The following information is material owned by USA Volvocars.
For an online copy & pictures please go to http://www.volvocars.us/footer/about/VolvoSavedMyLifeClub/
The
letters have been coming to us for years. Men and women writing about how they
believe a car helped save their lives. The Volvo Saved My Life Club recognizes
these "survivors'" faith in Volvo, as well as Volvo's dedication to
building cars worthy of such admiration. In fact, the only downside to the Volvo
Saved My Life Club is the condition for membership. Once it's determined that
an accident was severe enough that the performance of a Volvo did, indeed, help
save the lives of the passengers, they become members of the Volvo Saved My Life
Club. Here is a sample.
*All pictures are for display purposes only and may not be actual crash pictures |
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S40
"A
huge 4 x 4 ran the red light and hit my Volvo directly on the driver's door. I
remember hearing the smashing glass and the car moving for what seemed like forever.
"That car, my beautiful little S40, saved my life. Everything that was supposed
to deploy, did." Joni Murphy, Redding, CA |
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V70 XC Cross Country
"Without
Volvo's state-of-the-art safety features, in particular the Side Impact Protection
System and the Inflatable Side Curtain, I seriously doubt all three of us could
have survived the crash nearly as well as we did… "The car must have
pitched-poled (went end-for-end) backwards, at an angle, then rolled over twice
in the direction of the driver's side, finally stopping on its top…"
"Thank you for your emphasis on engineering and building safe cars. Because
of that, all of us Millerts will be Volvo drivers for Life!" Linda K. Millert,
Princeton, NJ |
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XC70
We
drive a 2002 Volvo XC70, and last year my husband, Nathan, and our ten-month-old
baby were hit broadside by a driver who ran a red light at approximately 40mph.
The
impact was so severe that it threw our Volvo into the air, landed upside down,
hit a telephone pole, and slid on the roof for 100 feet. (Fortunately, I had an
excellent car seat that was correctly installed, but we all feel that if they
had been in any other car, my baby would not have survived the impact.) Our Volvo
did exactly what it was designed to do. The interior integrity of the car was
maintained, the side-impact air bags all deployed, and the roof withstood the
upside-down impact. We are happy to say that my husband and baby virtually walked
away from the accident. Thank you, Volvo, for saving my family. Although our new
Volvo was considered a total loss, we did not hesitate to immediately lease a
new 2002 XC70. And now that we are expecting our third baby, were looking forward
to the new XC90. I would not consider putting my family in anything else but a
Volvo.
Heidi Bledsoe , Seattle, WA |
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V70 XC Cross Country
"My
wife Karen, our six-year-old daughter Moira and I were in our 2000 Volvo Cross
Country station wagon when a truck crossed into our lane at more than 50mph. Immediately
after the truck hit us head-on, our Volvo began a series of actions that I am
convinced saved our lives. "All four doors remained intact and were able
to be immediately opened. The engine dropped and did not come into the passenger
compartment. The steering wheel retracted and did not thrust into my midsection.
Every one of our seat belts kept us firmly in our seats, which remained bolted
to the cabin. Our hood, crumpled like an accordion, remained attached and did
not come through the windshield. The crumple zones worked perfectly. Whatever
the cost, another day."
Peter Nolan, Oreland, PA |
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V70 XC Cross Country
My two children, our dog and I were hit by a large commercial truck while
en route to the Jersey Shore in our 2000 Cross Country wagon which the car did
not survive. But thanks to your engineers, we did. We all walked out of the car
without a scratch. While I never gave much thought to ABS brakes, whiplash protection
systems and crumple zones, I'm sure glad you guys did. Your car did what it was
designed to do in a collision, and we are alive today because of your concern
for the well-being of your passengers. This single mom especially appreciates
your dedication to safety. I will be buying another Volvo for my family because
I would not feel secure behind the wheel of any other vehicle. Patty Cronheim,
Pennington, NJ |
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V70 XC Cross Country
"Its
every husband's worst nightmare. The call at 8am on a Friday morning saying your
wife, who is five months pregnant with your first child just had an auto accident
and is being taken to the hospital. "The next day I went to see the vehicle,
which was a brand-new 2001 Volvo Cross Country. The inflatable curtain had engaged,
blocking much of the glass from hitting my wife, and the steel doorframe saved
her life. We invested in safety and it paid off in ways words can't express."
Keith Deussing, PA |
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S80
I
am writing to thank you for all the safety programs that you have put into your
cars. We have been buying Volvo's consistently since 1972, when we purchased our
first car. The safety of the car was never more evident than two weeks ago, when
we were rear-ended by a large tractor-trailer while stopped at a traffic light.
