Did the ‘truck’ get beat by the Proton X70?
A week ago there was news circulating on social media on this really bad accident between a Proton X70 SUV and a large truck on North-South Expressway (PLUS) near the Sungai Buloh exit.
It would appear that the Proton collided with the back of a moving truck on the highway.
Judging by the pictures however, one can safely conclude that the accident was of the high speed variety considering the accident happened on a highway and that both the Proton and the truck sustained heavy damage.
The sole picture of the truck shows it lying on its left side (see picture below), with the rear doors ajar and roof bent out of shape. The truck’s cargo is also seen spilling out onto the highway. The Proton meanwhile seems to have sustained heavy damage on the right side of the vehicle. This point, in addition to the truck having appear to have worse damage on its left side could point to the possibility that the Proton was possibly attempting an overtake on the truck on an inner lane before the collision occurred.
It would not be uncommon to see trucks like these on the fast lane, especially in non-peak hours when traffic is light like in the early morning when this accident reportedly occurred. Even if they are allegedly speed limited to 90 km/h on the expressway, it would be no surprise to anyone who has travelled on Malaysian highways to see trucks like this going even faster than some passenger cars.
Another takeaway from this accident could be seen from the damage inflicted on the Proton. Granted any collision with a truck would cause more damage than hitting another car for instance. However, a closer look at the photos would show that the entire right A-pillar of the X70 has completely mangled. The right passenger door has also sustained heavy damage leading to the conclusion that the passenger safety cell has been compromised.
Not to mention the obvious fact that the bonnet has been mangled beyond recognition and the front end of this Proton X70 is completely destroyed. It might even seem that this collision has pushed the right front wheel back a couple inches. We just hope that all occupants in this horrific collision are unharmed.
Proton X70 standard safety equipment for all variants consists of six SRS airbags, rear seat ISOFIX with top tether anchorage, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Auto Brake Hold, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Hill Hold Assist (HHA), Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS).
A 360 Camera is offered on Executive and Premium variants while Executive AWD and Premium specification cars also receive a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The Premium variant also adds an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) suite to the equipment list. The ADAS on the Proton X70 consists of active and cognitive safety systems including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Door Opening Warning System (DOW) and Intelligent High Beam Control (IHBC).
The effectiveness of the comprehensive safety solution was proven when the Proton X70 was awarded a 5-Star safety rating in recent ASEAN NCAP tests.
Research and Text by Joshua Chin
