In my experience as a claims adjuster, since 1974, the vast majority of
injuries (even with collapsible units, & of course, with "air" [sodium
azide] bags, associated with steering colums, is facial injuries.
One is not so much impaled by a steering column, as much as he is driven
(literally) into it.
Coincidentally(???) the 57+ Dodges, & other MoPars, have a broad center
horn-escutcheon, which would tend to spread-out the force of an impact
with the column. As the steering column is (rigidly) mounted relatively
far-back on the driver's side frame rail, it can be of some cold
comfort to know that a large-ish frontal impact will not necessarily
turn you into a javelin-catcher. I do not know what the break-away
resistance level of the steering wheel may be, but I presume that its
(Dodge/PLY, anyway) slight-weight construction will tend to attenuate a
body's impact, upon it. Your face, is on its 'own', however.
If my original message was not perfectly clear, I have installed, &
recommend the use of lap belts, in our cars--Horrie sports belts from a
66 Chrysler (date-coded, no-less).
The bottom-line is, everyone has to asume a certain amount of personal
risk, when 'he' gets into a vehicle, whether its got a padded dash, seat
belts, shoulder belts, 6-point belts, air bags, feed-bags, disc brakes,
head-restraints, a roll bar [Avanti] , fuel cell, et-cetera. Don't
forget : CONVERTIBLES----they roll-over, & always be sure to wear clean
underwear.
Neil Vedder
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