Crash Test: 1959 Chevy Bel Air v 2009 Chevy Malibu

The YouTube caption: "The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted a unique crash test to demonstrate the advances in motor vehicle safety over the last 50 years. In this test, a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu and a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air are both going 40 mph and the vehicles collide offset, driver side to driver side. This is the same crash configuration represented by the Institute's 40 mph frontal offset barrier test, which is used to rate the frontal crash performance of new cars."

"For information comparing the safety performance of new vehicles, go to the Institute's website at www.iihs.org/ratings/default.aspx."

[via Matthew Wald and the New York Times]