The force was so strong that we were pushed into another truck ahead of us. We
were driving a 2000 Volvo S80, and both the rear and front of the car were badly
damaged. Glass was shattered all over the car, but there were no shards. The air
bags immediately inflated, but were very gentle. The feature built into your car
that allows the seat to tilt at the time of impact saved me from having a serious
neck injury. My neck feels fine, and other than the three occupants in the car
having minor bruises, we came out of the accident safely.
I
want you to know just how much I appreciate driving a Volvo, and you can be sure
that I will be driving a Volvo, and you can be sure that I will be driving a Volvo
for Life. Elsie M. Kennedy, Lancaster, PA |
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XC90
Returning
from a meeting in Detroit, I was westbound near Albion travelling at about 50mph
when an oncoming cargo van lost control and crossed all four lanes of traffic.
I moved as far right to the shoulder as possible. A millisecond before impact,
I swerved even farther right from getting hit head-on.
The
cargo van T-boned me on an angle, making contact at the front driver quarter panel.
My car spun counter clock wise a couple of times, went off the Road and down a
ravine. The headliner curtain and the side-impact air bag deployed. I released
my safety belt and rolled the window down on the passenger side to crawl out.
I somehow got out of this one with only a totalled XC90 and a sore neck. I really
think had I been driving a different car, I may have been seriously injured or
even killed. Someone was definitely looking out for me that day, especially the
safety engineers at Volvo. Thankyou! Lynn Long, Mishawaka, IN |
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C70
As
a medical doctor at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, TX, I am intimately involved
in the evaluation of patients involved in trauma. I did not imagine that I would
become a patient at my own institution.
Three
years ago, I was involved in a highway collision where I walked out of my Volvo
unhurt. The following day when I saw my vehicle, I was amazed. The only portion
of the car that was not damaged was the rear bumper. The car was totalled. All
of the air bags deployed and the safety cage was intact. Knowing fully well the
damage that can occur following motor vehicle collisions, I had purchased the
Volvo C70 coupe based upon its record on safety. I reviewed information pertaining
to the safety of various vehicles and came to the conclusion that Volvo was the
only vehicle that I wished to drive. For nearly a year, my C70 coupe had been
absolutely flawless. The Monday following my accident, I phoned my good friends
at Sefeldt Volvo and was provided a loaner car for transportation. A new C70 coupe
was ordered and located in matter of days.
In
summary, I am eternally grateful to the engineers at Volvo for making safety a
prime concern. It is my strong belief that I owe my life to their efforts. Not
only will I be lifelong driver of Volvo automobiles, I have persuaded several
others to purchase Volvos of their own. Again, many thanks!!
Charles
Longmoor, MD
Dallas, TX |
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740 GLE
"Our
family had its greatest test when three young men stole a car and hit my husband's
740 GLE on the passenger side at 75mph… "My daughter escaped with minor
bruises and scrapes, and she was strong enough to lift her 250 pound father from
a car that was wrapped around a telephone pole. We continue to be committed to
Volvo because of the police officer's statement to me, "If it wasn't a Volvo,
they probably would not have survived. "Thank you, Volvo." Beverely
Elliott, Tucson, AZ |
WHAT
MAKES A VOLVO DIFFERENT? - Simple…No Compromise Where Your Safety Is Concerned!
"…Cars
are driven by people. The guiding principle behind everything we make at Volvo,
therefore, is and must remain, safety…"- Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf
Larson, founders Volvo Cars. In 1927, when Volvo founders drew plans for their
first motorcar, they made a promise to put people first. More than seventy years
later, both the world and the cars have changed dramatically, but the promise
made by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson has not. Our founders vision set the
foundation for what have become our core values: safety, environment, and quality.
These values represent our continued commitment to helping to protect the lives
of Volvo drivers and their passengers.
Critical
areas of the Volvo passenger safety cell are made from Boron steel, perhaps the
toughest steel available. Other sections are made from ultra and very high strength
steels, combined with highly effective crumple zones. The immense strength of
a Volvo car comes partly from the way the entire structure and its safety components
combine together to dissipate the destructive forces of a collision. It isn't
just a multitude of airbags that provide 'instant' safety. Volvo's safety testing
procedures go beyond merely attaining a five star safety rating. So if transporting
your family in arguably the world's safest cars is a priority, a Volvo has the
answer.
THE
AWARDS KEEP COMING! - Here's a selection:
S40 Car of the Year - Automundo,
US
"The S40 is a confident, assured kind of car that identifies its driver
as a thinker, someone prepared to go against the tide of 'me-too' German executive
transport", Market leading Euro Car Magazine.
S60R Car of the
Year 2003 - European Car Magazine, US
Grand Prix Winner, 2003 - European Car
Magazine, US
XC90 AWD Best 4x4, 2003 - What Car? UK
Truck of the Year in
North America (2003) - Car of the Year Jury, US 2003
SUV of the Year - Motor
Trend Magazine, USA
SUV of the Year - Guide L'Auto Magazine, Canada
Best
Luxury Crossover - Smartmoney, US
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