A crumple zone sounds like a geological phenomenon, but it’s actually a car safety feature that could save your life in an Appleton car crash.

Crumple zones refer to a structural feature of your car that is designed to absorb energy in a Wisconsin car crash and direct it away from your body. Crumple zones work by allowing the car to crumple in a controlled manner.

You may have passed an accident on I-41 and noticed that although the body of a car appeared to be totaled, the people in the vehicle seemed fine. They have crumple zones to thank. If the car remained rigid during the accident, the energy of the crash would transfer to the occupants of the vehicle. When midsize car traveling 55 miles per hour crashes, 322,520 foot-pounds of energy are released. This much energy can do some serious damage.

The job of a crumple zone is to use up some of that energy and redirect it away from the passenger cabin. To do this, a safety cage is built around the cabin to give it rigidity and strength. The surrounding area is “softer,” so it will deform under the stress of a Wisconsin car crash. It’s a bit like wrapping a gift in plastic wrap before mailing it. First you put the gift in a small box to hold it in place. Then you surround it with bubble wrap to absorb any drops or bumps during its travels.

Crumple zones are carefully calculated and engineered to provide just the right amount of deformation. Many use a honeycomb design made of special metal alloys or plastics that are stiff under normal conditions, but will collapse in a crash.

The crumple zone works together with the airbags, seat belts and other safety features in your car to protect you and your passengers. Over the next few months, we will be writing a series of articles about how these safety features work to protect Wisconsin accident victims.

Unfortunately, even the most advanced safety features can prevent every serious injury. If you or a loved one has been injured in an Appleton car accident, you deserve accountability. To learn more about Wisconsin car accident injury claims, request a free copy of The Ultimate Guide For Automobile Accident Victims or schedule a free conference with our Appleton injury attorneys at (800) 800-5678 .

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.