Office of Student Involvement & Leadership

Vehicle Smashing Events

To request an event that involves vehicle smashing or vehicle damaging in any way, complete and submit an Event Request Form through the Involvement Network to at least 6 weeks before the proposed event. Any cost related to a vehicle smashing event must be covered by the sponsoring organization. Additional parameters may be applied as well depending on the circumstances of the event. 

The following safety and risk management parameters will be enforced:

Placement and Removal
  • Location must be properly reserved through existing facilities reservation processes (i.e., the event request process).
  • Vehicle must be placed by a commercial towing company – UT contract required.
  • Vehicle and all debris must be removed by a commercial towing company on the same day as the event before dark.
  • Vehicle must be secured in a way that it does not move with force.
Vehicle Parts that must be removed before towing
  • Fuel tank and all associated fuel supply systems 
  • Battery and all fluid
  • Any device having mechanically stored energy - Includes, but is not limited to airbags and shock absorbers.
  • All glass - Includes, but is not limited to windows, mirrors, and lights.
  • Air from tires - Helps stabilize the vehicle.
set up
  • The vehicle must be placed on two sheets of plastic with a minimum thickness of 10 mil and extending at least 10 feet beyond the edge of the vehicle on all sides.
  • A barrier must be placed around the vehicle at least 10 feet from the edge of the plastic in order to control access to the vehicle.
contestants
  • Only one contestant at a time will be permitted inside the barrier.
  • Contestants must wear full-length pants, a shirt that covers the upper torso and shoes that cover the entire foot.
  • Contestants must wear a hard hat, work gloves and safety goggles. 
  • Sledgehammers must be provided by the organization and must be in sound condition and checked for signs of damage frequently during the event. If the sledgehammer shows any sign of damage, it must immediately be removed from use. Contestants may not bring their own sledgehammer or any other object to strike the vehicle with inside the barrier. 
  • A liability waiver agreement obtained through OSIL must be signed by each contestant. All signed agreements must be submitted to OSIL immediately following the event.
Last Updated: 6/27/22