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
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.