IMHO:
You are correct...A Readers Digest article (early '97) about two autos in a head on collision. Both drivers, each alone in their cars, had survived with minor contusions.
They were each traveling approx 70mph and survived not by the seatbelts they had on, but by the air bags. However, for a couple of weeks their bodies felt beaten. The point of this article was how the airbags in both vehicles saved the lives of these people. The seatbelt of one of these automobiles was burned off...actually to a thread where it would not have done any good. The forces of energy created during these speeds upon impact would be best explained by a scientist in the study of kenetic energy, which I am not.
Airbags in back of the Mercedes might have saved lives. In this accident...I doubt it.
The passenger(front) in the Mercedes survived, barely. I think he may have seen it coming and ducked just enough to protect head injury. His airbag worked.
This automobile struck an embuttment so hard that it accordian'd and it's tail end lifted upward. The vehicle then traveled in the air, nose down, and struck the right side wall on the side of oncoming traffic lanes. The point of impact on this wall was at the hood of the car. The driver and Dodi Fayed suffered fatal head injuries.
Just speculation here...As a fairly skilled driver I think I can register a guess as to how the driver lost control of the vehicle. His possible intoxification only adds to this possibility. Especially when being chased by, lets say popparrazi, one would look over his shoulder to witness the chase. I believe there was alot of movement in the car. Especially by the driver! Looking in mirrors, over his shoulders, getting position, responding in movement with talk to his passengers about being followed.
When we move our heads we usually do not move our hand..like the hands on a wheel of the auto as we steer. As a security agent, not a professional chauffer (driver) to the Princess and Dodi Fayed though, the driver did move his body...not just his head to view his followers and or/passengers. With this movement... so did the wheel of the car move with it and he began to loose control. I would guess he first swerved to the right with a look over his right shoulder and over-corrected, slightly to the left...then right and lost control fully mis-judging a last leftward correction and...WHAM.
I have experienced this type of movement in my own driving under extreme circumstances and have witnessed it as a passenger. THE DRIVER MUST NOT LET THE WHEEL MOVE WITH HIS BODY MOVEMENT.
I apologize for going on and on here. The obvious is so obvious and I like to write about it. All of the witnesses spoke of alot of car sqealing noise prior to a loud thud and a second bang when the car came to rest. The skid marks are almost at the entrance to this tunnel and they are very jagged. They swerve left and right by a couple of feet stretching 30-40 feet in total length. Really not very long at all when one looks at the speed of impact.
I truly hope yet fear that Diana and all in that car knew there was going to be a terrible outcome and that they all saw this accident as it unfolded.
As I expressed in an earlier message...I ask those that care...to take time out for a thought of her two sons, first, and the people of the United Kingdom that have had their symbol representing independence from the Monarchy, swept from them. Hopefully, only temporarily.
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