For years, it had been an accepted truth for Houston car accident lawyers – occupants of passenger cars and minivans involved in accidents with sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks, had a much higher risk of dying in the accident, than if they had been involved in an accident with other passenger cars and minivans. Fortunately, those risks to smaller vehicle occupants are dropping.
According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the number of people dying in passenger car and minivan accidents involving SUVs and pickup trucks has declined. There are two major reasons for this decline. The first is improved crash protection in passenger cars and minivans. These vehicles are now much more likely to come with crash protection features, including side airbags, and other systems designed to prevent fatal injuries.
Besides, automakers have invested heavily in the redesign of sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks, including better alignment between these vehicles and smaller cars. Better alignment has meant reduced impact to the smaller car in the accident and a reduced risk of death. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration increased pressure on manufacturers of sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks to come up with ways to make these cars less devastating in an accident with smaller cars, resulting in the enhanced design.
Occupants of smaller cars involved in accidents with sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks still have a higher risk of being killed than in accidents involving passenger cars and minivans. However, the risk is now not that much greater than if they had been involved in accidents with other passenger cars.
Vuk Vujasinovic is a Board Certified Houston personal injury attorney who practices Houston auto accident and other personal injury cases.
For more info on how Vuk can help you with your potential case please call him at (877) 724-7800 or fill out the contact form on the right.
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