Safe Driving — Your SUV or Pickup More Likely to Hit or Kill a Pedestrian

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently took a look at pedestrian deaths caused by autos. It found SUVs and pickup trucks are more likely than a car to hit a pedestrian.

And when they do hit a pedestrian, they’re much more likely to kill them.

After examining thousands of single vehicle and single pedestrian accidents at, or near, intersections, the institute noted, “more research will be needed to understand the role of visibility in these crashes.” However, breaking it down, pickups and SUVs are large and often very high off the ground.

Drivers are more likely to hit something if they don’t know its there.

More people were killed when turning than by a vehicle traveling in a straight line. Left turns are more dangerous than right turns. The type of vehicle also matters. Pickups are the most dangerous followed — in order — by vans, minivans and then SUVs.

Cars are the least likely to kill.

“SUVs and pickups were associated with 51 percent and 25 percent greater odds than cars of killing a pedestrian walking or running along the road versus a fatal straight-on crash with a crossing pedestrian,” the IIHS said.

The size of the vehicle is what matters most. The IIHS said a report from Consumer Reports found the hoods of full-size trucks and SUVs are 24% taller than they were in 2000.

That has left those vehicles with a dangerous blind spot. 

What the IIHS cannot explain is why turns are more fatal than they were in the past. It says more study is needed on that one. One suggestion from researchers is thicker pillars between the windshield and the drivers side window limit what can be seen by the driver.

Source link: Kelly Blue Book — https://bit.ly/3Iv0APG