Dramatic Crash Test Between 1959 and 2009 Chevys Shows How Far We've Come

If you think you were safer behind the wheel of good old Detroit steel, think again. Yes, back in the day cars were heavier and bigger, but that certainly doesn't equate to safer. They might seem solid, but in a crash, you wouldn't want to be anywhere near them. We take many of our modern safety features like seatbelts and airbags for granted. But it's not just added features that have made cars safer over the years – engineering has played a huge role as well. See for yourself!

To show what a difference 50 years of safety advancements can make, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety decided to make a dramatic crash test video.

They set up two Chevys, a 1959 Bel Air and a 2009 Malibu, for a frontal offset collision that would demonstrate each car's performance in a collision.

As you might expect, glass and metal and plastic go flying everywhere.

It's not a pretty sight, and it's not hard to imagine how awful a scene this would have been to see in the streets. 

Things go particularly poorly for the Bel Air.

You wouldn't want to be inside. The narrator notes that the driver likely suffered injuries to the neck, chest, and both legs, while the Malibu driver, with a seat belt, airbag, headrest, and front crumple zone, could possibly get away with only a foot injury.

Check out the amazing footage below!

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