After a discussion with Tumorboy and his wife Jac about the growing use of SUV's in New Zealand I tried to find some stats on how dangerous they were, especially in accidents.
Now; New Zealanders have a passion for killing themselves in their motorcars. It's a passion bordering on an obsession, but for every one idiot out there trying to end it all, there is at least one fanatic out there who is trying to stop it from happening. So there is a balance of sorts.
While I often see boy racers as natures answer to lemmings running of a cliff, it still upsets me to think they often take innocent bystanders with them. I prefer that if boy racers decide to partake in actions that greatly increase their odds of shuffling off their mortal coils, I'd rather they hit stationary (non human) targets.
In this article it mentions that between 1995 and 1999 there were an amazing 7539 crashes in New Zealand that occurred with only one vehicle. Now 6185 occurred with a stationary object.
In NZ we seem to prefer crashing into banks and ditches - trees feature fifth at 715 crashes - which should keep the Greens happy. Unfortunately SUV's arent considered as stationary objects (even when they're parked).
So I was wondering... if we fill in all the ditches, would we have been able to save 1049 accidents? I was also wondering ... where would we get all the dirt to fill in the ditches?
A-ha - According to this article 1474 accidents occurred by vehicles running into an upright bank. If we used the dirt from these upright bank we'd be killing two birds with one stone - bravo!
I know this sounds a bit trite and silly - but think about this.
If you knew that one Boeing 747 full of New Zealanders was absolutely going to crash every year. Would you fly in one?
Yet every day most of us climb into these metal coffins and hit the highways - never giving it a second thought.
And those of you that chose an SUV because it safer in an accident - Are you really thinking about the unfortunate people out there (who hopefully you'll never hit), who are driving a normal family sedan? I hope so - because most of the time, after an accident, they wont be around to think of you...
5 comments:
In this article it mentions that between 1995 and 1999 there were an amazing 7539 crashes in New Zealand that occurred with only one vehicle....
Ooops my bad .. Obviously not the same vehicle in 7539 crashes BUT 7539 crashes involving ONE (different)car in each instance.
Or....Maybe...Not...! (Cue Twilight Zone music)
These so called SUV's are really pissing me off! Their drivers are often selfish bullies who have purchased them for all the wrong reasons, weren't they designed for some sort off Off-Road activity??
I noticed recently that the carpark at Foodtown is now paved, so why do my fellow city dwellers need such vehicles??
While I'm on a rant I'd also like to voice my distaste for the baby prams that seem to have become miniature replicas of their parent's Urban Assault Vehicles. It appears that most of or urban shopping areas and streets seem to now be paved also!!
Hmmmm
Methinks thou has possessed T-boy!
Out evil spirit!! Or I will talk long to thee of Choppers and other boy stuff until you complainith bitterly!
I think the problem is suv vehicles are not yet big enough...if they were a lot bigger they would be a lot safer, seems simple to me.
Possessed? I think not, it's probably just the tumour acting up again...
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