Latest news with #PeterSandground
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Moment multiple cars & 30-tonne HGV collide in terrifying high-speed motorway pile-up… but is everything as it seems?
THIS is the moment a huge pile-up takes place on a motorway, involving multiple cars, a caravan and a huge 30-tonne heavy goods vehicle. But while the destruction and terror brought about by the incident are all very real, not all is as it seems. Advertisement 7 Channel 4 recreates motorway chaos for Pile Up - The World's Biggest Crash Test Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Heart-stopping moment cars and a 30-tonne lorry collide in a high-speed pile-up Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Eight vehicles, including a caravan and lorry, crash in a controlled experiment Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Remote-controlled cars simulate real-life motorway pile-up in groundbreaking study Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Four unaware drivers face a simulated crash to test reactions and safety systems Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Over 90 cameras capture every detail of the staged high-speed motorway collision Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Experiment highlights crash dynamics, vehicle safety flaws and driver behaviour Credit: Peter Sandground Indeed, the high-speed crash was all part of a carefully planned experiment conducted as part of a documentary titled Pile Up - The World's Biggest Crash Test. Carried out at a former RAF base in Scotland, the experiment involved recreating a high-speed motorway pile-up with eight vehicles and a 30-tonne lorry. The cars involved were a Toyota Prius, Porsche Boxster, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford F-150, Audi A8, Dodge Grand Caravan, Mercedes ML and a Vauxhall Vivaro van. The team used an almost 2-mile-long stretch of road, which was presumably an aircraft runway, and included white lines, a hard shoulder and motorway-grade varioguard barriers to make everything as realistic as possible. Advertisement Read more Motors News Professor James Brighton and his team from Cranfield University's Advanced Vehicle Engineering Centre led the study, which thankfully utilised cars that were remote-controlled from 'pods' but driven at motorway speeds. Four members of the public took part, each selected to represent a cross-section of road users. To make the pile-up as realistic as possible and to capture genuine reactions, the four selected drivers had no knowledge of the true nature of the experiment. They were revealed as 19-year-old Caitlyn, who represents inexperienced drivers aged 17 to 24; Luke, 26, a 'boy racer,' reflecting young male drivers who account for 65% of serious injuries or deaths; 66-year-old Lynn, representing older drivers aged 60+; and Tito, 57, a surfer and international driver familiar with UK and US road differences. Advertisement Most read in Motors Exclusive Latest All four believed they were taking part in an experiment to improve motorway safety and advance their driving skills and were unaware they would be involved in a high-speed multi-car pile-up. As they drove along at speed, a lorry swerved into their lanes to simulate a pile-up. Heart-stopping moment out-of-control driver speeds at woman on pavement missing her by inches before ploughing into shop Over 90 cameras, drones and black boxes were used to capture the moment of impact, recording crash dynamics, vehicle data and driver reactions. The experiment provides valuable insights into crash dynamics, safety systems and human behaviour during multi-vehicle accidents, while also highlighting areas for improvement in vehicle design and accident analysis. Advertisement The aftermath of the crash replicated several intricate details, such as a car sliding under the lorry and also demonstrated crumple zones, which are effective at absorbing impacts and saving lives. Statistics on road safety Multi-vehicle crashes: Account for nearly 20% of all fatal road accidents in the UK (2020 data) Frequency of accidents: Someone is killed or injured on British roads every 16 minutes Injury and death rates: In 2022, almost 75,000 car occupants were injured, and nearly 800 died Speeding: 45% of UK drivers exceed motorway speed limits; speeding is a factor in 24% of fatal crashes Seatbelt use: 24% of drivers killed weren't wearing seatbelts For example, despite a massive rear shunt from a van, the Prius' electric battery remained intact. Afterwards, Marcus Rowe, a crash investigator, was sent to the scene of the accident - having not witnessed the crash - to figure out what happened using crash forensics. One concerning finding was that airbags might not always deploy and largely depend on where the vehicle is hit, showing that safety systems can struggle with multiple impacts. Advertisement One thing that can't be determined is a driver's reaction in the heat of the moment, as one panicked motorist accelerated into the lorry, despite having come to a stop safely. Lastly, it found that the hard shoulder is a dangerous place to be, as any drivers or passengers in the cars on the mock-up hard shoulder would most likely have lost their lives. Speaking on the experiment, David Twohig, an Automotive Engineering Consultant, said: 'The beauty of a lab-based crash test is everything is controlled. "Everything is repeatable, but unfortunately, the real world is not a laboratory, and there are many, many variables. Advertisement 'It might be the weather conditions, it might be the friction of the road surface, it might be temperature, humidity, the state of the driver, the mood of the driver - so I think that's the limitation of the lab, it's almost too good.' Pile Up – World's Biggest Crash Test airs Sunday 15 June at 9pm on Channel 4.