Higher vehicle hoods significantly increase pedestrian deaths, study finds

Re:Higher vehicle hoods significantly increase pedestrian de... by B56b on Tuesday January 23, 2024 @04:35PM (#39110221)

With the ubiquity of SUVs at this point I can't imagine that many of them are being sold to men wanting to feel more "Rugged". I would think the vast majority are bought by those who want the additional space and safety of these cars, like families. It's going to be very difficult to convince consumers to drive cars smaller cars they see as less safe without some significant costs imposed on larger cars.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Higher vehicle hoods significantly increase pedestrian de... by CRConrad on Friday February 02, 2024 @07:32AM (#39227860)

> majority are bought by those who want the additional space and safety of these cars, like families.

The ridicuolus things about this are

1) That amount of interior space needs such a huge exterior only because manufacturers can get away with hugely inefficient packaging -- "Hey, if you want more space than a 1984 Honda Civic, just buy our Humongo-Ultra-Barge in stead of the mere Humongo-Barge!"

2) That safety comes only for the actual occupants of the Humongo-(Ultra-)Barge, at the expense of everyone else -- like, the pedestrians you run over with your Humongo-(Ultra-)Barge because you can't see them from inside your Humongo-(Ultra-)Barge -- and is only necessary because everyone else (except those pedestrians) is also driving around in an Humongo-(Ultra-)Barge.

:: Impose those significant costs larger cars and you'll actually be safer in a smaller car, because then everyone else will also be driving around in smaller cars in stead of Humongo-(Ultra-)Barges.

[ Parent | on HN ]