Over the years, studies have found that large vehicles can be very hazardous on the road. Specifically, researchers have called out the danger of tall vehicles with blunt front ends – like many modern SUVs and pick-up trucks. These designs can be exceedingly dangerous to those in other cars, but especially to pedestrians and cyclists.
Unfortunately, these vehicles are also very much in line with modern buying trends. Consumers buy large vehicles even when they’re not necessary. Therefore, there is a significantly high risk for most drivers of encountering these vehicles, even during something as simple as a daily commute. Below are some reasons why bigger vehicles are more dangerous.
Height and weight
Height and weight are well-known risk factors, as a taller and heavier vehicle will transfer more energy into a smaller vehicle during a collision. Some tall vehicles, such as semi-trucks, can also cause underride accidents, which is when the smaller vehicle slides underneath the larger one. Either way, when there is a big size discrepancy between two vehicles, the smaller vehicle typically faces greater danger.
Large blind spots
Another issue is that these large vehicles often have large blind spots. This is why pick-up trucks and SUVs are such a hazard to children and other pedestrians. Many drivers cannot even see children who are standing directly in front of their vehicles because the child is shorter than the front edge of the hood.
For these reasons and more, large vehicles cause injuries and fatalities every day in the United States. Those who have been injured need to know how to seek maximum financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other related costs.
