What impact does car size have on the severity of a crash?

Nov 1 2019      On Behalf of  David M. Duree & Associates, P.C.      Personal Injury

If you ever have wondered why motorists often buy sports utility vehicles (SUVs), trucks and other large vehicles, you’re probably aware that one reason that they assume that it will protect them better than if they’re struck riding in a small passenger car. Size does matter when a motorist driving a larger vehicle crashes into someone driving a smaller one.

Size matters quite a bit in a front-in collision. The longer and larger a vehicle is, the more time and space there is to absorb the force of the impact. If a passenger car operator crashes head-on into a truck or SUV, then it’s likely that the driver of the sedan and maybe even their passengers in the rear seat will suffer injuries. The driver of the SUV or truck, on the other hand, maybe shaken up and slightly injured, but it’s unlikely that their passengers in the rear portion of their vehicle won’t be hurt.

You often see a sedan badly damaged after a crash with a larger vehicle because passenger cars weigh significantly less than trucks and SUVs do. The severity of the damage can be pretty significant depending on the speed at which the crash occurred, angles of impact and other technical factors.

Motorists who are riding in passenger cars have a stronger chance of dying if they’re involved in crashes with larger vehicles. The increase in on-board safety features such as enhanced airbags has greatly reduced accident rates over the years.

Drivers and other occupants who are fortunate enough to survive a crash between two vehicles with significant size differences are often left with disabling injuries. Many of these leave the victims needing a lifetime of medical care. If you’ve been hurt in an O’Fallon crash, then you’ll want to reach out to a personal injury attorney who can advise you of ways that you might be able to recover medical costs in your future here in Illinois.