Higher point of impact makes SUV crashes more dangerous for cyclists
Higher point of impact makes SUV crashes more dangerous for cyclists
Fatal bicycle crash rates have risen dramatically over the past decade. The increasing numbers of SUVs in the U.S. fleet, and their taller front ends, could help explain why.
Ground-impact injuries — a frequent cause of head injuries — were more than twice as common in SUV crashes than those involving cars, the study showed. The findings follow earlier IIHS research that showed SUVs are more lethal than cars to pedestrians despite design changes that have made them less dangerous to other vehicles. That study also traced the increased risk to the height of SUVs’ front ends.
Fatal bicycle crash rates have risen dramatically over the past decade. In 2020, 932 bicyclists were killed on U.S. roads, up from a low of 621 in 2010. One reason may be the dominance of pickups and SUVs in the U.S. vehicle fleet. Research consistently shows that such larger vehicles are more dangerous to bicyclists than cars.
Outside of the US the kinds of people that drive these stupidly large vehicles are generally speaking entitled pricks or men who need it as an extension of their 'manliness' or a combo of both. So I am always extra vigilant around them because you know they won't be signalling or paying any attention to other road users 90℅ of the time.
my bane are the 30 something women that seem to have a very well earning husband, drive around the SUV to drop off /pick up the kids at school and do groceries when normal people work.Telltale sign is them wearing huge sunglasses no matter the weather and often being distracted on a phone call while driving with one hand.
I had a lot of close calls with thse kind of scummy drivers, more so than men. But it could also be because my way to work goes through the posh quarter and i avoid the main streets. Did i mention in thos that the streets have cars parking on both sides, so there is only 1.5 lanes in the middle, where small cars can pass each other, but big brain big car drivers regularly shout at each other that the other one should make way for them?
Yeh, you are describing exactly the kind of person I meant under the "entitled prick" moniker. Driving their special edition Range Rover supercharged V8 to do the school run each day whilst bitching to Candice on their phone and not paying much attention to the road beyond confirming they are still moving in a vaguely forward direction.
Crossovers are becoming way more popular than sedans in Europe. And crossovers also have a high front end. It’s not just the SUV driven by agro men that are a danger for cyclist.
And I've nearly been hit by a soccer mom in a SUV last week in Germany. I honestly don't care about the driver's gender, aggression level or colour of the car, they are stupid and I don't want to get hit by them.
Inside the US, too
Outside of the US the kinds of people that drive these stupidly large vehicles are generally speaking entitled pricks or men who need it as an extension of their 'manliness' or a combo of both.
That's weird, it's often true inside the US as well. Generally its an oversized truck/SUV that has had some sort of mods or acceessories put on it (Lift, lights, wheels that stick out, artificial plastic testicles, etc) that are driven by the problem people. A plain, basic F150 or whatever is probably a company truck.
I doubt companies buy F150s because of the reduced carrying capacity (the side walls of the truck slope inwards) and the danger to other road users. Unless the bed of the truck is modded to have toolboxes or a crane or something.
I’d love it if cars in the US got smaller again. People everywhere else in the world get by ok without having a pickup the size of a semi truck. Don’t know why it’s so accepted in the US.
I can tell you: it's CAFE regulations.
I would love if the US had kei cars. Or a class of smaller cheaper electric cars (the kind you see on Alibaba/amazon) with a top speed of forty mph https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car
They don't need to be cheap or low quality either. There are premium cars like Honda e. And regular all rounders like Nissan Sakura.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighborhood_Electric_Vehicle
This exists. Not quite 40 but still.
Microcars don't really work in the US because nearly all road development is designed around allowing everyone to get anywhere in a very big very fast car.
What is the benefit to owning a small or slow car in most parts of the US?
I got hit (T-bone collision) by a work van this summer and it had a slanted nose so that the point of contact was between the bumper and the side of my front wheel. But because of the lever action between the traction of the wheels and the sideways motion at the point of contact, I was thrown sideways onto the ground in the direction the van was moving. If the nose was taller, I probably would've broken my arm or my leg due to a higher impact on the side. But a lot of my bruises (no broken bones yay) were where I touched the ground or where the bike was violently moved between my legs (my body colliding with the bike seat and the frame).
In Denver, a cyclist died in a collision. And then, the bright, white-painted memorial bicycle at the site, surrounded by candles and flowers was crashed into by another vehicle!
My old Honda has a low and slanted front end (kind of like a wedge). At the time, Honda was crowing about enhanced pedestrian safety and how the wedge would scoop the pedestrian (or cyclist) up onto the hood rather than tossing them under the car.
Dunno about that, but I can say it is far easier to see over the nose of that old Honda than over the damn nose of newer cars I’ve driven.