SUVs have front bumpers that are significantly higher than most vehicles and this can cause big problems. Instead of helping to mitigate the impact by making contact with the other vehicle's bumper, it maximizes damage because the SUV's hardest part makes contact with the more vulnerable body of a smaller vehicle. In fact, depending upon its speed, an SUV may actually run over the top of a smaller car. Increased Liability - the nature of the construction elements of an SUV during accidents with smaller cars results in these types of vehicles inflicting more serious bodily injuries to other operators. This fact increases the likelihood of more lawsuits against SUV owners and operators.
More claims increase the cost to insurers and results in higher insurance rates.
In fact, a number of insurers have told the public to expect higher rates or perhaps premium surcharges for SUVs in order to make up for their greater exposure to causing serious accidents. Well, yes, but only up to a point. Further, as the number of SUVs on the road increases, there will be a diminishing return on their safety. Because instead of colliding with smaller vehicles, the probability will increase that SUVs will crash into other SUVs. All rights reserved.