The size difference between vehicles has a large impact on car accident injuries and fatalities. It is been found that oversized vehicles, such as large pickup trucks, are more likely to cause serious injuries to those in other vehicles. If a passenger car and a pickup collide, those in the passenger car are more likely to be injured or killed.
But the risk created by these oversized vehicles isn’t just to other drivers. In fact, the greatest risk may be to pedestrians.
Lack of visibility
One issue is that these trucks are so large that drivers often cannot see what is directly in front of the vehicle. This could be a problem if there are children crossing the road in a school zone, for instance. The driver may honestly not see someone until the moment of impact. The lack of visibility from the large vehicle just makes it more likely that the driver is going to inadvertently cause a serious crash.
Head and neck injuries
Even for adults, large vehicles just make it more likely that someone will suffer head or neck injuries in an accident. Pedestrians always face the greatest danger when struck by cars, of course. But a pedestrian who is struck by a shorter vehicle may suffer leg and core injuries, while someone struck by a pickup truck could have traumatic brain injuries, neck injuries and other debilitating conditions.
As you can see, large vehicles make crashes more likely and more dangerous at the same time. If you’ve been injured by a negligent driver, you may be able to seek financial compensation.