What would we look like if we had evolved to survive the forces in a car crash?
We look the way we do because of what can happen at the speeds we reach naturally, like running into a wall, and we've evolved to protect our important parts at those forces.
If we'd evolved to deal with what happens in a car crash, we might look more like Graham.
Australia's Transport Accident Commission designed Graham, a life-like, interactive sculpture, along with a trauma surgeon, an artist and crash investigation expert David Logan.
"In the modern world we're subjecting our body to much higher speeds, and the body just doesn't have the physiology to absorb the energy when things go wrong," says Dr Logan.
(TAC - Victoria State Government / supplied)
"People can survive running at full pace into a wall but when you're talking about collisions involving vehicles, the speeds are faster, the forces are greater and the chances of survival are much slimmer," says TAC chief executive Joe Calafiore.
As the new face and body of Australia's road safety campaign, it's hoped Graham will highlight just how weak our traditional human bodies are in a car crash and get people to take more care on the roads.
"We have to accept people will always make mistakes, but modern vehicle safety technology and safe road design can drastically reduce the forces involved when a crash happens, making them more survivable," Mr Calafiore says.
The interactive sculpture of Graham is currently on display at the State Library of Victoria, before he goes on a roadtrip of his own.
And those not in the area don't have to miss out - Graham's also got his own website.
Newshub.
