When you drive to the supermarket, you’re thinking about your grocery list, or listening to your favorite song on the radio. The last thing you’re thinking about is the possibility of getting into a collision, and in some ways that’s a good thing. You wouldn’t want to drive around all day feeling paranoid.

It’s important, though, to take a moment and reflect on how quickly collisions can happen. Just a simple mistake of looking down at your phone or nodding-off at the wheel can have devastating consequences.

We attracted you here with the video of this 1959 Bel Air crumbling in a crash with a newer vehicle. It’s a great example of why older vehicles – although beautiful and memorable – are unfit for daily-driving. Sure, that 2009 Chevrolet Malibu doesn’t garner the same curb appeal as a 1959 Bel Air, but is it worth the risk?

The video was created to celebrate the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) 50^th anniversary. “What this test shows is that automakers don’t build cars like they used to. They build them better,” said IIHS President Adrian Lund.

While it’s just a crash simulation, we hope it serves as a reminder to take driving seriously. We don’t want to scare you, but we do want to bring the possibility of an collision into reality. It can happen – it happens millions of times every year.

Do you know how safe your car is? If not, take a look at vehicle ratings on IIHS’s website and find out. If what you learn causes you some anxiety, then maybe it’s time to upgrade to something safer.

But more importantly, remember to follow those basic tenants of driving safety: Don’t exceed the speed limit (excessively, at least), always wear your seatbelt, come to a complete stop, look both ways, and avoid distractions while on the road.

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