Large vehicles can pose risks, according to a study.
Large vehicles can be dangerous, – study
According to IIHS research, larger vehicles pose a greater risk to other drivers.
Many drivers believe that the bigger the vehicle, the safer it is in a frontal collision. However, a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicates that there comes a point when "bigger" does not necessarily mean "better."
In fact, the study shows that heavier vehicles do not significantly improve safety levels and, in some cases, present a greater risk to drivers of other vehicles.
On average, new cars sold in the U.S. weigh about 4000 pounds (1814 kg). It is evident that the average SUV and pickup truck are heavier than the average car, which during the period from 2017 to 2022 weighed approximately 3308 pounds (1500 kg). New data indicates that for vehicles that weigh less than the market average, the risk of passenger fatalities in accidents significantly decreases by each additional 500 pounds (227 kg) of weight. However, an increase in weight above 4000 pounds does little to change this average.
For instance, adding 500 pounds to vehicles below the average fleet weight reduced driver fatality rates by 17 deaths per million vehicles. In comparison, adding 500 pounds to the average weight of a pickup truck only reduced driver fatalities by one death per million vehicles.
IIHS has been studying the compatibility of vehicles of different sizes in crashes for many years. The compatibility of cars from different segments has improved over time, and modern pickups and SUVs now have front ends that better align with the front ends of smaller cars.
From 2011 to 2016, car passengers were 90% more likely to die in crashes involving SUVs weighing over 5000 pounds (2267 kg) compared to crashes involving other vehicles. Since then, the situation has improved. Data from 2017 to 2022 shows that this increased risk of passenger fatalities in cars has significantly decreased to 20%. Similarly, from 2011 to 2016, pickups were 2.5 times more likely to be involved in fatal accidents than cars, and this figure has decreased to less than half from 2017 to 2022.
“It’s a positive development that cars and SUVs are now closer in weight,” – said IIHS President David Harkey. — “These figures show that transitioning to lighter pickups can also have significant benefits, especially since many drivers do not use their pickups for transporting heavy loads.”
According to IIHS senior statistician Sam Monfort, “Heavier-than-average vehicles are more likely to collide with lighter vehicles, while the opposite is true for vehicles lighter than average. This analysis shows that opting for an ultra-heavy vehicle does not make you safer but creates a greater danger for others.”
Therefore, if someone is considering switching to a more powerful SUV or pickup truck for safety reasons, this study illustrates the fallacy of such a decision.