Why You Should Think Carefully Before Buying an SUV

Last updated on July 19th, 2024 at 02:59 am

Maybe you’re looking into buying a new vehicle, and you want something larger than a sedan or similar-sized car. Perhaps you have several kids, and you’re constantly driving them to dance lessons, soccer games, and the like. You might look at minivans, or perhaps an SUV seems more your speed.

While some people buy SUVs and like them, you may want to avoid this vehicle model. We’ll talk about why SUVs might not be the best choice in the following article.

Rollover Accidents

Cars roll over in about 3/100 vehicle accidents. That’s 3%, and that’s not very much. However, every one out of three fatal accidents involves a vehicle rolling over.

If you think about it, that makes sense. When a vehicle rolls over, you’ll likely bounce around in there, even if you’re wearing a seatbelt. Whether the vehicle lands right side up or not, you’re shaking around like dice in a can. Any passenger in there with you will go through the same experience.

Why does this matter when you’re car shopping? SUVs roll over more than other vehicles. Many studies show this, and no matter how safe a manufacturer tries to make an SUV, certain features make these vehicles more inclined to roll over in particular accident situations.

Why Do SUVs Roll Over So Much?

Vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks are longer and narrower than many other vehicle types. People who like them often point to the increased cargo space.

It’s nice to have that extra room. You can pile several people in there and drive them from point A to point B. You can also cram a ton of luggage back there, or maybe you prefer to get a lot of groceries, camping supplies, or sporting goods to fill up your vehicle.

Long, narrow vehicles are not as aerodynamic as other car models, though, such as a hatchback or sedan. These car models stay closer to the ground, and the weight dispersal means they don’t tip over as much. They will probably only tip over if they roll down an embankment or another vehicle hits them while going very fast.

SUVs tip over easier because they have a higher gravity center. They’re more top-heavy as well. Although many companies have tried to fix these problems, SUVs still tip over much more frequently than other cars, and this happens consistently every year.

When Do These Vehicles Roll Over?

Studies and accident stats also show when SUVs roll over. Sometimes, they roll over during collisions, but they also roll over frequently during single-vehicle accidents.

When that happens, usually, they’re going around curves. Because of that higher gravity center and taller design, gravity shifts to one side and causes vehicle instability. The SUV can tilt to one side and flip over.

If that happens, and there’s an embankment or drop-off next to the SUV, it can tumble down and land on its back or side. It’s hard to walk away from those accidents unscathed.

What Other SUV Problems Cause Injuries?

We’ve talked about SUV rollover issues. But are there additional problems that cause driver or passenger injuries if they crash?

As it turns out, there are. SUVs have notoriously weak roofs. If an SUV flips over and it’s going relatively fast when it does, landing on the roof and sliding can cause the metal to peel away. If that happens, you’re probably looking at passenger and driver head injuries.

Can You Avoid These Problems?

Since SUVs have high rollover rates when you compare them to other cars, many SUV manufacturers have tried to correct these issues. Some SUVs have improved safety features, so you should look at those if you’re still set on buying or leasing one.

SUVs have inherent flaws, but if you get one, you’ll probably want one that comes with ESC, or electronic stability control. That can help the SUV not tip over when you’re going around a sharp curve.

You might also get one with evasive steering and lane monitoring. Staying in your lane and not colliding with other vehicles around you make a rollover less likely.

Finally, you can get one with tire monitoring. Tire wear can cause rollovers too, since a tire blowout when you’re traveling fast can cause an SUV to flip over.
Getting an SUV with the latest safety features might put you more at ease, but you may choose to avoid this vehicle type entirely if you’re a safety-minded driver or parent.