We can talk about how great muscle cars were in all sorts of ways, from performance to looks to the guttural roar of a big block engine. But classic muscle cars had a lot of drawbacks too; they weren’t the best handling cars, and compared to today, safety features were few and far between. You’re lucky to have power brakes, seat belts, and a collapsible steering column.

When we first saw these pictures on DodgeCharger.com, we were certain it was a fatal wreck. But as it turned out, this old car may have saved the driver’s life.

The car belong to Thomas Raul, whose pride and joy was a ’69 Dodge Charger with a 383 engine. It was a very clean looking Charger R/T at one point, as these pictures show. But that can all change in an instant.

According to Raul, he was hit by a “big Chevy truck” and slammed against the guardrail. The passenger’s side was devastated, and hard there been someone sitting there, this no doubt would have been a fatal crash.

But according to an officer on the scene, had the driver been in a more modern vehicle, he might not have survived. It all depends on what that vehicle was, of course, but the Charger is a beefy car, despite its lack of safety features, and Raul walked away with a few fractures in his face, though he doesn’t remember the accident or the helicopter ride to the hospital.

He’s already planning on getting another Charger, and will salvage what he can. Apparently Lady Luck was riding shotgun on this day.