In 1966, the US established the Department of Transportation (DoT) aiming to strengthen automobile safety. The National Transportation Safety Board was created in 1967 and later on known as the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 1979 the NHSTA began crash testing the popular cars and made public the results.
Checker Litigation Model
Prior to 1979, Checker would regularly crash test their automobiles, usually with help from General Motors. CMC was always concerned with safety and more importantly risk mitigation. Checker was involved with one famous lawsuit when a Chicago passenger was injured by a flying rear battery. For years the rear compartment seat model used in to present Checker’s case sat in the Kalamazoo showroom of CMC’s Cab Services building.
If you interested in watching crash test videos of Checkers, there are several available on Youtube. Word of warning: it will be alarming to watch Checker crumble at simple 30 mph collisions. Also interesting is the fact that Checker did not crash test new vehicles, but actually crashed tested used taxicabs and Aerobuses.
Crash tests below.
Yeah, it’s BAD when the steering column doesn’t collapse. The Limo is worse, because-like an Offensive Lineman, it has too much weight behind it.