Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
SUV Manufacturers Duping Consumers?
The purchase of an SUV is an exhilarating experience. You have a powerful vehicle, you’re up above the road-and most other vehicles-and you’re safe. However, this is successful marketing, not safety.
SUVs are proportionally very high in rollover accident deaths and injuries.
Then what makes them so attractive to the average car buyer?
The auto makers use several techniques to entice you to purchase an SUV rather than another vehicle.
Most people assume that SUVs are safer to drive than other vehicles. The height of the vehicle and its weight make you feel protected. It’s true that the extra visibility can be beneficial, but it does not offset the dangers. The driver of an SUV might feel that he’s “looking down” on other vehicles, which is very powerful and leads to dangerous driving practices.
The size and perceived safety of an SUV leads to some other unsafe driving practices. When a driver feels safe, he or she might not drive as carefully as would someone driving a smaller vehicle. The driver feels that the size of the SUV provides protection, but it really doesn’t due to numerous design flaws.
SUV drivers are less likely to wear seatbelts, again believing that the size of the vehicle will protect them. This is especially dangerous since the main cause of deaths in SUV accidents occurs when the roof collapses in a rollover and the occupants slam into the roof as they turn upside down. After a vehicle roof collapse, the doors and windows often collapse, allowing unbelted occupants to be ejected from the vehicle.
Marketing Plays a Large Part in the Attraction of SUVs
The commercials show the vehicle being driven through forests, in the mountains or across the desert. However, very few SUVs are ever driven on off-road terrain and even if they are, the narrow wheelbase and tendency to tip makes them dangerous.
Even the names given to different models-Pathfinder, Explorer, Mountaineer, Forester-are designed to appeal to the adventurous spirit, not a soccer mom.
When you decide to purchase a new vehicle, research the vehicle’s safety features before you buy. Make sure the automakers don’t influence your decision with their deceptive advertising.
