Is it safe?

[Fordlover96]

Hello everybody! Now, I'm asking you guys for some information/experiences. Now as you might know I got a 1993 Ford Taurus SHO, with the dual airbags, as my first car. My parents had no problem with it, other than they wanted me to get a bigger car aka an SUV. But I told them If I didn't feel that this car was safe, then I wouldn't own it and drive it. So they said ok and that's that. Now, my mom brought a story about a group of 8 teenagers injured in an accident the other day and she said she would really feel better if I had a newer and bigger car. And I said, the only thing that remotely bothers me is being hit from the side (due to the fact that IDK how strong the door beams are and that it doesn't have side airbags). Enough of me rambling on, do you guys feel a Gen 2 Taurus is safe? I mean has anyone been in an accident on here with one? I'm just curious because I know that the IIHS gave this car all good ratings for the front impact, other than an acceptable for the head/neck (but there isn't anything up there I have to worry about anyway, right? ). Any experiences/thoughts would be appreciated! (And I swear, I'm done asking questions on here for awhile after this! Haha) Drive Safe Everybody!

 

[jelloslug]

In my youth I have personally totalled a 1st gen Taurus and a 1st gen Sable. In the Taurus I hit a phone pole in icy weather and then a jacked up pickup rear ended me. I was unscathed as it was a medium speed accident (~25 MPH). The Sable was much more severe: I slid on a wet road into oncoming traffic at around 40 MPH and hit an Oldsmobile Delta 88 head on. I was the typical 40% overlap wreck that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety uses to test cars. The front of the car was completely demolished, the front drivers door was jammed and the windshield cracked but the passenger compartment was just fine and I walked away with no real injuries. Also, neither of these cars had any airbags at all so your version would be that much better.

 

[jelloslug]

I would look at the article that your mom showed you and see just how many of the teenagers were wearing seatbelts.

 

[jelloslug]

Here is another opinion:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=44&seriesid=435

 

[Fordlover96]

Wow, those experiences are a combination of both good AND bad luck! I'm glad to hear you didn't sustain any severe injuries. And thanks so much for sharing those experiences! AND it's funny you mention the seat belt thing. From the source I saw, the driver was drunk, no one was wearing a seat belt, and there were 8 kids in a 7 seat minivan/SUV..............NOT the brightest idea ever........

 

[zblackbeast]

The Taurus is a safe car.. The biggest thing is how you drive. Obviously there are situations that are out of your control, but as long as you are being responsible and understand how your car handles, its strengths and weaknesses I think you'll be fine.

I've only been driving for about 7 years now, and I' personally have never had an accident. I've traveled from Connecticut to Nebraska about 6 or 7 times now, to St. Louis, Kansas City and more. I know how my car handles and I am always watching the road ahead for any dangers coming.

Now, I have driven irresponsibly on a few occasions and I lucked out, but things could have been a lot worse.

In the end, the Taurus IS a safe car. Be aware of your surrounding and understand how your car handles so that if you need to make an emergency maneuver, you and your car are ready to handle it.

Drive safe!

 

[Fordlover96]

I usually try to be a pretty sublime driver but sometimes I've done the complete opposite (Can't we all admit sometimes it's hard to keep your foot off the gas pedal of an SHO?haha). The only accident I've been in was a 3 MPH fender bender. I was at fault but It was a mix of some bad circumstances. I know the route because I drive the same way home everyday from school, but the lady stopped short for the changing yellow/red light, I was trying to change the radio station, and lady's third brake light was out (which is what i would have seen first if looking down at the radio.) I've learned that I need to watch the roads under all conditions. Thanks for the information and your driving experiences!

 

[Fordlover96]

And zblackbeast I really wish your shop was closer to Va! I would totally bring my car there whenever it needed something! Haha

 

[93rev2sev]

I was rear ended at a little less than 45MPH. I was at a dead stop at a traffic light. Just as the light turned green and my foot was coming off the brake, WHAM!!! The driver behind me was timing the lights and watching for it to turn green...instead of the car stopped in front of her.

Afterward, I could not open either rear door, the roof was really wavy, and all the trunk's contents were smushed. It took "tools" to get the trunk open but the rear glass didn't shatter and I didn't have a scratch.

1995 Ford Taurus SHO.

 

[Airborne]

if your mom is refering to those 8 kids joy riding at 4am in a stolen vehicle that involved alchohol that was doing about 80mph on a road designed at 35mph and flipped over a guardrail upsidedown unto a pond and 6 kids drowned, even a Taurus would not help stupidity. Taurus is perfectly safe as long as you are not stupid. Everything is relative.

 

[rubydist]

I agree that there is no substitute for not being stupid.


