HOUSTON – Numbers show that more and more people are buying trucks and SUVs. A recent survey says in 2021, close to 80% of the new car sales in the United States were SUVs and trucks, compared to almost 53% 10 years ago.
“The vehicles that we’re driving today are bigger than they’ve ever been before... and especially the front-end of the vehicles... they are high and flat and they can obscure the view,” Joe Cutrufo with BikeHouston said.
We’re talking about blind spots. Cameras were mandated in all cars by 2018 to eliminate the risk of crashes and increase safety for cars moving backward. The blind zone in front of high-profile vehicles is equally as dangerous.
In our report, we partnered with Cutrufo to show how easy it can be for small children to be hidden from the driver’s front view when traveling in a high-profile vehicle.
“It’s not just about the blind spots in front of the vehicle, it’s about the shape and size and the scale of these vehicles. When you’re hit by a small passenger sedan, you’re usually scooped up onto the hood and tossed aside. You might have some broken bones, but you’ll live. When you’re hit by a truck or SUV, especially a late model truck or SUV, you’re hitting your vital organs, and you’re hitting your head. Chances are you’re thrown to the ground,” Cutrufo explained.
This demonstration speaks volumes in terms of how dangerous distracting driving can be, especially when in a high-profile vehicle around children. Joe Cutrufo with BikeHouston wants drivers to understand how quickly your vehicle can unintentionally turn into a weapon. This is why it is so important for drivers to be highly aware of their surroundings, slow down around school zones and avoid all distractions.
“It’s all about speed and mass. It used to be that if you got hit by a vehicle going 30 MPH, you had about a 50% chance of survival, but that was about 25 years ago when vehicles were smaller,” according to Cutrufo.