intheburbs wrote:
You allege vehicles are getting heavier and that is making us less safe.
Let's cut to the chase - vehicle fatalities. If we are becoming less safe in our vehicles, why does the fatality rate continue to drop? If you look at deaths per miles driven, the fatality rate in 1988 was 2.32 per hundred million miles traveled. In 2012, the rate was 1.14. That's a drop of 50%. How can that be?
I'm not arguing we are becoming less safe, I am arguing that making vehicles heavier is not one of the reasons why and that they would be even safer if they were lighter and still met the same criteria when it came to crash testing. Simple energy management.
On Edit. That car Kubica was driving weighed about 1500 lbs including fuel and driver. Making it heavier would not have made it safer.
So, we finally get down to it - it's not "fair" that some people drive big cars or trucks? What do you suggest? Everybody be forced to drive the same size/weight car?
I own a 3/4-ton Suburban because it fits my needs. And frankly, because I can. I can afford the price (bought it with cash, not financed), I can afford the gas (12 MPG), and I like it. Frankly, crashworthiness wasn't even a thought. I understand that it can easily kill me or others, like any other vehicle, and I treat it with respect, just like I'd treat a gun with respect.
I'm not saying it is not fair, look at my sig. I also realize it is not possible for everyone to drive the same size of vehicle. I do say the roads would be a lot safer if everyone was driving Smart Cars than if they were all driving 1T dualies. I just don't think we should have any illusions of what we are about and should admit that by choosing to be "safe" by driving a large heavy vehicle, it could very well end up being at someone else's expense.
