See my 2nd post on crashes. If you design the van to be rigid (such as a super brush bar) you actually end up (if you bounce) worse off. On the other hand, if you can make your van burrow into the other vehicle..... less momentum change, and much less K.E. change .... hmmm. If I see a Westfalia with a battering ram on front, I'll know to stay out of the way....