🧪 Crash Test Lab
Crash cars for science. Save the dummy.
How to play
- Pick a mission, or the Free Lab to try anything you like.
- Set up the test on the panel: choose the speed, the car, the obstacle and the safety features. Some missions fix a few of these for you.
- Press Launch test. The car races down the runway and crashes; the moment of impact plays in slow motion.
- Read the results: how many g the crash test dummy felt, its star rating, and how much the front of the car crumpled.
- Press Slow-mo replay to watch the crash again from a different camera, including a view inside the car.
- Try the same crash with the seatbelt, airbag or crumple zone switched off and see how the dummy's rating changes.
- Complete each mission's goal to earn stars and open the next mission.
Welcome to the crash test lab
Crash Test Lab is a free 3D game that puts you in charge of a car safety laboratory. Real car makers crash brand-new cars into walls on purpose, with crash test dummies inside, to find out how well they protect people. Now it's your turn. Choose a car, set the speed, pick something to crash into, and launch the test.
The car races down the runway past the lab's high-speed cameras and hits the obstacle in dramatic slow motion. The front of the car crumples, the bonnet folds up, and inside, the yellow and black crash test dummy lurches forward into its seatbelt while the airbag bursts out to catch it. Then the results appear: how hard the dummy was jolted and its safety rating out of five stars.
Why seatbelts, airbags and crumple zones matter
The game shows the real science of car safety in a way anyone can see. What hurts in a crash is stopping too suddenly. A crumple zone at the front of the car squashes like a concertina, so the car takes a little longer to stop. The seatbelt holds the dummy in its seat and stretches very slightly to slow it down gently. The airbag cushions the head. Together they spread the stop over a longer time, which means a smaller force.
Switch the safety features off one at a time and try the same crash again. Without a crumple zone the car stops almost instantly and the dummy's g-force shoots up. Without a seatbelt it flies forward into the dashboard. Without a seatbelt or an airbag at higher speeds, it gets launched right out of the car through the windscreen, which is exactly why wearing a seatbelt matters so much.
Six obstacles and three cars
Crash into a solid concrete wall, a narrow steel pole that bends the middle of the car, a row of water-filled barrels that burst and scatter, soft foam blocks, a parked car that gets shunted forwards, or a brick wall you can smash right through if you are going fast enough. Choose a small hatchback, a family sedan or a heavy SUV. Heavier cars push lighter ones out of the way in a car-to-car crash.
Ten missions
The missions guide you through the big ideas: a gentle first test at 30 km/h, finding the safety features you need for a five-star rating at 50 km/h, seeing what happens with no seatbelt, comparing crumple zones, choosing the softest obstacle at 90 km/h, hitting a pole, a car-versus-car crash, the brick wall challenge, highway speed, and finally 120 km/h into the barrels. The Free Lab lets you try any combination you like.
A safe way to learn about crashes
Crash Test Lab is completely kid-friendly: there are no people in the game, only a very brave test dummy, and nobody gets hurt. It is a great way to learn about forces, speed and energy, and to see why slower speeds, seatbelts and airbags make roads safer.
Crash Test Lab is free, needs no download or account, and keeps your stars only in your own browser. See the Parents & Safety page for details. For more car games, try Driving School 3D, Car Mechanic Garage, Ramp Rampage, or the rest of our Car Games.
Frequently asked questions
Is Crash Test Lab free?
Yes. It is a free 3D crash test game that runs in a web browser with no download, account or plugin.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. There are no people in the game, only a crash test dummy, and the focus is on learning how seatbelts, airbags and crumple zones keep people safe.
What does the dummy's rating mean?
It is based on the peak g-force the dummy feels: the harder and faster it is stopped, the lower the rating. Five stars means it was stopped very gently.
Why does the crumple zone help?
The front of the car squashes, so the car takes longer to stop. A longer stop means a smaller force on the people inside.
What obstacles can I crash into?
A concrete wall, a steel pole, water barrels, foam blocks, a parked car and a brick wall.
Does it work on phones and Chromebooks?
Yes. It runs in any modern browser with 3D graphics (WebGL), with a mouse or touch.