Two vehicles hitting each other head-on at 50 mph is equivalent to which scenario?

When two vehicles collide head-on, the speed of each vehicle contributes to the total impact force experienced during the collision. In the scenario where each vehicle is traveling at 50 mph toward each other, the relative speed of the two vehicles at the moment of impact becomes 100 mph.

This means that the effect of the collision can be likened to a single vehicle colliding with a stationary object at that same combined speed of 100 mph. The energy involved in the crash is directly related to the speeds of the vehicles, thus resulting in a higher level of impact and damage, comparable to a vehicle striking a stationary barrier at that 100 mph speed.

Understanding this concept helps in appreciating the dangers of high-speed crashes, as even relatively moderate speeds can have severe consequences when two vehicles are involved in a head-on collision due to the additive nature of their speeds.