When you think of automotive safety, which brand springs to mind first? If you said Volvo, you’re probably not alone. The Swedes have been famously engineering some of the safest cars in the world for decades. But there’s also been another brand engineering incredibly safe, structurally sturdy cars. But these come from Bavaria.
BMW may not have the reputation for safety that Volvo has, but the Bavarian brand has been developing fantastically well-built, very safe cars for decades now. The only difference between BMW and Volvo is that BMW has been doing it quietly. BMWs are some of the safest cars on the road and California native, Kelli Groves, and her two children can attest to that.
Back in 2012, Groves was driving her sister’s E46 BMW 3 Series, a car her sister named “Old Blue”. She had her two children in the back seat at the time and was traveling down California’s 101 Freeway when an 18-wheeler ran over her car. The truck drifted sideways on a section of bridge, steamrolled right over Groves and her E46 BMW and proceeded to fall off the bridge. The driver of the truck was killed in the crash. However, Groves’ BMW, though severely crushed, was still on the bridge. Just barely. The little E46 hung over the edge of the bridge, with Groves and her two children still alive inside, moments away from falling off.
While Groves and her children were injured, there were alive and conscious, without any life-threatening injuries. However they were trapped inside the car which was just a gentle push away from plummeting off the side of the 101 bridge. Rescue workers soon arrived on the scene and had to cut the car apart to get them out of it. Though workers were having a difficult time doing so. The same sturdy steel that saved their lives was now too difficult to cut through. They did manage to cut it open and get both Groves and her children out, but it too over two hours to do so.
According to BMW spokesperson, Ken Sparks, “Many BMW customers have written and told us about horrendous accidents in which it appeared that no one could have survived and yet they did because of their BMW,”
When Groves’ sister first bought the car used, their father scoffed at the idea of spending that kind of money on a car, claiming he “wouldn’t pay that much for a house,”. However, her sister told him that it would save her life one day, Groves remembers. In did. In fact, it saved three lives.
BMW might not be that well known for its safety or tank-like build quality, but do not underestimate the Bavarians. People wonder why BMWs are heavy and expensive. You find out when you crash one.
[Source: Auto News]
