Supersizing vehicles offer minimal safety benefits: New study reveals

New research has revealed a startling truth on popular supersized vehicles affecting other road users.

Oversized American-style pick-up trucks pose a significant risk to the people driving them - not just other oad users, according to a new study.

An investigation by America’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found supersized vehicles pose an increased risk of fatalities to road users.

David Harkey, President of the IIHS, said these findings debunk the popular theory that “bigger is safer” when it comes to vehicle safety.

“The conventional wisdom is that if bigger is safer, even bigger must be safer still,” Mr Harkey said.

“These results show that isn’t true today. Not for people in other cars. And — this is important — not for the occupants of the large vehicles themselves.”

New research has revealed a startling with supersized cars.

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The investigation examined larger than average SUVs and pick-up trucks in two-vehicle crashes over the 2017 and 2022 period in the US.

The study found motorists were 20 per cent more likely to be killed in a crash that involved an supersized SUV weighing more than 5000 pounds (2277kg).

While technological advancements have improved airbags and other occupant protection features, the risk of a fatal accident with heavy vehicles still exists.

Utes above the average car weight in the US were significantly more likely to kill another motorist in a two-vehicle collision while the driver death rate remained minimal.

Chevrolet’s Silverado ZR2.

“Vehicles that are heavier than average are more likely to crash into vehicles lighter than themselves, while the reverse is true for vehicles that are lighter than average,” Sam Monfort, IIHS’ senior statistician explained.

“What this analysis shows is that choosing an extra-heavy vehicle doesn’t make you any safer, but it makes you a bigger danger to other people.”

American-style pick-up trucks such as the Ford F-150 and the Ram 1500 have exploded in popularity in Australia in recent years, pushing local safety authorities to act.

In Australia, ANCAP announced it would start testing emergency features designed to stop oversized American pick-up trucks from killer road users in 2025.

2024 Suzuki Swift ANCAP crash test. Picture: Supplied

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Michiel van Ratingen – secretary-general of the Euro NCAP said the test program would steer away from occupant protection and focus on the risks posed to vulnerable road users by full-sized pick-up trucks.

“For passenger cars, most of them kill people inside the vehicle, so you have to basically protect them inside the vehicle,” he said.

“For heavier vehicles, the problem is primarily outside the vehicle because they kill a lot of people, vulnerable road users and people in other cars.”

The growth in popularity of these large SUVs and utes in Australia has led to the average car now weighing 2050kg.

There are currently four cars available on the Australian market that weigh under 1,000kg – the Suzuki Ignis and its cousin the Swift, the Fiat 500 and the Kia Picanto.

Some of the heaviest cars in Australia include Ram 3500, Ram 2500, Nissan Patrol Warrior, BMW XM and the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4Matic.

Originally published as Supersizing vehicles offer minimal safety benefits: New study reveals