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Moment multiple cars & 30-tonne HGV collide in terrifying high-speed motorway pile-up… but is everything as it seems?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THIS is the moment a huge pile-up takes place on a motorway, involving multiple cars, a caravan and a huge 30-tonne heavy goods vehicle. But while the destruction and terror brought about by the incident are all very real, not all is as it seems. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Channel 4 recreates motorway chaos for Pile Up - The World's Biggest Crash Test Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Heart-stopping moment cars and a 30-tonne lorry collide in a high-speed pile-up Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Eight vehicles, including a caravan and lorry, crash in a controlled experiment Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Remote-controlled cars simulate real-life motorway pile-up in groundbreaking study Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Four unaware drivers face a simulated crash to test reactions and safety systems Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Over 90 cameras capture every detail of the staged high-speed motorway collision Credit: Peter Sandground 7 Experiment highlights crash dynamics, vehicle safety flaws and driver behaviour Credit: Peter Sandground Indeed, the high-speed crash was all part of a carefully planned experiment conducted as part of a Channel 4 documentary titled Pile Up - The World's Biggest Crash Test. Carried out at a former RAF base in Scotland, the experiment involved recreating a high-speed motorway pile-up with eight vehicles and a 30-tonne lorry. The cars involved were a Toyota Prius, Porsche Boxster, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford F-150, Audi A8, Dodge Grand Caravan, Mercedes ML and a Vauxhall Vivaro van. The team used an almost 2-mile-long stretch of road, which was presumably an aircraft runway, and included white lines, a hard shoulder and motorway-grade varioguard barriers to make everything as realistic as possible. Professor James Brighton and his team from Cranfield University's Advanced Vehicle Engineering Centre led the study, which thankfully utilised cars that were remote-controlled from 'pods' but driven at motorway speeds. Four members of the public took part, each selected to represent a cross-section of road users. To make the pile-up as realistic as possible and to capture genuine reactions, the four selected drivers had no knowledge of the true nature of the experiment. They were revealed as 19-year-old Caitlyn, who represents inexperienced drivers aged 17 to 24; Luke, 26, a 'boy racer,' reflecting young male drivers who account for 65% of serious injuries or deaths; 66-year-old Lynn, representing older drivers aged 60+; and Tito, 57, a surfer and international driver familiar with UK and US road differences. All four believed they were taking part in an experiment to improve motorway safety and advance their driving skills and were unaware they would be involved in a high-speed multi-car pile-up. As they drove along at speed, a lorry swerved into their lanes to simulate a pile-up. Heart-stopping moment out-of-control driver speeds at woman on pavement missing her by inches before ploughing into shop Over 90 cameras, drones and black boxes were used to capture the moment of impact, recording crash dynamics, vehicle data and driver reactions. The experiment provides valuable insights into crash dynamics, safety systems and human behaviour during multi-vehicle accidents, while also highlighting areas for improvement in vehicle design and accident analysis. The aftermath of the crash replicated several intricate details, such as a car sliding under the lorry and also demonstrated crumple zones, which are effective at absorbing impacts and saving lives. Statistics on road safety Multi-vehicle crashes: Account for nearly 20% of all fatal road accidents in the UK (2020 data) Account for nearly 20% of all fatal road accidents in the UK (2020 data) Frequency of accidents: Someone is killed or injured on British roads every 16 minutes Someone is killed or injured on British roads every 16 minutes Injury and death rates: In 2022, almost 75,000 car occupants were injured, and nearly 800 died In 2022, almost 75,000 car occupants were injured, and nearly 800 died Speeding: 45% of UK drivers exceed motorway speed limits; speeding is a factor in 24% of fatal crashes 45% of UK drivers exceed motorway speed limits; speeding is a factor in 24% of fatal crashes