Over the years, pickup trucks and SUVs in the United States have been growing. Over the last three decades, the average height of a vehicle has increased by roughly 8 inches. While you may see some vehicles that look relatively the same – such as convertibles – a quick look at any pickup truck lot will show you that these vehicles in particular have drastically increased in size.
This is a serious problem for pedestrians, who are being killed as a direct result. One study found that fatal pedestrian accidents are 45% more common when vehicles have “higher front end and blunt profiles.” An example of this is the most recent iteration of the GMC Sierra, a massive pickup truck with a flat front end that could reach the shoulder on an adult – and that would tower over a child.
Why are fatalities more likely?
One reason that fatalities are more likely is that people are experiencing more head and neck injuries. It’s also more likely that the vehicle will run someone over, especially if they are a child.
But a big part of the problem is that these pickup truck drivers struggle to control their vehicles in a safe manner. Massive trucks tend to have huge blind spots. If a pickup truck driver was stopped at an intersection and a child was walking through the crosswalk in front of the truck, the driver may never see them at all. They literally would not know that anyone was there until they had struck them and perhaps caused fatal injuries.
If the pickup truck bloat trend doesn’t change, expect more injuries and accidents every year. If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, then you need to know how to seek financial compensation.