I have also seen wrecked Taurii, and as long as occupants were wearing seat belts, they were okay. not wearing seat belts will get you killed in nearly anything.

 

[frosho]

The Taurus (of any trim level) is indeed a very safe car, which is one of the reasons it was the best selling car in America at the time. I have read numerous stories here over the years, and I can't think of anybody being seriously injured in an accident. I wrapped the front end of my old green '94 around a telephone pole in the snow. I was probably doing about 25mph. No injuries other than a couple scratches on my face from the airbag and a little scuff on my knee.

There's at least one person on the forum who flipped their SHO and walked away from it afterwards.

 

[jelloslug]

The Taurus (of any trim level) is indeed a very safe car, which is one of the reasons it was the best selling car in America at the time. I have read numerous stories here over the years, and I can't think of anybody being seriously injured in an accident. I wrapped the front end of my old green '94 around a telephone pole in the snow. I was probably doing about 25mph. No injuries other than a couple scratches on my face from the airbag and a little scuff on my knee.

There's at least one person on the forum who flipped their SHO and walked away from it afterwards.

I remember someone here a long time ago got T-bone really hard and the car fared rather well.

 

[jelloslug]

Here are some pics of a parts car I had. The kid that owned it got drunk and rolled it on a gravel road. He walked away with minor injuries.

 

[Phoenix]

Plus they always use tauruses in mythbusters.

 

[SHOdded]

And NCIS, apparently.

 

[frosho]

Pictures from my wreck:

 

[Fordlover96]

I was rear ended at a little less than 45MPH. I was at a dead stop at a traffic light. Just as the light turned green and my foot was coming off the brake, WHAM!!! The driver behind me was timing the lights and watching for it to turn green...instead of the car stopped in front of her.

Afterward, I could not open either rear door, the roof was really wavy, and all the trunk's contents were smushed. It took "tools" to get the trunk open but the rear glass didn't shatter and I didn't have a scratch.

1995 Ford Taurus SHO.

Oh snap thats bad! Honestly, I could totally see someone doing that (not that it happens all the time, but still.) I glad that you walked away from the accident, it seemed like the rear of the car got the brunt of the force. I bet those accident scene pictures were something! Haha. Thanks for the telling me your experience!

if your mom is refering to those 8 kids joy riding at 4am in a stolen vehicle that involved alchohol that was doing about 80mph on a road designed at 35mph and flipped over a guardrail upsidedown unto a pond and 6 kids drowned, even a Taurus would not help stupidity. Taurus is perfectly safe as long as you are not stupid. Everything is relative.

Actually, that is the story! She wasn't trying to say that she was worried that I would be that mindless, it just reintroduced her thoughts of me needing a bigger car. And your right, everything is only relative to the situation. Thanks for the clarification.

I agree that there is no substitute for not being stupid.


I have also seen wrecked Taurii, and as long as occupants were wearing seat belts, they were okay. not wearing seat belts will get you killed in nearly anything.

I agree completely! And believe me, I would leave my driveway if my friend isn't buckled up in the passenger seat. My biggest pet-peeve is people not wearing a seat belt, it literary takes 2 SECONDS to put on, haha. Thanks for the input.

 

[Fordlover96]

The Taurus (of any trim level) is indeed a very safe car, which is one of the reasons it was the best selling car in America at the time. I have read numerous stories here over the years, and I can't think of anybody being seriously injured in an accident. I wrapped the front end of my old green '94 around a telephone pole in the snow. I was probably doing about 25mph. No injuries other than a couple scratches on my face from the airbag and a little scuff on my knee.

There's at least one person on the forum who flipped their SHO and walked away from it afterwards.

I never really thought that the Taurus (Gen 1 and 2) was unsafe. I just thought it wouldn't be as safe as a 3 year old car (but I mean, what car would be from that era?) I haven't really read much stories so I can't really say anything about that. And your accident must have been something. Good thing I don't really have to drive in the snow! Haha. I' m glad you came out of it without any injuries.

Here are some pics of a parts car I had. The kid that owned it got drunk and rolled it on a gravel road. He walked away with minor injuries.

Those are some pretty interesting pictures. The roof seems to have held up well. Thats always good news...haha. Thanks for sharing those pics!

Plus they always use tauruses in mythbusters.

Actually, I have seen that! I think they crashed a regular Gen 2 into a fence or something. Haha.

And NCIS, apparently.

Idk, I don't watch NCIS. I never really got into that show. Haha

Pictures from my wreck:

Woah! The front end seemed to hold up pretty well. Looks like just a new bumper, but im sure there's some damage under that. Haha. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[intimdatr]

I can add to the toughness of the front end of the gen 2's. My old 92 had been involved in around 4 or 5 front in crashes and no one ever had any injuries that were worth noting.