Quite by accident, I think I’ve stumbled across a new word. I was meaning to write Saab Safety in the headline and got the two mixed up.
Saafety. It works for me.
Saab marketing people, please feel free to use it – no obligations at all (maybe a thankyou note would be nice). As always, we’re here to help.
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So why was I writing about Saafety?
I received an email from Chris B over the weekend. The story will tell itself:
Swade,
I never paid that much attention to the safety stuff, we just bought a Saab because we liked it. Last week, my wife was in a horrific pile-up on a highway in New Jersey. Her 9-3 wagon was struck by 2 SUV’s from behind at high speed. Unlike some of the people involved, she walked away unhurt. Thank you Saab Active Head Restraint. The 9-3 is probably a total loss.
We are off to test drive some new cars. She thinks she wants a 9-5 Aero Sedan this time. I can not argue against a Saab at this point.
I am sending the same message to Saab USA.
Chris B
…..and I’m sure Saab USA will appreciate receiving it.
I’m very pleased to hear that your wife came away from this unscathed, Chris. We saw a similar looking accident involving a WRX/9-2x last year that snapped the driver’s seat and left some occupants with mild spinal injuries (IIRC).
Saab can’t emphasise their safety enough. It’s a leadership point and a concern of many buyers.
Best of luck with your new purchase, Chris, and thanks for sending this through.
Click to enlarge the photos.
Here we see why optional seats in the rear of a car is not a wise move. Yes vehicles like the V70 are bigger but would you still want to put your youngest and dearest in the trunk?
Glad to hear your wife is okay Chris.
Glad to hear your wife is ok, just as a good advice, get her to the hospital anyway for a checkup on possible whiplash damage. It can be quite sneaky and not show up for a year or two and then just in case it never hurts to have it documented for insurance reasons…
Mats,
Her back and neck were X-rayed that day. The police and medics at the scene insisted she go to the hospital based on the damage to the cars involved. Everything checked out fine.
Thanks for the good wishes.
Just goes to show you that Saab takes saafety (sorry Swade I love it!) very seriously. I bet those SUV’s were a mess judging by the damage to your Saab. I cannot image glancing in my rearview mirror seeing an SUV barreling down the highway full knowing I am gonna get hit. Glad that your wife is okay.
That is a heavy impact as it has popped / dimpled the roof rails.
Brilliant crush (crush yes as well as crash!)performance though-see how the rear doors and sills have not spilt of folded – Saab cabin integrity. And of course if the fuel tank had been under the rear floor- as it still is some cars, these people would all have fried.
Well done Saab; another family saved from tragedy.
Hope all involved do not have sore ligaments for months. A lot of energy has been absorbed there…
Swade- saafety is a great idea- why not refine it too SAAfety – what a brilliant idea as well!
Swade suggest you claim the intellectual rights and sell it so Saab- or get a free long term (very) car our of them!
Are you listening in Trollhattan? Ears wide open ?
All good. Glad to hear that you and yours are in good shape. Best of luck with the whole insurance thing.
Good to hear Chris B. I’m sooo glad this is the same car my wife and baby boys get around in!
Did anybody else notice in photo 2, that old A-model Ford (or whatever) came off pretty bad in the crash, lost the engine and all and landed on a truck. Passenger cell seems intact though.
Talking about Saab’s concern abut safety – After I was rear-ended quite heavily the SAHRS did not reset properly. The headrest was a bit further back and there was a slack in the moving bits. Not big, but noticeable when pulling the headrest a bit. I told my dealer (my ex-dealer, after this) about this and the safety concern. They did a visual check, and said the “seat looks ok”. Even if the insurance company took the bill I had to fight long and hard to get the seat replaced, and today I still wonder if they actually replaced anything, as the seat never felt 100% after this.
The Saab people I have to deal with are not too concerned about safety, as long as the seat “looks ok”…
wow- glad she walked away OK. Safety was one of the reasons we ended up with a ’05 9-3 after my wife got tired of her RSX. Good luck with the new 9-5.
um, any chance of parting out the ‘Combi?
I walked and drove away from a 5 car pile up in the freezing rain this winter in NJ. It was 28 degrees out (according to my SID) and raining.
Road became a sheat of ice. Anti-locks and stability control kicked in on my 9-5. Because of the SID temperature reading I was not going that fast and got to side of the road. I watchded in horror as as several minutes later cars slid past me sideways and piled up on the ice.
A car is sometimes worth more than parts and what’s on paper.