Over the decades, pickup trucks have been getting larger. It’s very trendy right now for people to buy oversized pickup trucks, such as the Toyota Tundra or the Chevy Silverado. These may have the same names as older versions of these vehicles, but comparing them to past generations shows that the current trucks are much larger. Additionally, people sometimes put lift kits on their trucks to make them even higher than they are with the stock options.
But this is a very dangerous trend. People who drive these vehicles often do feel safe while doing so, in part because of the vehicle’s height and weight. But the reality is that these vehicles are highly dangerous and they put everyone else on the road at significant risk.
An increase in fatality odds
One way to look at this issue is to consider the fact that an oversized pickup truck is 159% more likely to cause a fatal accident where the fatality is suffered by someone in the other vehicle.
In other words, there is always the chance that an accident will result in a fatality, even if it is just two small passenger sedans. But if one of these oversized pickup trucks hits a sedan, then it is vastly more likely that the person in the passenger car will be injured or killed, even if the person in the pickup truck is not hurt.
These trucks are also incredibly dangerous for pedestrians and children. Due to their height, they often have massive blind spots that can hide vehicles or groups of children. People get injured in parking lots or when they are trying to cross the street. Cyclists are also often hidden in these blindspots and may suffer fatal injuries in a collision.
Unfortunately, the oversized pickup truck trend doesn’t seem to be fading, so everyone is going to have to deal with these significant risks. Those who have been injured by negligent pickup truck drivers need to know how to seek financial compensation.