Crumple Zone, Bull bars and SUVs: point to ponder

I see more accident victims as an ortho surgeon in India than i did back in UK.


I see more SUVs in India than in UK


In fact for the last one year i am longing to buy a perfect SUV to replace my old car


But i noted more accidents where SUVs are involved than cars.


This made me to ask, are the Big SUVs (which look big, masculine and safer when sits inside or to look from outside) desirable from safety point of view?


I understand Crumple zones in the safety of cars and vehicles. I also noted that most SUVs are fitted with bullbars which make it commanding to look at and safer to think!


 are they really safer.


More i did research and i must admit internet is amazing place and you ask the question, you tend to get answers,

but one must be very careful to interpret the answers.

Even so,

             most answers i get is that combining SUVs with high centre of gravity,
                                                                    Bullbars,
                                                                    Carelessness when driving one ( i understand that psychologically when you drive an SUV, you tend to take less care as you feel safer),
                                                                    Speed with unexpected obstacle ( which you get many in local  Road driving conditions)

       may be a bad combination.

This combination may not be uncommon as one feels invincible driving a big SUV

Please refer to these sites

4 wheel drive and safety

crumple zone

bullbar


Hope this kindles your thoughts


warm regards

chockalingam

SUVs and MUVs and the sense of (or lack of) security and safety. Read on!!!!!!!

I was called to attend to four patients following road traffic accident. They all had injuries which were not serious and as i was talking to them, asked them what happened.

One of the patients said, that they were travelling in a sports utility vehicle or multipurpose vehicle. i will not name the make of this jeep styled vehicle for purposes of not eliciting controversy.

Then what happened. a small compact hatchback the make of it will also remain nameless was coming in the opposite side. they had a head on collision.

Then the SUV in which these people were traveling rolled over and fortunately these people survived.


I asked what happened to the hatchback which drove straight on to them. Apparently this hatchback had some damage to the bonnet but stood still. while the SUV rolled over!!!!!!!!!

I was surprised.Naturally one would expect the smaller vehicle to have the greater damage. now go and read article in Wikipedia on

SUVs

What this link says is that the SUVs have high centre of gravity. They tend to roll over even though the Electronic stability built in. if they face an obstacle, for example. even if the obstacle is small and especially if the obstacle is small. this is called tripping over!!!!!!!!

So be ware of this if you own or travel in a SUV

Warm regards

 Chockalingam