Collision experts say it’s very unusual for car to shear in half

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Experts say it?s very unusual for a car to shear in half. And they say it’s even more unusual for the Nanaimo driver to walk away without serious injuries

Albert Girard is looking at a BMW that was involved in a terrifying crash on Highway 4 this weekend.

The impact sheared the 1991 318i in half.

READ MORE: Highway 4 crash, near Qualicum Beach, sees car sheared in two

“I’ve been doing this towing thing for 25 years and I’ve never encountered a car that’s been ripped apart like this,” said Girard, the owner of Arrowsmith Towing.

On Saturday night, after the first rain in more than a month, a Nanaimo novice driver was travelling west when he lost control before colliding with this Dakota Sport. It happened near the entrance of the Little Qualicum Falls provincial park.

The two people in the truck and the BMW received minor injuries.

A retired forensic engineer who has analyzed countless crashes says this one does stand out.

“It’s a very unusual type of collision and when you look at the damage on the other vehicle it really isn’t that bad to have caused that kind of shearing,” said Evans

“Vehicles don’t usually shear they crumple.”

An RCMP collision recontructionist who has investigated close to 1000 crashes has seen a dozen or so cars shear in two.

“The vehicle would have to strike the out of control car at such an angle so that its principal direction of force would be going into the vehicle behind the driver’s sitting position,” said Sgt. Brian Nightingale.

But he said these cases are very rare.

“In most cases they split apart, there is an intrusion into the driver space, and the injuries are fatal,” said Nightingale.

This makes the fact the Nanaimo driver walked away that much more remarkable.

Kendall HansonKendall Hanson

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