What is difficult for car designers to design around is a tree or pole hit at high speed. The entire energy of the collision is focused on a very small area. It acts like a knife shearing the car apart. If the car can bounce off due to angle of attack or rigidity of the area hit all the better, however if the tree or pole can dig in, the dividing process begins untill the car is in two pieces or untill it reaches something something more substantial.
Had the Malibu Enzo hit the pole a foot further forward the out come probably would have been completely different for the occupants.
There is a photo on the internet of a boxter wreck where a tree or pole was hit at high speed head on. Since it was a boxter it probably was at a slower speed than these Enzo crashes since the Enzo can accelerate so quickly. The tree parted the car through the middel all the way to the engine. (seats laying on the ground again) The doors were still attached but were under the car flat against the ground. The car was not even recognizeable. The steering wheel with deployed air bag did not even stay with the car.
I have assumed many of the tragic deaths we read about in WRC racing were due to trees. I'm not sure exactly of the quote, but a driver was asked if they watch out for the spectators, he said no they watch out for trees.
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