Fatal SUV Crashes Dropping With Newer Models | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

Being a defensive driver just got a little easier. As a Virginia (VA) car accident injury attorney, I know that, traditionally, in crashes involving a car and an SUV, the SUV usually wins and that most people would agree that SUV’s are dangerous to other drivers. The reason being is that the large flat front of most SUV’s is at the right height to cause the most damage to a car.

So much damage, in fact, that during 2000-2001 the fatal accident rate caused by SUV’s was 44 deaths per million registered vehicles. As the years progressed advanced safety design and technology in SUV’s has decreased fatal car accidents by 64 percent. That’s over half in only seven years. Now there are only 16 deaths per million registered vehicles. That’s great news that SUV manufacturers are not just making their product safe for their drivers but safe for other motorists who may come in contact with their product during an accident. 

Though SUV accident injuries and deaths are improving I’d like to see the same sort of safety measures added to big trucks. Car accidents that involve bigger vehicles such as commercial trucks — sometimes called big rigs, semis, 18-wheelers or tractor-trailers — that weigh considerably more than cars can cause considerably more damage and more serious personal injuries. While the average American car weighs just over 4,000 pounds, a fully loaded commercial tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds.This means that the trucks are harder to slow down, harder to control, and make a much bigger impact when they crash.

If you are injured in a car accident with a SUV or any other vehicle, I recommend reading our free consumer guide titled Best Guide to Car Accident Injuries in Virginia.

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