[zeldazim]

I just got my 09 element in Sept. & just totalled it on Wednesday. The good news is - I'm alive - after a head on collision at 50mph. I can personally say the element deserves a high safety rating.

There are a couple of areas that need more attention though.
That shoulder harness that comes out of the seat. There's no way to adjust it properly if you're short. I'm 5'1", have the seat cranked all the way up & forward as far as I need it, but I was forever pulling it away from my neck. I wish I had figured out a way to make it fit better before my accident. No matter how well the vehicle does for general safety, it's not going to do you any good if the seat belt kills you - which it nearly did. Believe me, if your shoulder strap tends to creep-up on your neck, FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT FIT RIGHT! Even if you have to sit on a boat cushion - just do it. You should see my neck & entire torso for that matter - all red , black & blue. The safety belt did its job & kept me in place, but very well could have abraded the artery in my neck. I had several CT scans to make sure no damage was done.

The other area where I had severe damage was my left knee. The molded plastic below the steering wheel shattered & sliced deeply into my knee. Probably another situation where my short stature comes into play. If I hadn't had to raise the seat so high, my knees would have been under that area of the dash instead of on the same level.

I really liked my element. As a shorty, I think it was the perfect vehicle for me. & it probably appeals to other shortys. If only there was a way to make auto designers listen-up.

 

[marvin the marshen]

Sorry to hear about you'r E accident,Glad to hear you are alright..

 

[beledi]

How terrifying! Glad you are basicaly o.k.:shock:

 

[ramblerdan]

Sorry to hear you had a crash, Zeldazim, but glad you came out in one piece.

That shoulder harness that comes out of the seat. There's no way to adjust it properly if you're short.

There's no way to adjust it properly if you're tall, either. That non-adjustable shoulder harness was a HUGE step backward in both comfort and safety compared to the original design. But people whined about not being able to open the back door with the seat belt fastened, so that's what we got.

Bad Honda. Bad, bad, bad Honda!

 

[hans2]

give it up to us the lazy americans who cried about having to unbuckle the seat belt in order to let the rear passenger out..

Oh and I'm sure I've read a few ridiculous accounts of members on this board who claimed to have been "suffocated" by the seat belt when the front door was opened by... sigh... :roll:

 

[buttermilk]

I hate the seat belt in my '09. I'm over 6' and my wife is almost a midget and neither of us can get comfortable with that shoulder strap.

 

[zeldazim]

thanks for all the kind regards.
I really liked my element, it was almost perfect.....but, there are several things I'd change if I could. I'm wondering if anyone from Honda keeps an eye on this forum. Seems like it would be a good idea....a way to get some real feedback from the public.

 

[Olive and Sarie's Mom]

thanks for all the kind regards.
I really liked my element, it was almost perfect.....but, there are several things I'd change if I could. I'm wondering if anyone from Honda keeps an eye on this forum. Seems like it would be a good idea....a way to get some real feedback from the public.

I agree totally. Maybe a bad choice of words!! My wife impacted a tree after hitting a patch of ice during a storm here in VT last week and the adjuster will be here today to survey the damage... Same deat both air bags deployed, only injuries (besides the "kelement") were severe bruising and really bashed up knees. The '03 has adjustable seatbelt height, but the knee room was a real issue on both sides.
I hope that it is fixable for you and you will be able to go on your merry way

 

[Sprunch]

Glad to hear you are ok!

Oh and I'm sure I've read a few ridiculous accounts of members on this board who claimed to have been "suffocated" by the seat belt when the front door was opened by... sigh... :roll:

I did that to the pregnant Wife the other day, a mistake I won't make again.:twisted:

 

[marksbug]

why havent they put the belt stuff on the front doors? or beter yet just hang a noose from the roof!!! gladd you came out not too dead,but it still sucks. hey if they incorprate a hans device into each seat, or make a few defrent levels where the belt can be atached through the seat(like all the good aftermarket racing wannabee seats have (like the ones that I have in my bug that wrap around you on the sides & are very comfrterable,less than $250. a pair,color matching,racing stries,weeeeeee)and they also have the sub belt hole, there problem solved. honda can send my check to my home & if they need any more stuff fixed/redesigined just let me know.:roll: take care & get beter quick!!

 

[Wally]

Couple of things . . .

First off, and most importantly, we are all glad that you came out of a head-on, 50mph, traffic accident with relatively minor injuries. It could have been so much more terrible.

