The proliferation of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in recent years has made them a ubiquitous fixture on America's highways. For many drivers, the considerable mass and tall stature of a sport utility vehicle gives them an increased sense of security on the road. Until recently, that comfort spelled danger for motorists in smaller vehicles.
Historically, occupants of cars and minivans have been much more likely to die in a collision with an SUV than in a collision with another car or minivan.
However, a new study, from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), shows that automobile manufacturers' voluntary safety improvements have greatly reduced this risk.
The largest part of the effort involved redesigning sport utility vehicles' front ends to better match with the bumpers of cars and minivans. Before the redesign, many rear end collisions became fatal when the SUV would override the lower bumper of a car or minivan, causing the smaller vehicle to become trapped underneath the SUV. The new alignment allows the vehicles to better absorb the energy from a crash, keeping the danger away from the passenger cabin.
Manufacturers also undertook efforts to improve smaller vehicles' structural integrity, allowing them to better withstand an impact with an SUV. They also sought to improve the smaller vehicles' side-impact protection by installing side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control systems.
Risk Diminished, but Still Present
According to the IIHS study, these improvements caused a 63 percent drop in fatal accidents between cars or minivans and SUVs weighing between 3,000 and 3,499 pounds. For the largest vehicles - SUVs weighing over 5,000 pounds - the death rate declined by 45 percent.
While this is a marked improvement, it does not mean the danger is gone. Much of the danger in a car accident boils down to simple physics - a larger, heavier vehicle is almost always going to cause more damage than a smaller one under the same circumstances.
When shopping for a new car, consumers should be sure to choose one that has the new safety features. All 2009 and newer SUVs are required to have the redesigned front end, but some manufacturers implemented the changes as early as 2004. Electronic stability control systems and side curtain airbags are available in many vehicles, but are not yet mandatory.
The risk of a fatal accident is always present, but it can be greatly reduced by choosing a vehicle that has been intentionally designed to maximize safety. If either you or a family member has been injured in a car crash, you should contact an experienced Rochester car accident lawyer who can review your options with you.
