Are SUV's really safer vehicles?

Andy S

Safer than what? That also depends on how you define safe. There are many considerations. Yes, a rudimentary understanding of the physics of collisions states a larger massed vehicle will better structurally absorb the energy of the impact. However AVOIDING THE COLLISION in the first place would probably be the best safety strategy and SUV's are large (bigger target) and due to mass, accelerate slower, turn more difficultly, and are quite hard to stop. Moreover what good is it to absorb less energy from an impact, if that energy is more likely to result in a rollover, due to the SUV's higher center of gravity, which although it accounts for only 4% of all accidents, is involved in 85% of all traffic fatalities. It may be counterintuitive, but from a strictly survival perspective most cars (Corvair notwithstanding) are 'safer'.

PS: Everyone would also be considerably safer if in addition to a seatbelt, they wore a helmet while driving, which while perhaps foolish looking would make you safer than the overwhelming majority regardless of what car you chose.

soaplakegirl

Yes in the terms that if something hits you it will bounce off better. Also there is more space between you and what ever is hitting you.
No in term that some have horrible blind spots and higher center of gravity than cars, making them more prone to roll overs.

Paul

YES, if DRIVEN safely.

Galaxie500XL

It's kind of a give and take situation.

They do have a greater risk of rollover, which can lead to serious or deadly injuries.

However, statistically, in a collision with another vehicle, SUV passengers tend to fare much better than passengers in smaller cars.

Against tractor trailers, though, no vehicle does especially well in protecting the occupants.

So, in a nutshell, if the accident involves another vehicle of equal or smaller size than the SUV, the SUV occupants do better than the people in smaller cars.

dieself5502002

depends on who is driving the SUV.

Lapin

i prefer the view in an SUV.
also i got rear-ended in my for explorer (it was a 92) i was stopped at a red light and the kid behind me was going about 40mph didn't even slow down. i hardly felt it and came out of it just fine. so did my suv it only had a little dent. the kids new toyota was a wreck! (but he, and all his highschool buddies were also not harmed)

UCANTCME

First of all, if you're not driving properly and wearing a seatbelt, no car is safe

Based on government and consumer groups' research, the safest SUVs to drive and ride in are those that have a wider wheel base and a higher load capacity, and ride closer to the ground.

Not for the person who gets hit by one.

Vince M

Depends on your point of view. If you drive a large SUV and hit a small car, YOU would be much safer. If you were the one in the smaller car, you would consider the SUV much more dangerous to you.

Another issue is that most SUV have a much higher center of gravity. That means that they carry more of their weight higher off the ground than most other cars. This higher center of gravity means that it is easier to make them roll over than, say, a low slung sports car. In a skid, the car may slide around while the SUV may flip over.

And, finally, many SUVs are built up from truck frames. That means that many of the fedral safety features mandated for cars are not included in some of these SUVs. Keep in mind that not ALL SUVs are truck based.

tcman_88

yes and no blind spots and risk of roll over

Mr. KnowItAll

No.
Just bigger.

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