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

Most consumer cars are not designed for high speed impacts higher than 60-75mph those crumple zones are designed more for rear ends and side impacts.

Race cars by design are high speed vehicles that can easily impact at 100mph or more. A crumple zone on a race car would do next to nothing. The roll cages are desinged to strengthen the cab in the event of a high speed impact where the chances of flipping are higher.