There’s been a trend in the United States for a while now where people are buying oversized vehicles. Compare the size of a pickup truck today to one from the 70s, for instance, and it’s immediately clear that these trucks have gotten enormous. Go to any grocery store and you’ll see plenty of huge SUVs and empty pickup trucks littering the parking lot.
One of the reasons that people cite for buying these vehicles is that they believe they’ll be safer if they get in an accident. And it is true that those in larger vehicles tend to sustain less severe injuries than those in smaller vehicles in the event of a crash, because the size of the vehicle itself can protect them. If they hit a smaller vehicle, less energy is transferred into the larger truck, and so they will be relatively safer as a result.
The converse is also true
But the problem with these trucks and SUVs is that the opposite is true – they are putting people in smaller vehicles in far greater danger than they would be otherwise. Every person who drives an oversized vehicle because they want to stay safe is – perhaps unintentionally – increasing the odds of fatal injuries for everyone who is in a small convertible, a coupe or a sedan. Regardless of which driver causes a crash, the odds of serious injuries for the person in the smaller car are just going to be vastly higher.
Studies have also found that these large vehicles are a major threat to cyclists and pedestrians. Oftentimes, the issue is that they hit these individuals while turning. Some vehicles are so tall that the driver can’t even see someone standing directly in front of it. Many drivers will turn and cause a serious or even fatal crash, but they will honestly say that they never saw the other person. That’s because their vehicle prevented them from doing so.
Seeking compensation for your injuries
Have you been injured in a crash caused by someone in one of these oversized vehicles, or have you tragically lost a loved one in a fatal crash? If so, you may be able to see compensation for medical bills, lost earnings, funeral costs and other losses. Seeking legal guidance is a good way to learn more.