Secondly, there are "seat belt adjusters made for small children that do just what you want - reposition the seatbelt away from the neck. Examples:
http://www.seatbeltadjuster.com/seatbelt_adjuster.htm
http://www.mypreciouskid.com/seat-belt-adjuster.html
There are plenty more - just Google it. Not saying it is the perfect solution, but it might help.

Lastly, your injuries to your chest and torso are not because of the seatbelt position, but because of the seatbelt itself. I have worked in emergency services for over 20 years now, and I can not tell you how many chest and abdominal injuries I have seen at accidents caused by velocity and the seatbelt. Better than the alternate - eating the steering wheel - but injuries all the same. It is something we look for in an accident where the driver is unconscious - the seatbelt triangle (shoulder -hip-hip) to determine if the driver was wearing a belt.

Again, thank God you came out OK. And, if you don't mind, what was the other car that was involved, and how did that driver do?

 

[GRNDHOG]

why havent they put the belt stuff on the front doors?

They practically did that the first time when it was on the rear door. There'd be no difference between front and back door....you would still have to remove it to let the rear passengers out.

 

[Dom.five]

Yet another story of how the Element gave it's life to save the occupants.

I'm glad your alive to testify to the outstanding crash performance of this car. 50 Mph. is somewhat misleading though. You must take into account the speed of the other car. If it was doing only 20 mph at the time of impact, then it's like hitting a stone wall at 70 Mph. If it also was going 50 then the resulting impact is like hitting a wall at 100 Mph.

That alone would force me to get another Element.

I'm so happy you sustained only minor injuries !!

Dom

 

[Wally]

Yet another story of how the Element gave it's life to save the occupants.

I'm glad your alive to testify to the outstanding crash performance of this car. 50 Mph. is somewhat misleading though. You must take into account the speed of the other car. If it was doing only 20 mph at the time of impact, then it's like hitting a stone wall at 70 Mph. If it also was going 50 then the resulting impact is like hitting a wall at 100 Mph.

Dom

Very valid point Dom. Thanks for pointing this out.

 

[zeldazim]

wally,
yes, most of the trauma was gonna happen anyway, but the strap riding across the neck could be lethal.
I've seen a few adjuster like you're referring to, but would like to find out if they are proven to work in the event of an accident.

thanks

 

[zeldazim]

Yet another story of how the Element gave it's life to save the occupants.

I'm glad your alive to testify to the outstanding crash performance of this car. 50 Mph. is somewhat misleading though. You must take into account the speed of the other car. If it was doing only 20 mph at the time of impact, then it's like hitting a stone wall at 70 Mph. If it also was going 50 then the resulting impact is like hitting a wall at 100 Mph.

That alone would force me to get another Element.

I'm so happy you sustained only minor injuries !!

Dom

Minor? well, I'm alive, (and still marvel at that) but my knee injury still prevents me from doing much of anything & I've since found out that I have cracked ribs.
As far as how fast the other car was traveling. They have him listed at 45, but I'm quite sure he was going faster.
And I've been looking for another Element. Problem is, even though my element was brand spanking new (just got it in Oct) and I had full coverage with a full replacement clause if the car was totalled within 6 months of purchase, the #@!*&_% insurance adjuster won't give me enough to purchase a new one. Do you believe it?

 

[sloweddie]

Get a nasty lawyer and start talking about back pain. Ins cos goal is to make as much money as possible so they don't like to pay out any more than they can get away with.
se

 

[Dom.five]

Minor? well, I'm alive, (and still marvel at that) but my knee injury still prevents me from doing much of anything & I've since found out that I have cracked ribs.
As far as how fast the other car was traveling. They have him listed at 45, but I'm quite sure he was going faster.
And I've been looking for another Element. Problem is, even though my element was brand spanking new (just got it in Oct) and I had full coverage with a full replacement clause if the car was totalled within 6 months of purchase, the #@!*&_% insurance adjuster won't give me enough to purchase a new one. Do you believe it?

Ok so my choice of words was bad. My point is that your ALIVE !! By your own admission the impact was like hitting a stationary object at something above 90 Mph. People usually don't survive that type of crash!!!

As for the insurance, Fight it. Higher a good lawyer !! That's a winnable thing in this state! However I don't know what state your from.

Dom

 

[Thai]

Glad that you're relatively OK after the accident. I guess this is why more and more new cars are now coming out with front knee airbags.

I need to make sure that my dad fits correctly with the seatbelts.

Again, glad that you're OK.