SUV Safety Issues: Getting More Serious

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Automobiles )



SUV safety, or the lack of it, has become a primordial concern among American motorists. In a survey by an independent insurance agents group of America, nearly four out of five SUV and car owners felt strongly that safety changes to the basic design of the SUV should be made to reduce risk to occupants. The survey concluded that this huge majority opinion underscores public concern that the SUV seems unable to coexist with cars on America's roads.

One source of this concern, if you are an SUV owner, is that SUV accidents often involve rollovers. You may have bought your SUV for safety purposes, but the opposite is actually true. When an SUV swerves to avoid an accident, it is four times more likely to roll over than the usual passenger car.

The vehicle's high center of gravity makes it less stable than passenger cars. In recent years, there have been ninety-eight rollover accidents for every million miles traveled by SUVs, but only forty-seven per million miles for all other types of vehicles. This should trouble you because rollover accidents result in a higher rate of injuries and fatalities than other kinds of accidents.

The other worry is that SUVs pose an increasing danger to the occupants of other cars. Your ordinary SUV sits eight inches higher than the ordinary car; it is also much heavier and has a more rigid frame than a car. Federal agency tests show that the height and frames of SUVs are the more significant reason for their extra danger to people in smaller cars; differences in vehicle weight are less important factors. These tests point to a need to change the design of SUVs.

SUV accidents also uncover other safety issues, such as SUV headlights placement. The question is whether car manufacturers will take these concerns seriously and respond accordingly.


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