Abstract: An impact absorbing device is provided for a vehicle having a bumper. The device comprises an energy absorber having an axis along which it is reducible in length at a substantially uniform rate in response to an impact force to absorb the energy of impact. At last one bendable plate is secured between the vehicle frame and bumper adjacent to but spaced vertically from the energy absorber. When the bumper is impacted with a force at an angle to said axis, the plate will bend in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis and constrain the energy absorber to reduce in length along the axis and absorb the impacting force.