Seatbelt use: 24% of drivers killed weren't wearing seatbelts For example, despite a massive rear shunt from a van, the Prius' electric battery remained intact. Afterwards, Marcus Rowe, a crash investigator, was sent to the scene of the accident - having not witnessed the crash - to figure out what happened using crash forensics. One concerning finding was that airbags might not always deploy and largely depend on where the vehicle is hit, showing that safety systems can struggle with multiple impacts. One thing that can't be determined is a driver's reaction in the heat of the moment, as one panicked motorist accelerated into the lorry, despite having come to a stop safely. Lastly, it found that the hard shoulder is a dangerous place to be, as any drivers or passengers in the cars on the mock-up hard shoulder would most likely have lost their lives. Speaking on the experiment, David Twohig, an Automotive Engineering Consultant, said: 'The beauty of a lab-based crash test is everything is controlled. "Everything is repeatable, but unfortunately, the real world is not a laboratory, and there are many, many variables. 'It might be the weather conditions, it might be the friction of the road surface, it might be temperature, humidity, the state of the driver, the mood of the driver - so I think that's the limitation of the lab, it's almost too good.' Pile Up – World's Biggest Crash Test airs Sunday 15 June at 9pm on Channel 4.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Watch ‘world's biggest crash' as nine vehicles smash into one another on Scots military base
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE world's biggest car crash test has been filmed at a former military base in Scotland for a new Channel 4 documentary. Filmmakers have staged a high speed motorway pileup involving a 30-tonne HGV lorry and eight cars in an attempt to gain new insights into car safety. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The world's biggest car crash test has been filmed at a former military base in Scotland Credit: ©Peter Sandground 2 The stunt will be shown on Sunday night on a Channel 4 documentary The first-of-its-kind experiment took place on a two-mile runway at the former RAF Machrihanish base near Campbeltown, Argyll. The stunt, estimated to have cost £2 million, will be shown on Sunday night on Channel 4 show Pile-Up: World's Biggest Crash Test. Cameras were fitted into eight human-controlled robot cars and the lorry which veers across the central reservation into their path. Carefully chosen civilian drivers were enlisted to take part in the experiment that gives them control of remote-controlled vehicles. They were told that the purpose of the experiment was to enhance road safety, but they didn't know the vehicles they were operating remotely would be caught in the middle of a major collision. After the crash, the drivers examine the cars they controlled and reflect on the realities of what could have happened if they had been behind the wheel, prompting them to reconsider their own driving habits. At the same time, accident investigators arrive at the scene with no prior knowledge of what happened. They search for clues and reconstruct the event with the help of a 3-D scan of the aftermath and meticulous forensic detective work. The findings then go to Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, who study the effects of high-speed impacts away from a traditional lab-based environment, informing the design of future cars to maximise safety. More than 90 cameras, go-pros and drones captured the crash and black boxes were fitted to the cars to record vehicle data and driver responses. Moment cyclist 'vigilante' is hit by car at roundabout sending him crashing to the floor - but who's in the wrong? Crash tests to help inform safer vehicle design usually take place in laboratories but the production team wanted to create a more real-world scenario. David Twohig, an automotive engineering consultant who was involved in the project, said: "The beauty of a lab-based crash test is everything is controlled, everything is repeatable. "But unfortunately, the real world is not a laboratory, and there are many, many variables. It might be the weather conditions. it might be the friction of the road surface. it might be temperature, humidity, the state of the driver, the mood of the driver. "So I think that's the limitation of the lab. It's almost too good. "The automobile has created a lot of freedom, but we have created this machine which kills people, and we have a duty to try and reduce its impact and improve safety now and in the future." The show involved cars including a Toyota Prius, Porsche Boxster, an Audi A8 and a Volkswagen Golf GTI travelling at motorway speed when the lorry crashes into them. Dan Chambers, executive producer at production company Blink Films, said: "As we all grapple with the emergence of automated vehicles and what they mean in the years ahead, this reminds us that there's so much more to learn about the human element of driving, which isn't going away anytime soon. "The insights that this experiment gleans on driver behaviour and vehicle design could very well save lives in the future."
