why consumer cars have crumple zones for safety yet racing cars have roll cages

Question

It’s always struck me as odd that crumple zones help absorb impacts which makes cars safer. Yet race cars have roll cages which make them safer.

In: 187

Answer 1

Race cars do have crumple zones, except that they are not on the race car! If you look at a racetrack you’ll often see stacks and stacks of tires around barriers. They do the same thing a crumple zone does but it costs less to repair and the racecar is easier to repair than a totaled roadcar. It’s basically just straightening a few tubes and aligning everything.

Similar idea to those water barrels on highways