I've been an Emt for about 5 years now and have been too the scenes of more car accidents than I can keep track of and YES more than a few involved Blazers and here is what I've observed.

When a Blazer is involved with another car in a crash the Blazer always seems too fare better than the "other" car or light truck, Blazers seem to be made well and they crumble like the makers designed them too.

Now because I'm a Wilderness rescue Emt I've seen many accidents involving Blazers V.S. large animals such as Moose, deer and a few black bears and from what I've seen Blazers that hit Moose head on don't do very well, heck a Mack truck grill doesn't do well when it comes up against a Moose.

If the impact zone is off too the left or right of center I'm very surprised at how well the blazer body holds up, sure you can't drive it away but if it saves your life than it was a GOOD car/truck.

I've seen Blazers hit deer and while most of the time it is fatal for the deer 8 out of 10 times the blazer could be driven from the scene, so when I was considering my next "light truck type" auto I remembered being impressed with how well the Blazers held up in different accidents and this was a big factor in why I would select a Blazer 4X4 for driving in the North Country of New England.

We do get a lot of snow up here as well and too be without a 4X4 is hit or miss during storms, driving anything less than a 4X4 means that your going too miss some days of work during the winter and who can afford that.

So when I see a Blazer coming down the road I know that there goes a guy or gal who will probably live through a car V.S large animal crash and also be able too get too work in a storm.

So the next time you read about a car being flattened in a animal wreck go out and hug your Blazer.

It will be a few more weeks before I can get my Blazer but when I do I'm going too install those little deer warning whistles (yes, from what I've seen they DO work) and I'll always remember too buckel up, hummm, too bad the deer don't have air bags!

 

Careful with those deer whistles... They only work at certain speeds... Too fast or too slow, and they don't work... And if the deer is in the road already, it'll still freeze...

The best thing for keeping wildlife away is a '93 Lumina Z34 with no mufflers, lol.

 

Very interesting first-hand observations.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTbA0fhBark

Im sure most of you have seen that. The frame/cabin may hold up well depending on the type crash but I hear the forces on the body are what kills most people, since the car isn't unibody which would absorb most of the energy instead of your body and organs. I was rearended probably at 20-30mph and I was fine. Car looked fine except it bent the frame. So it depends on the crash.

 

I find it doesn't matter the type of vehicle. The odds are in your favor the bigger the vehicle you drive. More material surrounding you. Odds are you are going to come out on top versus being in a little kia. Most accidents I have been to involve blazers in rollover accidents, where the only reason people walk away is because they were wearing seatbelts. Most small cars don't rollover, thus one safety factor of driving a small car. Pretty much every time you get in your vehicle you are rolling the dice.

 

On Jan 1 2006 someone stole my 93 and decided to park a maple tree between the head lights.
I drove it home after the cops were done with it. Obviously it needed a new grill etc all theway to the waterpump which also needed to be replaced. Any vehicle that when you can stand BETWEEN the headlights (which worked) and drive it away has my vote.!
no frame damage at all

 

i was hit by some 1 oncoming about a year ago a drunk driver in probably a 90 something jeep grand cherroke he hit me where the drivers side headlight is. The drivers side fender bent and the bumper bent into my tire and my hood was bent up but that was it. My headlight and grill got cracked to but thats a given. Inside the engine the only thing that happened was the radiator suuport was bent a little but they were able to bend it back with a hammer. It was funny though cause when he me i was still and he was going a good 45 mph my truck barley moved and his truck flew and skidded off the road. I was able to drive it home that night but the other guy couldnt his car was a mess his whole fender was into his door and his battery got hit along with other things inside the trucks engine compartment. I kinda laughed after the fact cause his car was almost totaled and mine was sitting there still running very driveable. But yea i loved that i barley budged inside the truck, these blazers hold up well in accidents. It also didnt help how pissed i was considering i got the truck the day before lol, but she was sent to the body shop and got all fixed up.

 

Wow, some good stories here, and YES it does depend on the type of crash, seat belts are always a good idea and air bags even better.
Blazers are a strong light truck and I feel a little safer in one than a car.
I've also noticed that men with a beer belly get less body damage due too their organs having their own air bag of sorts, the skinny wine drinking guys always end up in the ER????
Since starting life as an EMT I've always promoted the use of seat belts because I've seen first hand what happens when people don't buckle up and NO ONE rides in my truck that refuses to buckle up.

 

Red,

Thanks for the points! I do feel a little safer now, knowing that both my wife and I drive S-trucks...

BTW, my sister-in-law is an EMT, and my sister is an ER nurse. I always listen very intently when they tell me about what they come across in their jobs. You guys have all respect from me.

 

about a year ago i slid into a small plymoth 2 dr hatchback
going about 30-35 mph
i didnt really realize i hit him until he got out of his car
it was a four car wreck consisting of me in the back, the plymoth in front of my, a toyota, and a ford focus.
it was a chain reaction when the guy up front slammed on his brakes
i didnt feel much of a jolt at all
all the damage i had was i needed a new metal part for my bumper, my grille mounts got loose, and my headlight cracked
his plymoth was basically hurt bad in the back, the whole back hatch was bent in about a foot
and his right tailight was gone and his bumper was crushed
my car was the only one not seriously hurt