No matter what vehicle a person drives, they must drive safely. Part of that is considering other road users, especially vulnerable ones such as pedestrians.
One thing some drivers are doing in increasing numbers that many would argue reduces their consideration toward others is purchasing ever larger vehicles.
Why are larger vehicles a problem?
Put simply, “a vehicle with more mass will hit a person with more force.” On top of that, it is more likely to hit them in the first place because the higher bonnets of these larger vehicles reduce the driver’s forward visibility.
On top of that, if the driver does hit someone on foot, they will typically do more damage, as their vehicle will strike higher up the body, which is where the vital organs are. Most older cars have lower front ends, so they hit pedestrians below their vital organs and often throw them up onto the bonnet or to the side, giving them some hope of escape without serious injury. A truck with a wall-like front coming toward you leaves you nowhere to go.
While this seems logical enough, many drivers are still enticed by the rugged image that comes with these oversized vehicles. Would knowing that a recent report from Europe found that pedestrians hit by these were 200% more likely to die and 90% more likely to suffer serious injury than someone hit by a regular-sized vehicle cause buyers to change their choice of vehicle?
If a driver hits you, you will likely need to learn how to claim compensation. If they do so while driving an oversized vehicle, there’s a good chance it’s your family that will need to be claiming the compensation, and perhaps pursuing a claim for wrongful death.