, with it's power and huge front crumple area... most of us know the stotry right?

The new Nissan Urvan Estate already has a front crumple zone BTW.

[HBOY]

right on vinj!.... kung baga, van dala mo.. family vehicle... drive it like one!.. walang hataw hataw!... jusme!... although i did top at 130KPH sa besta namin.. but thats about it.. i usually drive it at 80kph and at that speed.. medyo maalon na rin yung sasakyan...

all the safety features of a vehicle are useless... kung mismong driver eh nde marunong magingat..... yun lang po....

[FrankDrebin]

all the safety features of a vehicle are useless... kung mismong driver eh nde marunong magingat

TAMA!

[rsnald]

ace,

I top out at 140 kph in the Besta. Sa MB100, 130 kph pa lang ang nagawa ko.

I usually cruise at 120 kph but other factors such as road conditions, fatigue, etc. usually dictate how fast I can safely go.

120 kph cruising speed?? hanef talga si master otep :D mabilis ka pala talaga di lang sa chicks pati sa driving :lol: :lol:

racing speed ko na yan e. ang cruising speed ko around 80-90 lang, yun parang papetek petek lang ang maneho. ano kaya ang racing speed mo master otep? 180-200kph? warp-speed na yun ! :shock:

[20vanda01]

OT na rin: kailangang mabilis dahil patapos na ang taon, at malapit ang ang valentines day. mahirap nakung ala ka-date. :lol:

agree that everybody needs to do an extra care and precautions when driving, not only on vans, but any other form of cars. ang problema, marami jang mga drivers ang bahala na, 'yon bang gusto nilang i-challenge ang luck nila lalo na sa mga blind curves. siguro pag ako naka-witness ng accident, because of somebody na barumbado sa daan, ang gagawin ko baba ako sa ride ko at pagagalitan ko pa 'yong nag cause ng accident.
:cry:

[OTEP]

rsnald,

Hindi pa ata ako nagkaroon ng sasakyan na lumampas ng 150 kph. Although nakahiram ako ng SiR at pinatakbo ko ng 160 kph++ sa Mindanao Ave. (I was a bad boy then).

Contrary to popular belief, mabagal din ako sa chicks. Ang lamig ng pasko ko and I'm expecting valentine's to be just as cold.

[pajerokid]

Contrary to popular belief, mabagal din ako sa chicks. Ang lamig ng pasko ko and I'm expecting valentine's to be just as cold.

Contrary to popular belief pala ha? (pa-humble effect hehehe)

[OTEP]

pajerokid,

4D56 ako pagdating sa chicks. Wala pa yatang turbo at intercooler. :mrgreen:

[kuroy]

How about Kia Pregio? Did anybody has any experience on driving one?

Sa head on collision matibay din kaya ito? I think medyo may "hood" siya ng kaunti compare to Besta.