To Some, America’s “Large Cars” are a Deadly “Cultural Touchstone”

On the heels of the now-proclaimed deadliest holiday for driving in America, some are speaking out about America’s problem with fatal car accidents. Perhaps surprisingly, according to an opinion piece by CNN journalist Jill Filipovic, there may be more to blame than just drunk drivers for the large number of deaths due to car accidents. In her January 4 article, Filipovic notes that “[t]he American Automobile Association (AAA) says that the New Year holiday is among the deadliest, as drunk, distracted, or otherwise reckless drivers get on the road in the early hours of New Years Day. This year was no exception: Deadly accidents made headlines from coast to coast.” In addition, Filipovic writes, “[o]ther countries have car deaths too, of course. But among developed and prosperous nations, America stands out in the fact that our proportion of vehicle deaths have gone up since 2010, while they’ve gone down in most of our peer nations ….” In light of this disparity, Filipovic points to “[o]ne culprit: enormous American cars.”

“Enormous American Cars”: Are they Really that Dangerous?

Ventura drivers may wonder whether Filipovic’s analysis is accurate. Are large American cars really to blame when it comes to the large number of fatal car accidents the country sees each year? The figures seem to paint a convincing picture. According to Filipovic’s article, large trucks and SUVs are 45% more likely to kill pedestrians when compared with smaller vehicles. In addition, the height and blunt hoods of large trucks and SUVs are more likely to cause injury to an adult’s head, torso, or neck, and “small children become invisible to the driver when they stand in front of these extra-large vehicles.” According to Filipovic, “hundreds of American children have been killed off public roadways by forward-moving vehicles, most of them trucks or SUVs – in other words, often run over by a driver who simply couldn’t see them beyond the hood.” Finally, according to Filipovic, large vehicles, such as trucks and SUVs, are also much heavier than they were in the past, weighing 34% more now than they did in 1990.

Justice for Ventura Families who have Lost Loved Ones to Fatal Car Accidents

While there is no doubt that nothing can replace a loved one, when a person is killed in a car or truck accident through another driver’s negligence – whether the driver was driving a truck or a car or was sober or drunk – certain members of their family may be entitled to compensation under California wrongful death laws. Accordingly, if your loved one was killed in a car or truck accident in Ventura, it is important to speak with an experienced Ventura car accident lawyer as soon as possible about your rights and options for obtaining justice.

The experienced Ventura car accident lawyers at Zavala Law, PC offer free and confidential consultations to learn about your case and to see if they can help you get justice. Contact Zavala Law, PC today and speak to a lawyer about your case for free.

Source:

cnn.com/2024/01/04/opinions/big-cars-are-deadly-us-car-deaths-filipovic/index.html