Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf
Not only that, the argument that big vehicles - and particularly 3/4 and 1 ton pickups - are safer just doesn't stand up to real-world data. See the attached graph, from Wenzel & Ross, which shows that a 1 ton Dodge Ram is about 3 times more likely to kill its driver in a crash than a Toyota Camry, and about 10 times more likely to kill the driver of another vehicle.
You may feel safer in a big vehicle, but that safety is an illusion.
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I'd like to see more what Wenzel and Ross says... do you have a web address or lead where I can get detail?
Yes this graph relates the laws of physics quite well... but there are factors its NOT identifying... ie. that very few Camerys are towing or hauling... and how much of the 3x and 10x are due to the fact that the 1 tons and 3/4s are often pulling or hauling something in the bed that exacerbates its particular issues. Sure if a 7500 lb 1 ton is pulling 13000 for a total of 20500... that's about 10 times the Camery weight or so... not only does the driver have to recover from the Camery's influx of forces... but now has to regain...if possible, the rig. If that's not possible and that 13k comes through the cab your likely dead... or pulls you over as it goes over and your also in more trouble. But if your empty... its a totally different story.
Roll overs are also a factor since the truck sits higher. Its one of the reasons I like the duals... its wide stance will slide much longer before rolling over. Raw numbers don't mean anything until the basis is presented with them... typical research or data dump trying to say what they want it to say by not presenting basis or incorporating all the factors. I see it all the time in my industry. I need to see the basis. I was pleased to see them state the "significant difference" though. Most don't and all data is meaningless with out its quantifiers.
Same with the semi, but instead of 20k its 80k. I typically do not wear a seat belt...unless I am in a high risk scenario... like I95 east coast corridor or I10 in LA or similar and not in the semi.
I had a state trooper try to cite me once for no seat belt in the semi... I told him that he could write tickets until he ran out of paper... but I will not wear it in that scenario. Here's why (he actually said he couldn't argue with that...although it wasn't law then) He was standing on a 150 gallon fuel tank... with a mate to it on the other side. 300 gallons of fuel, cross over line is at the bottom of the tanks, 6" off the ground. Its one of the first things that gets ripped off the truck if it some how gets off road. On that truck the windshield was designed to pop out from the inside (Mack MH613 cab over). I once watched as two drivers burnt up when that 300 gallons of fuel caught fire and he was being pinned due to the seat belt as the cab was partially crushed from 50,000 lbs of freight trying to come through it. I've heard of others cut in half as the 50,000 lbs of freight came trough the cab above the seat belt anchors. Nope... I'll take my chances of being thrown clear... which happens a lot with big trucks. NO freight is 100% secure in an accident... whether its a pickup or a semi. It'll snap those chains and binders like they were shoe strings... your talking mega forces! There is no headache rack on the planet that will hold back a full load of steel... its going through the cab... period.
Even way back with the 1/4 ton D50 and every truck since... If I had long steel or 2x lumber in it... it was purposely stacked in the middle if I had a passenger... or the passenger side and NO passenger. If some one hits your from the rear... its will drive these through the front of the bed and the back bulkhead of the cab in a heartbeat... even on a frontal collision... their coming through just from kinetic E exacerbating your problems as is any of the freight or objects in your pickup. The heavier they are, the bigger your problems. The Camery hauling soft strapped in passengers that can't snap the straps doesn't have this issue very often.
No, the data is inconclusive if it doesn't take freight and towing into consideration. Its what they were designed for and why most of us own them. So what was the basis of the study and how were unique factors incorporated?
Dave