Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 11:49:32 -0700 From: "Bristlecone" <luciannopsamranv.net> Subject: Re: Do sunroofs/moonroofs compromise safety?
jlsnopsamcom wrote in message <7v7get$b56$1nopsam1.deja.com>... >A general question -- do sunroofs/moonroofs compromise the >safety of a car in a crash or rollover? Not really, if you have your seatbelt on. That section of the roof is not part of the "safety cage" anyway, so in that sense it's "nonstructural" from a safety standpoint. If it's closed, it's just like having a roof over your head from a safety standpoint. And if it's open the only dangers are (a) having a body part thrown outside during a rollover, which shouldn't happen if you are properly buckled; and (b) rolling over an object (picture a fence post) that just happens to strike so that it protrudes into the vehicle through that opening, which is pretty unlikely (besides, such an object could probably stab through a sheetmetal roof anyway). I suppose there is a modest additional risk if the sunroof includes some glass, but in a major wreck, there's going to be so much glass flying around, that little bit of extra isn't likely to make much difference.