This study examines the effect of engineered triggering mechanisms, implemented as cracks, on the crashworthiness performance of square tubes fabricated from carbon fiber-reinforced polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG-CF). The specimens were produced using 3D printing technology and then subjected to quasi-static axial compression tests to evaluate their energy absorption and structural performance. The research specifically examines the effects of three critical crack parameters: crack angle (θ), crack length (L), and crack thickness (T), each varied across three distinct levels. Throughout the experiments, detailed failure mechanisms were recorded, and data on crush load and energy absorption as a functions of displacement were accurately collected. To optimize the experimental design and minimize the number of test runs, an L9 orthogonal array based on the Taguchi method was employed. The study aims to find the optimal parameters that result in superior crush performance, characterized by a reduction in initial peak crush force ( ) and enhancement in key indicators such as total energy absorption (U), mean crush force ( ), specific energy absorption (SEA), and crushing force efficiency (CFE). The resulting optimum specimens were then compared against an intact square tube without any cracks to assess the improvements in crashworthiness performance. The experimental results revealed that, compared to the intact specimen, the optimum design exhibited a 20.38% reduction in , while U, , SEA, and CFE increased by 10.40, 22.57, 24.48, and 67.92%, respectively, demonstrating the effectiveness of crack-based design in enhancing energy dissipation and improving structural efficiency.