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john65pennington's avatar

Could/would you be brave enought to drive a smart car on the interstate?

Asked by john65pennington (29273points) January 23rd, 2010

The other day, i actually got to see a smart car up close. it looked like a go kart with a cardboard box on top. is this vehicle really safe for interstate driving? there is no room inside. for a couple, its okay. but, forget including the children.

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16 Answers

jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities's avatar

I’m surprised how well the main part of the car holds up in crash tests. I still don’t think I’d be willing to drive one on the interstate.

marinelife's avatar

It has a special “safety-cell” frame, and side and knee air bags.

“Still, in an accident, “the laws of physics can’t be repealed,” said Russ Rader of the Arlington, Va.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “Even with modern safety features like multiple air bags, people in small, light cars are always at a disadvantage in crashes.”

From MSNBC

Shield_of_Achilles's avatar

I’d rather ride my bike.

john65pennington's avatar

Shield….......me, too.

babaji's avatar

being vulnerable to an extreme.
Totally insane, if you ask me.
not too safe either….

ChocolateReigns's avatar

Oh my goodness…No!
But I can think of a worse place to drive a smart car. There’s this town that I live near (on the MN/WI border) that’s complete hills. There’s this one HUGE hill going into WI. I was over there last summer, and I saw this tiny little smart car driving down the hill. It was right in front of this huge semi. I could just see the smart car going head over heels and getting crushed by the semi. The smart car got down the hill safely, but oh my goodness….I would be so scared in a smart car. Never happening!

Shield_of_Achilles's avatar

My little little civi used to get run off the road all the time. You want me to get into something even smaller and less noticeable?

@john65pennington Lets gets these 12 speeds goin….

Lightlyseared's avatar

I have (well… it was a motorway in the UK).

john65pennington's avatar

Oh how many times would a Smart car flip over at 70 mph, after being struck by a semi? does this give new meaning to the ride “bumper cars?”.

Shield_of_Achilles's avatar

Am I brave enough to drive one on the jersey pike? On NOVA 66? Or any other notorious American highway? Yes.

Am I stupid enough? No.

mollypop51797's avatar

not happening!! Too scared!! I’m a wimp when it comes to driving smart cars, they’re cute, they are smart in a way. But I’d rather get a “Safe-car” instead of the ‘Smart-Car’ or….if you’re really into it, you can get a “Safely-Smart -car”

nikipedia's avatar

Given the low center of gravity, I imagine it would be pretty tough to flip a smart.

I don’t have kids. I ride my bike on the street all the time. I would not have a problem taking the smart on the highway.

casheroo's avatar

No.

My husband works near a Smart Car dealership..every time I pass it, I wonder who is buying those things. I see companies using them as advertisement, but no personal usage on the road yet.

rottenit's avatar

Nope. Mini-Vans, SUV’s & Trucks are popular around here and I dont care if they have some kind of foce-field around them there just isnt enoguh mass around you VS some of the “normal” stuff on the roads around here.

Someone in town has one, I see it out during the summer but have not seen it in the winter. They do drive it on highways tho.

mattbrowne's avatar

In 2020, yes.

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