Vehicle designs are always changing. Sometimes, this is for a practical reason, like implementing new types of technology. Other times, it’s just based on what consumers are purchasing.
For years now, consumers have been interested in buying larger and larger vehicles. SUVs and pickup trucks have been getting bigger, and this has caused other design changes. For instance, these oversized vehicles often have a flat front end, rather than the angled front end you would find on a smaller car.
Why is this a problem?
This is a problem because, statistically, these vehicles kill more pedestrians. An SUV or a pickup truck is 45% more likely to cause a pedestrian fatality if the height of the front hood is more than 40 inches.
There are two reasons for this, the first of which is that a blunt front end tends to knock a pedestrian or a cyclist down, where they are then at risk of being run over. Shorter cars are less likely to do this so, even if they are involved in the same number of accidents, they lead to fewer fatalities.
But the second problem is just that these large vehicles also cause more accidents. They have large blind spots and poor sight lines. A lone driver in an 8,000-pound SUV designed for eight people can barely see the road around them. This leads to many pedestrian accidents at crosswalks, especially involving children.
What can be done?
Unfortunately, this design trend only appears to be continuing, so accidents and fatalities will continue as well. Those who have been injured or who have lost loved ones must be aware of what legal steps they can take to seek proper compensation.
