Can Balloons Really Save You In A Car Crash? | MythBusters

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]So, the balloon basher is finally finished. I've got my polycarbonate cylinder with the steel reinforcing frame. I've added this plunger right here with a 50 lb weight. Now, the idea is that we drop this onto each type of balloon. Using the same weight and the same volume of balloons each time, we can compare and find out which type of balloon absorbs the most energy. We're also going to be attaching an accelerometer to the plunger. This way we can record the G-forces at play. And we can also find out which balloon reduces the G load the best. Once we find that balloon, we'll take it to full scale and see if it saves a clown.

[00:00:37]Grant hates balloons.

[00:00:40]With the rig at the ready, the testing can tumble. Starting with the control.

[00:00:45]Here we go. This is control test with no balloons. In 3, 2, 1.

[00:00:52]HEY.

[00:00:55]OKAY, CONTROL is 100 Gs.

[00:01:01]Next, it's time to bring on the balloons. Eight. Beginning with the type [music] from their earlier test.

[00:01:08]15 air-filled latex balloons. In 3, 2, 1.

[00:01:14]Immediately, it's clear that the regular latex balloons barely curtailed the crusher at all as the accelerometer data almost matches the control. Now, we're going to move on and see which is better. Different materials and different shapes. Like this.

[00:01:31]With no balloon left behind, next up it's Balloon animal. To ensure a correct comparison, Look at that one. That's not a freak of nature at all.

[00:01:42]>> The guys fill the cylinder to precisely the same depth. I'm making a pterodactyl.

[00:01:49]But will their curious creations Oh, that's a good one. Yeah, it's an octopus. lower the G load at all?

[00:01:56]Balloon animals. In 3, 2, 1.

[00:02:03]THAT WORKED PRETTY GOOD. THAT WORKED BETTER than I thought it would.

[00:02:08]This is really cool. Look, it goes from 100 to 6. We got 6 Gs from the balloon animals?

[00:02:13]>> Yeah. Oh my gosh, there might be some truth to this myth.

[00:02:18]Our animal balloons got us down to 6 Gs.

[00:02:21]Now, why is this? Well, if you look at them, they're sort of irregular shapes.

[00:02:24]And in here, there's a lot of air, so they can compress a lot. But, they're also a lot more flexible. That means that they can absorb more energy before they pop. With a G load slashed so significantly, balloon animals may yet be top dog. But next, it's Little balloons.

[00:02:46]All right, small latex party balloons.

[00:02:49]They're so adorable. 3, 2, 1.

[00:02:53]They might be little, but man, they do a good job. Tory's right. These miniature marvels did such a good job that they cut the Gs to just 2.8.

[00:03:05]But can that be [music] bettered with the next party pitch?

[00:03:09]Big balloon. The advantage of these bad boys is that they're made of a thicker latex, [music] which could lower the load.

[00:03:21]OW.

[00:03:24]ALL RIGHT, GIANT PARTY BALLOONS. Here we go. In 3, 2, 1.

[00:03:30]Oh my god, come come look at this one.

[00:03:31]Look at the oversized one. What do you got? Two. I think we have a winner. I know, aren't they crazy? That's awesome.

[00:03:39]One. The big balloons have been awesome, but they've not taken the clown crown yet because the final contender is Mylar. Now, the reason why I think Mylar might have a better chance of working than latex is that it has a higher burst pressure. So, it takes more energy to pop the balloon. That energy is taken away from the kinetic energy of the impact. Hopefully. But we'll see.

[00:04:04]In 3, 2, 1.

[00:04:08]HEY. OH, WOW. AT FIRST GLANCE, this balloon looks the business.

[00:04:14]But the data disagrees.

[00:04:17]3.8. With a G load of 3.8, Mylar misses out. Instead, the best-case scenario balloon is their extra-large latex.

[00:04:28]So, now what we need to do is take this to full scale, fill up a car, drop it, and see if it saves a clown's life.

[00:04:36]Yeah, now it's a party.

[00:04:39]Woohoo.

[00:04:41]We have our two clowns. One in the passenger seat without a seatbelt, one in the driver's seat with the seatbelt.

[00:04:46]Both of them will have accelerometers attached [music] to them. We're going to take the car up with the crane, drop it from 41 ft so it's traveling at 35 mph, let it crash into the ground, and see if the balloons make a difference.

[00:04:58]Remember, with regular latex balloons, the clowns peaked at 620 Gs, six times over the lethal limit.

[00:05:08]But for this test, the guys aren't just opting for their optimal thick balloons.

[00:05:13]I got to pump some helium every now and again. Yeah. They're also packing them in as tightly as possible.

[00:05:20]This is like how we used to pack for family trips. To try to ensure that they form an impenetrable barrier.

[00:05:27]Trying to fill a couple gaps by blowing them up in place. And while they may not represent realistic driving conditions, it is giving this myth the best chance of success.

[00:05:39]Take her up.

[00:05:41]So, we're about to drop the clown with the balloons. Now, remember, our benchmark is 100 Gs. We need to see the balloons decrease the G load below that.

[00:05:49]If he goes over 100 Gs, the clown is dead and so is this myth.

[00:05:56]All right, this is clown car drop with our best latex balloon. Here we go. In 3, 2, 1.

[00:06:03]YEAH.

[00:06:05]WOAH.

[00:06:11]Oh my god. I think it might have worked, man. I think that clown may have survived.

[00:06:17]What a beautiful sight.

[00:06:20]I saw that clown car descending towards the Earth, and then I saw the high-speed.

[00:06:28]Now, in the high-speed, you actually see the car start to compact. The balloons separate just enough for a clown face to peek through and a clown nose to dust the windshield and then start to go back into the car as if the balloons are bouncing him back.

[00:06:48]All right, Byron, how did we do? Did either guy get under 100 Gs? Now, you remember he sustained over 600 Gs with just the party balloons. But this time, only 130. Wow, that is a huge reduction in the G load, but still 130 Gs to your body, there is no way you're going to survive that.

[00:07:05]>> Yeah, unfortunately, we're going to have to call this one busted. Totally busted.

[00:07:08]Thought for a second there it had a glimmer of hope. Nope, still dead.