There's no space and nothing to protect you. When people slide into a utility pole, their heads sometimes directly hit the pole. You can think of it as running headlong into a pole at 30 miles per hour. Side impacts also are more common than you might think. They may not be the most common type of accident, but when they happen, they are the most severe.
Side impacts can also be fatal at relatively low rates of speed.
Now that front-end crashes have spawned numerous safety features, researchers like Ray are able to address other concerns. Through his research, Ray will develop specific tests and evaluation criteria for roadside hardware and similar tests and criteria for improving safety in side-impact crashes. The easiest thing is to move them away from the road. But utility companies may find that difficult to do, and homeowners may balk at poles in their yards as opposed to the roadside. Breakaway utility poles, with a coupling at the base that swings up when the car goes by, are another option.