MPI simulator speaks louder than words

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/09/2008 (6323 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Keep the greasy side down. It’s the No.1 rule of motoring, but in the blink of an eye even the most seasoned driver can suddenly find themselves in the most dreaded of automotive predicaments. The rollover.

Since 2003, Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) has been utilizing a unique and visually effective tool that graphically illustrates, particularly in the event of a rollover, that not wearing your seatbelt can have tragic consequences.

It’s called the MPI Rollover Simulator, and essentially what it is is the cab of a Ford F150 pickup mounted on a metal rotisserie. Think of it as a really big prize drum. The first time representatives from MPI spun the truck around at a recent Sunday night cruise at the Pony Corral restaurant on Grant Avenue the demonstration appeared innocent enough. That was because the occupants, a pair of crash test dummies, were wearing their seatbelts. However, when the seatbelts were unbuckled things quickly took a turn for the worse. On the first spin the dummy in the passenger seat was observed crashing and thrashing around inside the cab. By the third spin his head was hanging out the window. The blow-by-blow commentary from the crowd on hand suggested the dummy wasn’t doing very well. They were right. By spin four he was slapping against the door, half in and half out of the truck with his torso repeatedly getting crushed against the metal platform that represents the highway. I think you get the idea, but suffice it to say, it went downhill for Mr. Dummy from there.

Jeanie Dalman, an issue specialist for occupant safety with MPI, and one of the representatives responsible for spinning the simulator, offered a few staggering statistics that may be enough to persuade even the most reluctant Manitoban to finally buckle up. “In 2007 there were 82 fatal collisions in the province, and of that number, 35 per cent were not wearing a seatbelt,” said Dalman. That figure suggests that 29 lives could have possibly been saved if they had just buckled up. Dalman also noted that rollovers may occur more often than we think. “In 2007 there were 422 vehicle rollovers in Manitoba resulting in more than 200 injuries and 16 fatalities,” she added. “Even though seatbelt usage is high in our province, it’s still important for us to take that message out to the people and the rollover simulator has proven to be an excellent visual reminder of the importance of buckling up.”

Dalman, who was flanked by MPI summer student Tara Lambert for the Pony Corral demonstration, reported that the rollover simulator has been a hit wherever it appears. Each year the simulator rolls into more than 90 stops, including events like agricultural fairs, schools, car shows and other community-sponsored events. “The simulator always speaks louder than words and is particularly effective in rural areas,” said Dalman, who pointed out that the gravel roads and highway driving associated with rural living put motorists at a greater risk of a rollover. “Many observers are shocked and surprised by the force that the dummy generates when it is thrown from the vehicle,” added Dalman, who noted that the dummy weighs about 30 pounds and the truck rolls in the simulator at approximately 35 km/h. “The consequences are much more dire in real life.”

willy@freepress.mb.ca