If you have seen some of the adverts for SUV’s, you’ll know they trade on two promises. First, a vehicle capable of adventure, and second, a vehicle that will keep your family safe.
So, it might come as a surprise to learn these vehicles can be far more dangerous than your average family saloon. Here is why.
Protecting those inside comes at a cost to others
Modern SUVs are about the same size as the M4 Sherman tanks used in World War 2 and they are not limited to 30mph. Tanks were built big to protect the occupants from the danger of war. Most SUVs are running to the store or dropping the kids off at school. By overbuilding them, manufacturers have created something far more lethal to anyone they hit, be they in another vehicle or on foot or bicycle.
This is partly because the greater mass of SUVs will transmit much force than a family saloon in a crash, and partly that the raised fronts will hit anyone in their way higher up the body where their vital organs are located.
They can also increase the risk of a crash
Many who purchase SUVs do so for the higher vantage point, allowing them a better view of the road. Yet the bulky, reinforced pillars these vehicles have around the windows work against that by obscuring the driver’s view much more than the pillars of a standard car.
The high front also obscures the driver’s view of anything close up in front of them, such as a cyclist or a child crossing the road.
If an SUV strikes you or a loved one, it is likely to result in severe injury or death. Learning how to hold the driver responsible for compensation will be crucial.
