this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2024
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I’ve always wondered if tall truck size is justified because of deer crashing into cars at high speed. Smaller cars would be screwed in such a scenario, but there aren’t that many deer crashes in urban areas.
Higher bumper heights reduce close range visibility and increase pedestrian mortality and injury in collisions. The reduced visibility has increased risk of running over children and pets hidden in the blind spots.
These tall trucks are also provide bad visibility for people on bikes or bicycles
It isn't justified, in my opinion. Cars at any size have safety requirements for protecting passengers in an impact.
This is unironically a consideration in Alberta but I will still never have one (unless I were to need one for a job). The stopping distance is so much better in small cars. I can even feel it just driving around, if I have stop fast I REALLY feel it in a minivan even with 4 nice disc brakes, don't feel it nearly as much in a sedan.
If that would have been a problem someone wanted solved there are many better solutions available, like wildlife overpasses, heavier windshields (the polymer between the glass panels) that dont buckle-in, even plough like fenders.
Overall all cheaper, than decades of lifting trucks higher and higher. We have to face it that this is just a design choice, but one that affects everyone and not just the buyer.