Cars Safer Than SUVs?

The New York Times reports Safety Gap Grows Wider Between S.U.V.'s and Cars.

And, yes, it is ironic that people buy SUVs in order to be safer yet, as the article claims

People driving or riding in a sport utility vehicle in 2003 were nearly 11 percent more likely to die in an accident than people in cars, the figures show. The government began keeping detailed statistics on the safety of vehicle categories in 1994.

Here's the deal: you aren't safer should a major accident occur. You may feel safer but that doesn't change the fact that you're not. We used to argue with our pal Philip Powell about this and you know what? He's right. Smaller, cars are safer because they have a lower center of gravity (and so aren't prone to roll over as easily) and partly because being very nimble they can avoid the accident altogether. For clarification, by smaller he doesn't necessarily mean a two-seater... he means a Honda Accord compared to a Hummer H2. Dagnabbit Philip, you're right again!

Comments

[CAR SMASHER]

Trucks will crush cars in accidents...yes its true that cars can maneuver quicker but most accidents are unpreventable therefore it is your decision to either be crushed in a little honda or be the one to walk away from it in a dodge, ford, chevy or any other kind of truck. And whoever was talking about the trailers..you cant even pull a trailer with a small car so what are you talking about.. if you get t-boned in a car you break every bone in your body.. and i have had numerous friends roll trucks multiple times from accidents and walk away from it.. and if you are that concerned about rolling throw a roll cage in your truck.... what it comes down to is either be able to maneuver well and then when that one accident comes that is unavoidable..u get crushed, or be able to drive comfortably and not have to worry about being crushed like a bug and be able to walk away from accidents.. but not have that same maneuvering skills a car has.. thats why i drive a truck.. not a car.. i want to tell the story of my crash...not have a friend tell it after you died because you wanted to maneuver around a 3500 and got smashed like a pop can..

[CAR SMASHER]

Trucks will crush cars in accidents...yes its true that cars can maneuver quicker but most accidents are unpreventable therefore it is your decision to either be crushed in a little honda or be the one to walk away from it in a dodge, ford, chevy or any other kind of truck. And whoever was talking about the trailers..you cant even pull a trailer with a small car so what are you talking about.. if you get t-boned in a car you break every bone in your body.. and i have had numerous friends roll trucks multiple times from accidents and walk away from it.. and if you are that concerned about rolling throw a roll cage in your truck.... what it comes down to is either be able to maneuver well and then when that one accident comes that is unavoidable..u get crushed, or be able to drive comfortably and not have to worry about being crushed like a bug and be able to walk away from accidents.. but not have that same maneuvering skills a car has.. thats why i drive a truck.. not a car.. i want to tell the story of my crash...not have a friend tell it after you died because you wanted to maneuver around a 3500 and got smashed like a pop can..

[valentina]

According to NHTCA only 3-8% of all fatalities in this country are drivers of large trucks. This is a statistical fact, not an opinion. :)

[George]

If an on coming driver hits you head on and you're both going 40 MPH you're both dead. With the passenger car you got better chance go get out of the way. A small car going 40 has the same kinetic energy as an F-350 going 30. You can stop faster with passenger car too! The END OF STORY is as follows:
statistically you're more likely to die in an SUV/truck as far as I know or it's very close at best.

The best arguement you can say to oppose this IMHO is as follows: The statistics are flaud because they do not take into account the individual personality charactoristics of the people who buy SUV's and/or trucks. Prehaps if all the *individuals* who own SUV/trucks had cars they would suffer a even higher mortality rate. I doubt this is true though. But some statistics have this type of bias. I forget what the term for this type of bias in a statistic is, if there is one.

[mike]

the people that think SUVs are more safe than "standard" smaller cars are misinformed. the smaller cars, may not seem as luxurious or nice looking on the outside, but i cant almost guarantee you that they're 1. more affordable 2. better on gas 3. more safe 4. in my opinion, look better. SUVs just seem ridiculous and again, are more dangerous than "standard" smaller cars, but if you feel like crashing and not being able to avoid wrecks and possibly death, fine. but don't endanger people who do have smaller cars with your gigantic Escalade by rolling over on them and crushing their cars...but wait, they would probably be able to avoid that once they saw your monster of a SUV airborne and inevitable of a catastophe. thank you.

[Acccord man]

Yes.. should someone come careening into ur lane.. and you try to avoud it, you will mash the brake and swerve and then tip over.

So then you die, not cause of the person careening into your lane. Its cause you tried to avoid it and sent the vehicle bouncing over, cause of its high center of gravity. Where as in one of my Honda Accords, Id have an excellent chance of surviving any collision, not to mention if anyone tried anything stupid, I could get out of the lane of danger with a quick and fast move. Something that can not be accomplished in an SUV or high truck.

SUVS do not do accident avoidance manuevers well. And instead of being smacked from behind or up front, the suv rolls over. Heck id prefer to be T-boned rather than being airborn and tipping over. As for body mass, a 2dr sedan is worse than a 4dr, cause you have more room to spread out. If you know anything about crash safety and front ends of cars, they are supposed to fall apart. They take that crash pressure and remove it from the human in the drivers seat.

So yes... you go driving around in your f-350, thinking your safe, go pull a trailer or I bet you just take it to the mall or the highways where most suvs go. And if its a truck, I doubt you use it. SO load it up add a trailer, then let me watch ur stupid ass when you jack knife cause someone cut you off and you cant avoid it..

Your fault.. mass is heavy and mass is slow. Flip that sucker like any semi would.

Watch that Honda Accord sedan slide around you and avoid you like you only wished. Your fault.

Keep thinkin mass and size is better, remember Explorer???

[carpundit]

Gloria, I agree that in an UNavoidable accident with another vehicle, you're better off being in the bigger vehicle (by mass), all things being equal.

The point of the statistics is that many accidents are AVOIDABLE. More so if you're in a car. And even more so if you count not rolling as part of avoidance.

On balance, it seems, SUVs are more dangerous.

[Gloria]

Let me put it this way: If a crazed driver in an on coming vehicle suddenly jumps into my lane, I would much rather be in my F-350 truck than a Toyota, Mitsubishi, Volkswagon, etc., etc., etc..... End of story.