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AP Impact: Cars made in Brazil are deadly
Associated Press ^ | May 11, 2013 11:22 PM EDT | Bradley Brooks

Posted on 05/11/2013 9:17:34 PM PDT by Olog-hai

The cars roll endlessly off the local assembly lines of the industry’s biggest automakers, more than 10,000 a day, into the eager hands of Brazil’s new middle class. The shiny new Fords, Fiats, and Chevrolets tell the tale of an economy in full bloom that now boasts the fourth largest auto market in the world.

What happens once those vehicles hit the streets, however, is shaping up as a national tragedy, experts say, with thousands of Brazilians dying every year in auto accidents that in many cases shouldn’t have proven fatal.

The culprits are the cars themselves, produced with weaker welds, scant safety features and inferior materials compared to similar models manufactured for U.S. and European consumers, say experts and engineers inside the industry. Four of Brazil’s five bestselling cars failed their independent crash tests. …

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine; Travel
KEYWORDS: autoaccidents; autoindustry; brazil; carsafety

1 posted on 05/11/2013 9:17:34 PM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

Brazilian drivers arent a “walk in the park” either.


2 posted on 05/11/2013 9:20:59 PM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Olog-hai

Considering the madness of Brazilian drivers the cars may need to be Main Battle Tanks to bring the death toll down..... Well that would introduce other issues....


3 posted on 05/11/2013 9:37:29 PM PDT by Enchante
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To: Caipirabob
Some models sold in Brazil, like the Chinese-made JAC J3, scored only one star in a recent crash test despite having air bags and antilock brakes.

Why does that NOT surprise me?

4 posted on 05/11/2013 9:49:54 PM PDT by Orange1998
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To: Olog-hai

Eutopia is expensive. Once Brazil’s capitalism has advanced to a state where it can afford the safest cars, no doubt it will have them. For now it will have cars that are as safe as American and European cars were in the ‘70s and ‘80s.


5 posted on 05/11/2013 9:55:39 PM PDT by Yardstick
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6 posted on 05/11/2013 10:01:10 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( ==> sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: Olog-hai
Aieeee!!!


7 posted on 05/11/2013 10:13:48 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Obama's vision - No Job is a Good Job)
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To: Olog-hai

There’s a darwinian aspect to less-than-perfectly-safe vehicles weeding out the most dangerous drivers that shouldn’t be overlooked.


8 posted on 05/11/2013 10:16:31 PM PDT by clearcarbon
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To: Caipirabob

Oh that is the truth. I have one living on my block and every time he pulls into or out of his driveway you would think his foot and entire leg had spasmed on the accelerator pedal. I’m positively amazed that his garage is still standing.


9 posted on 05/11/2013 10:21:31 PM PDT by 4Runner
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To: Orange1998

Ha, “Chinese-made” is all you need to know. I recall one Chinese crash test video on youtube that was so horrific that the test engineers were just laughing out loud. I think that was the same one where the front wheel ends up under what’s left of the dummy’s thighs.


10 posted on 05/11/2013 10:25:56 PM PDT by jiggyboy (Ten percent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
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To: Caipirabob
Brazilian drivers arent a “walk in the park” either.

They've gotten a BIT better in Sao Paulo these days... since they installed radar speed cameras about every 1/4 mile on virtually every road.

They still have a problem with the concept of "lanes" though.. :-(

11 posted on 05/12/2013 1:58:27 AM PDT by SomeCallMeTim ( The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them)
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To: Olog-hai
I'll be worried when Brazilian airplanes are deadly.

E.g., Embraer. There are a lot of its products aloft over the USA at any given time.

12 posted on 05/12/2013 2:06:43 AM PDT by cynwoody
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To: cynwoody

I’ve flown in the ERJ myself, so I can attest to their airworthiness.


13 posted on 05/12/2013 2:30:57 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

Are Brazilian cars made with a loose nut behind the steering wheel?

Or are those installed as aftermarket accessories, like they are here?

In that Utopia where everyone drives reasonably and politely, there would be no road accidents.


14 posted on 05/12/2013 3:14:46 AM PDT by ExGeeEye (It's been over 90 days; time to start on 2014. Carpe GOP!)
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To: clearcarbon
There’s a darwinian aspect to less-than-perfectly-safe vehicles weeding out the most dangerous drivers that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Too bad they usually take the innocent with them.

15 posted on 05/12/2013 3:28:13 AM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: clearcarbon
There’s a darwinian aspect to less-than-perfectly-safe vehicles weeding out the most dangerous drivers that shouldn’t be overlooked.

While also taking out a random innocent bystander.

16 posted on 05/12/2013 3:59:12 AM PDT by Yo-Yo
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To: SomeCallMeTim
They still have a problem with the concept of "lanes" though.. :-(

LOL... The last time we travelled "South" was Colombia. We hired a driver for our family. I knew I was over my head from what I've seen before. What impresses me is how over the years we've seen the city drivers go from old beat up cars to nice, new compact vehicles. An impressive turnaround and sign of progress.

I'm glad to hear about Sao Paulo getting better. Had a lot of fun there, especially during carnaval. We stayed in Praia Grande but ranged from the city, Mongugua to Itaquitanduva (near Santos) which was a heck of a fun hike over a mud covered mountain.

If the trail is wet, you go up branco but arrive at the beach moreno - LOL! The trail is through the jungle. I saw the biggest spider I ever saw in my life at the head of the trail. I dubbed it a "Brasilian Turbo Spider". The dang thing had racing stripes. I was more astonished by that "living special effect" than the mind numbing poverty of the favela we walked through to get there!

More than once driving to and from the city, my buddy had individual bikers threatened to shoot him on the road while he was driving me through heavily congested traffic. The motorcycles cutting through the traffic like Kamikazees were setting off everyone. There didn't seem to be any rules or concerned about getting hit, although I'm pretty sure it happened frequently. I'd be great to think they've settled down.

17 posted on 05/12/2013 4:25:27 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: 4Runner
Oh that is the truth. I have one living on my block and every time he pulls into or out of his driveway you would think his foot and entire leg had spasmed on the accelerator pedal. I’m positively amazed that his garage is still standing.

LOL...the area South of where we used to live in Boca Raton turned into "Little Brasil". I miss the padarias and churrascarias, but man, I can pass on them bringing their city driving style!

18 posted on 05/12/2013 4:28:39 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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