If you want to survive a car crash, you’ll have to look like this

The Transport Accident Commission of Victoria, Australia has unleashed a mutant baby-man on the world with the aim of reducing car crashes. Human bodies aren’t meant to withstand the speed and impact of crashes, the commission says.

That’s where Graham, below, comes in.

A new safety ad campaign shows what humans might look like if they were able to survive a high speed car crash. Julie Noce reports. (Video: Reuters)

In today’s edition of “utterly horrifying public service campaigns unleashed by transit agencies” the commission introduced us to Graham, a lifelike figure meant to illustrate the vulnerability of the average human body to crashes. He’s got a thumb-shaped head, a flubby rib cage and feet like hands — and he’s designed to survive a low-impact crash.

For example, his cushioned, flat face can absorb the energy a crash generates, the commission says. And “spring-loaded legs” allow him to jump out of the way of hazards. Still, there are some obvious visual quirks: From the front, his body gives the appearance of melting.

“Interact with his ribs,” the commission invites you on its website.

A news release called the Graham initiative “a shift” from the commission’s usual road campaigns.

“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,” TAC chief executive officer Joe Calafiore said.

The figure was created by Melbourne sculptor Particia Piccinini, who was briefed by a trauma surgeon and a crash investigator on what it should look like.

As the commission says on its website:

Graham has been designed with bodily features that might be present in humans if they had evolved to withstand the forces involved in crashes. Studies have shown that the human body can only cope with impacts at speeds people can reach on their own, unassisted by vehicles.

The commission says the real Graham will be on display until Aug. 8 at the State Library of Victoria, when it hits the road. But you can also take a close-up glimpse of Graham’s features online.