Community post
Your car choice may have deadly consequences
A 6 year old died on tuesday (20.06.2017) in Dortmund (Germany) after she got hit by a car. According to first evaluations by investigators the driver was not at fault, as the child ran unexpectedly onto the road.
A (german) article about this shows a photo of the involved car:
http://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/ruhrgebiet/maedchen-nach-unfall-tot-100.html
Here comes the bitter taste: The car was an SUV. And SUVs are known to be twice as deadly as a normal car to pedestrians. If I were the driver I would partially feel guilty for the death of that child, even if I had behaved correctly on the road. You don't have to feel like me, but using an SUV in a city as your main car is reckless. And just because you were not the perpetrator of the accident, doesn't give you a moral pass, as - just statistically speaking - the drivers taste in cars heavily reduced the childs survival chances.
So next time you get a car, please not only think about your own safety! You may end up saving yourself from a feeling of guilt. And most importantly: a child could end up surviving a mistake instead of paying with its life.
Here are some reasons (beyond the typical pollution-argument), why you shouldn't get an SUV:
- death rates of pedestrian are more than double when colliding with SUVs (https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4462-suvs-double-pedestrians-risk-of-death/)
- SUV drivers are 11% more likely to die due to an increased sense of security (https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/17/business/safety-gap-grows-wider-between-suv-s-and-cars.html)
- they are a waste of money (http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/cost-car-ownership.asp)
Check out this Wikipedia summary about common criticism of SUVs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_sport_utility_vehicles
I also recommend this classic article about cars by the legendary MMM: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/04/22/curing-your-clown-like-car-habit/
Replies (20)
And SUVs are known to be twice as deadly as a normal car to pedestrians
.
I call BULLSHIT.
I gave source in the article: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4462-suvs-double-pedestrians-risk-of-death/
don't care who said it.
that 's bogus.
a machine is only as dangerous as the idiot behind the wheel.
there are no dangerous machines.
only morons driving them.
and people who let their kids free range.
if you don't want to be hit by a moving vehicle
stay off the damn street when your walking.
What do you think about eighteen wheelers?
I have the feeling you are either in denial or missing my point. Have you ever seen a housewife drive an 18wheeler to yoga-class?
And have you never heard of software failures or mechanical errors in cars? People have died solely due to software errors, so you blaming individuals is just an easy copout without real arguments.
It's not just someone said SUVs are dangerous - studies have clearly shown this to be a fact!
There is a good reason we have seatbelts and airbags and ABS. These things save lives. And there are many valid arguments against using an 18wheeler to go buy flowers for your grandma or use an SUV as your everyday vehicle in a town with perfect road conditions.
I have no problems with big ass vehicles or their owners, especially if they are serving a real need or use case. But I do have a problem with how most consumers favour fancy but dangerous shit over the safety of their neighbours.
Sorry, but I find your comment disgustingly cynical and unempathic. A little girl died without any good reason and we as society are partially at fault if we keep on driving dangerous deathstars around town just to feel safe and special.
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and I have a problem with YOU thinking that YOU "have a problem with how most consumers favour fancy but dangerous shit over the safety of their neighbours..
who gives a good god damn what you think?
what makes you special?
ever hear of freedom of choice?
(note: that's not just freedom to kill babies)
I understand your position. All I asked for people to think more about the safety of others before buying their next car. How come you feel threatened by that? Just a little bit compassion for others - is that too much for you?
I just expressed my opinion freely. How do you even come to the conclusions that I think I'm some kind of special snowflake?
By law you are forced to wear a seatbelt. Are you having a problem with that too? There is no freedom of choice as we are not living in anarchy and the law constantly limits our choices. Your freedom of choice is an illusion. And I never even asked people to be restricted any further, I asked for voluntary selfrestriction by reflecting on some egoistic and unneccessary behavior.
I think you're a bigot.
based entirely upon what you wrote.
you think you have some god given right to tell other people what to think and do.
my opinion based upon what you wrote.
in reality you probably love kittens.
Yeah, you're right. I am a total bigot. Everybody not sharing your views is a bigot.
Let me upvote myself so it looks like I said something important.
My view is
I am the expert when it comes to driving
I'm a retired Over the Road Heavy Haul trucker
in the last thirty years I've driven three MILLION miles with no accidents, no tickets, no damage of any kind.
eighteen wheeler you say?
I LAUGH at your eighteen wheeler
I had thirteen AXELS.
If it has wheels I've likely driven it
i had to load a lot of my own stuff.
I've even driven many tracked equipement.
Bull dozers for example.
AND...I'm a biker
So don't tell ME..this study says this or that
I've seen it...personally
the most dangerous driver on the road (other than cops) is millie minivan mom
if they'd PAY ATTENTION to what they were doing...we'd have 90% LESS wrecks
that's right 90% (or more) of ALL accidents are driver error.
you would not BELIEVE what i've seen you morons do while you should be watching the road.
everything from oral sex to putting on makeup.
so don't tell ME what I should or should not drive.
You can't just dismiss studies because of personal experience and some anecdotes.
IF a crash happens, SUVs are more harmful to involved pedestrians. The driver skills are a completely different topic. You can call a fact bullshit all you want - it only shows your ignorance if you don't provide counter arguments. Please, point me to a study proving SUVs to be superior in terms of security for pedestrians.
You yourself are behaving like the special snowflake who thinks he knows it all and deserves special ccredibility because of driving skills and experience. But besides pointing out that this is not the biggest issue when it comes to accidents (I agree) you provided no real arguments against my case. I conclude you did neither understand my original topic, nor my appeal. The reason could be my language barrier, so I'll try to clarify:
You are certainly right that many people behave awfully on the road, but the woman in that particular accident was not at fault. The point is: you don't have to make a mistake to endanger others more than neccessarily. This was all I was trying to point out!
I'll rephrase my argument again:
If you drive a big ass vehicle just to do your daily chores in a crowded area like a city, you endanger others more than needed - this is unreasonable and egoistic.
My appeal was: please consider using a proper vehicle for your daily chores.
Have you ever seen someone buy a truck solely to run local errands and to get coffee at Starbucks?
I don't even understand why you would be against my point, as bikers are also more at risk thanks to big ass SUVs getting more and more market share.
I'm up for a real discussion, if you bring up real arguments. I only pointed out some factual flaws in SUVs and asked to be more reasonable. You can do whatever you like, but I have the same freedom to express my opinion.
oh hell yeah i can
I was there.
been there done that.
limpdick geeks sitting behind desks
are clueless about the real world.
You said youve never had an accident yourself. So how were you there?
Limpdick geekdrivers sitting in their trucks are clueless about crash test dummy world.
crash dummies are just that.
dummies.
I worked and lived in the real world
driving a truck
for thirty years.
how old are you son?
the trick to not getting hurt in an accident is
(duh)
don't have an accident.
the trick to not having an accident is
(duh)
PAY ATTENTION
to what you are doing.
(duh)
Great advice. We should preach that to the 6 year old dead child.
little dumb child,
(duh)
your own fault you are dead now.
(duh)
Why didnt you pay more attention?
Problem solved. #StupidChildrenAreNotMyProblem
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play stupid games.
win stupid prizes
kid would have been dead
if a motorcycle had hit him.
sangat alay
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