If humans could evolve to withstand the force of a car crash, it wouldn’t be a pretty sight.
A jarring sculpture of “the only person designed to survive on our roads” makes that clear. His name is Graham and he has a massive head, sacks of skin and tissue between each of his ribs, and hoof-like legs.
Graham was created by an Australian artist, using silicone, fibreglass and resin, with input from a trauma surgeon and a crash investigation expert. He’s the star of an unusual road safety campaign launched by Australia’s Transport Accident Commission, which wanted to produce “an interactive lifelike sculpture demonstrating human vulnerability.”
An interactive, 360-degree view of Graham explains why humans would have to look like him in order to survive low-impact car crashes. Not having a neck means you can’t break it. An oversized skull protects the brain from trauma. A fatty, flat face reduces the risk of a broken nose or facial bone injuries. A large chest and sacks between each rib guard against fractures and damage to vital organs.
The Transport Accident Commission’s chief executive officer, Joe Calafiore, said in a news release that people can survive impacts at speeds they can reach on their own (such as running at full pace into a wall). But when it comes to collisions involving vehicles, “the chances of survival are much slimmer.”
“Cars have evolved a lot faster than humans and Graham helps us understand why we need to improve every aspect of our roads system to protect ourselves from our own mistakes,” Calafiore said.
If you happen to be in Melbourne, Australia, you can see Graham in real life at the State Library of Victoria until Aug. 8, before the installation heads out on a road show.
