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Crash safety and the size of a vehicle

Oklahoma drivers may be interested to know that the size of their vehicle plays an important role in traffic accidents. Larger vehicles typically endure accidents better small cars, particularly if the accident is a collision between large and small vehicles.

In the evaluation of a vehicle’s safety, size and weight are included in the testing criteria along with material and structural strength. These factors are used to determine a vehicle’s crashworthiness, regardless of how technologically up-to date the vehicle may or may not be.

A vehicle’s size is particularly important to passenger protection. Vehicles with larger front ends have more time to absorb the impact of a collision and slow down as the front end is crushed. This results in less force on front-seat passengers and reduces that likelihood that the passenger area will be damaged by the crash. The more distance there is between the front end of a vehicle and its passenger, the higher the chances the passengers will be safe if a front-end collision occurs. Because smaller cars have smaller front ends, the force of a collision transfers to the passenger area, increasing the likelihood of injury.

Smaller cars that weigh less and lighter vehicles also tend to not to fare as well as larger vehicles, particularly in collisions with heavier vehicles. This is because heavier vehicles have more momentum than lighter ones and need more energy in order to slow down. When in a crash, passengers in lighter vehicles will sustain more of a collision’s impact than passengers in heavier vehicles.

An attorney may assist individuals who have been injured in car accidents with obtaining the financial compensation to which they may be legally entitled. The attorney can review the police investigation report, eyewitness testimony and other evidence in order to pinpoint the party or parties that should be held financially responsible.