In this paper the results are reported of sixty-nine lateral collision tests, which were performed to investigate the collision resistance of plates. For the tests a collision testing machine of spring-roller conveyer type was designed and fabricated. Using this machine, various plates were tested with different masses and velocities and various headers of the striker. A simple analytical method has also been developed to predict the extent of damage of struck plates due to lateral collision. In the method, it is assumed that the kinetic energy of the striker can be dissipated by the formation of yield lines and membrane tensions in the impacted plate. The calculated predictions of extent of damage using the developed method have been substantiated with the test results, which shows reasonably acceptable correlations.