Law Offices of

SUVs Are Getting Safer: Fewer Fatal Georgia Crashes Involve SUVs

What are the most dangerous passenger vehicles on the road? Until recently, the answer was SUVs. But, improvements in vehicle design mean that SUVs are now no more likely than cars or minivans of the same weight to be involved in the fatal Atlanta car crashes that kill the occupants of other vehicles.

 

In 2000-01, SUVs were involved in crashes that killed the occupants of cars or minivans at a rate of 44 deaths per million registered vehicles. Since then, the rate has dropped dramatically to 16 deaths per million registered vehicles in 2008-09.

Why did the rate drop so much? Safety experts cite several factors:

 

1. Improved crash protection in passenger vehicles, including side airbags and stronger frames.

2. Electronic stability control (ESC)

3. Lower bumpers on SUVs

 

Lower bumpers mean that cars and SUVs now crash bumper to bumper. This prevents the smaller vehicle from sliding under the SUV and it keeps the body of the SUV away from the other vehicle's passenger compartment. Override accidents are almost always fatal.

 

Researchers only looked at recent model SUVs; all cars in the study were one to four years old. There continues to be a risk of Georgia override accidents in older models without lower bumpers.

 

If you have lost a loved one in a Georgia SUV accident, speak to an Atlanta car accident attorney about your right to accountability and compensation. Contact the Law Offices of Shane Smith at 770-HURT-999.