Hidden dangers of big trucks
Pickup trucks account for one of every five new vehicles sold. In fact, the best-selling vehicle in North America is a pickup truck. And those trucks are getting bigger.
A Consumer Reports analysis of industry data from 2000 to 2018 found passenger trucks to be 11 per cent higher and 24 per cent heavier. And with that increased heft comes increased dangers. Consumer Reports found that these big trucks have poorer front sight lines, or bigger blind spots that can hide a pedestrian or smaller car right in front.
Blind spots are not just behind you and to the side
Because of their height and long hoods, some trucks have front blind spots 11 feet longer than some sedans and 7 feet longer than many popular SUVs, which increases the risk of the driver running over someone in front of them who they can’t see.
An analysis from the advocacy group KidsandCars.org found that most fatalities in these kinds of crashes are children between 12 months and 23 months old.
A pickup’s tall front end and higher bumper are also more likely to cause serious injuries upon impact than the bumper of a lower vehicle. And trucks are more likely to push a pedestrian down and run them over.
So Consumer Reports asked manufacturers, “Why have your pickups grown so tall?” Stellantis, the parent company of Ram, declined to comment. Ford and GM said that the changes were driven by consumer preference and that the big trucks needed larger grilles to support engine cooling when towing trailers.
But there might be another reason: Trucks make automakers a lot of money. Despite these risks, automakers are reluctant to make changes to vehicles that are a major source of profit. Trucks with luxurious amenities have prices that are far above $60,000, and an automaker might make four to five times more money from selling a pickup than a sedan.
Can anything be done to make these trucks safer?
Consumer Reports says mandatory advanced safety technology such as automatic emergency braking could help, as could reducing speed limits and designing roads that are safer for pedestrians and cyclists in the first place.
Consumer Reports knows that some tasks really do require a big truck, but if you need one only occasionally, consider renting. Some local car rental companies offer trucks, and some home and garden stores rent them as well.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.