It's just me, but I feel safer moving 16 gallons of highly explosive liquid further away than 4 inches from me inside the small confines of a truck cab. The farthes it can be moved is coincidently between the frame rails behind the differential.
If we shared the road with jet planes instead of pin-headed, two celled idiots I would say the odds were the same. But until we can get our trucks to fly I would guess that the odds were better of a fuel leakage inside the cab after a collission.
One of the greatest threats to human survival in automobile collisions is fire. Ruptured fuel tanks, filler tubes, and fuel lines are predominant factors in crash fire situations. Once substantial fuel spillage has occurred, the probability that fuel will come into contact with an ignition source is high. "Due to the extreme temperatures encountered, perhaps not more than twenty seconds are available for escape from burning automobiles, even with a protective fire suit."
In September, 1967, Fairchild Hiller submitted its final report to the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Safety Bureau, a public document entitled Investigation of Motor Vehicle Performance Standards for Fuel Tank Protection, which concluded that the safest position for a gas tank in a passenger automobile was above the rear axle, between the rear wheels,
"removed from the area of high probability of damage or repair."
"One of the better methods for reducing the possibility of a failure of the tank during a crash would be to locate the tank in a well protected area:"
Removing the tank from the area of high probability of damage and rupture represents the most cost-effective modification and "represents the minimum cost of tank protection."
This study also concluded that the probability of fire was highest in side collisions [when comparing front engine cars, rear engine cars, conventional trucks and cab-over-engine trucks] for a conventional truck when struck in the side by a conventional car.
The safest place to relocate a fuel tank is between the frame rails between the rear wheels. That is not really possible in pickup trucks unless you stop using them as trucks. Next best place is inside the rails behind the differential and protected by the frame and a bumper. But not, 4 inches away from me inside an enclosed cab!!
I'll choose aldente as opposed to extra crispy every time....
