Thread: Accident in Defender

Yeah - they are lacking in the Airbag/Crumple zone/rollover safety. I've seen a few pictures where they've gone shiny side up, and the roof pretty much collapses unless you have a rollbar or a Milford barrier.

On the plus side, you are up higher than normal cars, and they have a real chassis, although the crumpling of the body is what you want to absorb the impact.

I've put some heavy duty side steps/rock-sliders on my 130 which are some improvement to the side impact protection, and I want to fit a roll cage.

If you are after safety as a no. 1 priority, then Defender is not going to get too many stars unfortunately.

Am hoping that the next version of the Defender has at the very least air bags.

Get a roll bar and rocksliders with brushguard linked to the bullbar + a 2in lift and 95% of any side impact's short of a truck/bus will be at ankle height.

I agree with spudboy, the Defe it is not very safe
If I need a ute and safety will be my concern I would get a VW Amarok.

Risk is consequence and probability

With the Defender most cars are going to be hitting under your seat, that reduces the number of vehicles that can hit you at body height therefore reduces probability and reduces the risk.

I have greater concerns for the stability of the vehicle under hard braking on a slightly greasy road than I do about side impact.

Have you looked under the door lately, there is nothing there really. Well nothing very strong. The cab is aluminium, and would crush very easily I assume. You can make aluminium strong, take a new XJ jag but the defender, was not designed for crash safety.

I still don't think the floor height in a standard defender is above the height that would be impacted when hit by a standard family car. I think some impact would be at floor height and the seat box.

You could as suggested build very strong side steps and rails with extra reinforcing without too much trouble, that would transfer some impact to the chassis and away from the cab.

I wouldn't think any major sideways hit [ie small car hits high Puma] will stop your head impacting the door pillar. Energy still has to be dissipated and the human body in the cabin will still recoil rapidly sideways and sustain injury.

Unless you really need a ute a disco 3 or 4 would be a much netter proposition for you. With the back seats folded flat there is a heap of storage room

Can we post this again? Between my FL2 and my Defender I'd rather have a crash in the FL2. My main worry with the Defender is swerving to avoid an accident, it'd fall over pretty quickly I'd imagine.