• 03
  • February
    2012

At about 9:35 p.m., on January 30th, a man was killed in a fiery crash of his 2000 Chevrolet Corvette, in the 1800 block of S. Sam Houston Beltway. According to Harris County Sheriff's deputies, the man was westbound on the Beltway, when he lost control near the Almeda exit. The car skidded sideways, slamming into a metal guard rail and concrete divider on the feeder. The car burst into flames upon impact and the driver was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. No details as to the cause of the crash were released; but, it was going fast enough to virtually explode when it hit the wall.

Corvettes, like Mustangs, Camaros, and Firebirds enjoy great popularity among drivers who relish speed, and don't mind taking risks. But, those very attributes can sometimes result in tragedy. An instant hit, when they were first introduced, in 1953, the Corvette has been a mainstay of the American sports car scene ever since. They are cramped, get terrible gas mileage, are made of fiberglass, which affords little protection in a crash, and are uncomfortable to drive. But, ask the driver of one if any or all of those matters. The answer is likely to be a resounding No! Why? The answer to that can be found in a Consumer Guide report on the C-5 class of Corvettes, of which the 2000 model in this tragedy was included. Simply put, the fifth generation of Corvettes, the 1997-2004 models, packed more power into a bigger chassis than ever before. But, despite increased size, the 2000 Corvette was one of the world's fastest production cars, capable of accelerating from 0-40 in an astounding 4.7 seconds. That year's model boasted better handling, a tail "less likely" to skitter sideways, when encountering bumps at high speeds, and a stiffened chassis. Still, "rear hop" persisted as a problem' and the description of the movements of the car in this tragedy, provided by deputies, appears to be an example of it.

Car insurance analysts rated, in a 2011 study, the 10 most dangerous cars of all time. The top three included: (1) every single year model of the Chevrolet Corvette; (2) the Chevrolet Corvair, during its 1960-1969 run, the car once declared by Ralph Nader as "unsafe at any speed"; and (3) the notorious Ford Pinto, 1971-1980, the rear-mounted gas tank of which being so lethal, it resulted in a $127 million verdict, and criminal prosecutions for reckless disregard for safety. So, cool and classy as the Corvette certainly looks, it seems to keep some awfully dubious company. Given their awesome speed, rough handling and fiberglass bodies, they have always racked up grim safety statistics. A government study of the 1984-1988 models, for instance, showed 4.7 deaths per 10,000 Corvette drivers. That was 2.5 times the national average for all vehicles, of 1.9 per 10,000; and it was nine times higher than that of the safest car, the Volvo 240 station wagon. But, of course, how many pretty girls in bikinis hang around durable old Volvos?

Highway safety experts point out that sports cars typically attract young, male drivers, the demographic with the worst crash record. But, foolishness is not limited to men or the young. Excessive speed, erratic movements, sudden lane changes, racing, and a variety of other risk-taking behaviors can easily result in tragedy. So, if you are lucky enough to drive a fast, flashy car, do it with common sense. Then, you may live to brag about it to your grandchildren.

 

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