The answer is yes, and science proves this.
Weight and size are major factors. Smaller vehicles are typically lighter and don’t provide the same degree of safety that heavy, larger vehicles do. A motorist in a small car who collides with an SUV or a truck that weighs around two or three tons is more likely to have severe injuries than the person in the larger vehicle.
While some say that technological improvements make small cars just as safe, there’s no ignoring the way that energy is transferred between large and small objects during a collision. More energy is always going to be imposed upon the smaller object (a smaller motor vehicle).
Sir Issac Newton also backs this up. He found that the size of an object affects the amount of force required to start or stop its movements. The smaller the object, the less force it takes to speed it up or slow it down. Moreover, the opposite is also true: the larger the object, the more force that’s needed to start or stop it.
Supporting Research
A recent study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that 15 of 20 car models with the highest death rates were small cars. After studying driver fatalities, they found that smaller vehicles offer less protections for occupants in the event of an accident.
With Michigan roads seeing more large SUVs, sedans, extended cab pick-ups, and commercial trucks, smaller cars have an increased risk of accidents with a vehicle with greater mass. When smaller cars are involved in accidents with larger vehicles, it’s nearly always the smaller vehicle that has more damage, and that includes injuries to the driver and passengers.
It’s a scientific fact that larger vehicles have height, size, and shape advantages over smaller vehicles. Despite this, experts acknowledge that how you operate your vehicle is the most important safety factor. A person’s comfort level in the vehicle, along with their ability to interpret road and road conditions, can have major influence on an individual’s likelihood of being involved in an accident.
How to Avoid Auto Accidents
Whether an individual drives a small or large vehicle, there are a number of things to bear in mind while driving on Michigan streets and highways. Most importantly, it’s critical to stay alert when on the road. Minimize distractions, such as listening to loud music or using a handheld device. In addition, consuming substances like alcohol, marijuana, and certain prescription drugs can dramatically affect your ability to stay alert and aware when driving. Play it safe and avoid these while driving.
Anyone who gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle—no matter the size—should be knowledgeable about the rules of the road and the way to operate their vehicle safely. Whether you’re traveling cross country or a few blocks to the market, being alert while driving can be the difference between an uneventful journey and a life-altering accident.
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Manufacturers have added many safety precautions aimed at minimizing injuries in automobile accidents in smaller vehicles, but there’s not a lot they can do to change the laws of physics. When accidents happen, big vehicles will come out on top when colliding with smaller ones.
If you or a family member has been involved in an auto accident in Michigan, you may be entitled to compensation for serious injuries. You need a reliable Michigan car accident attorney that understands the Michigan no-fault insurance laws and can get you what you deserve.
For a free consultation with an experienced auto accident attorney in Michigan, contact Buchanan Firm. Our firm proudly serves people all across Michigan, including major cities like Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Detroit, Lansing, Holland, St. Joe, and Ann Arbor, and rural towns such as Lowell, Ada, Fremont, Newaygo, Grand Haven, Rockford, and Cedar Springs. We will meet you after hours, at home, or in the hospital to accommodate you.