The front visibility of vehicles has dropped dramatically in recent decades, endangering pedestrians, cyclists and especially young children.
Studies Recents reveal that the evolution of automotive design, coupled with the search for greater robustness and structural safety, has damaged the driver’s field of view. A new technique developed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) showed that, in several popular models, as Honda CR-V, Ford F-150 e Chevrolet Suburbanthe visible area in front of the car has decreased significantly since the 1990s. In some cases, visibility has dropped from 68% to only 28%.
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United States Department Researchers have used this methodology to evaluate successive generations of vehicles produced between 1997 and 2023. The study indicated that the elevation of the hoods and the widening of the front columns (A) are the main factors behind the worsening of visibility.
The problem is aggravated by SUVs and pickups, whose generous dimensions and high front height prevent drivers from seeing clearly what is immediately in front of the vehicle, even short distances. Despite the adoption of technologies such as cameras and sensors, physical obstacles to vision remain.
In Europe, a survey conducted by LOUGGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY in partnership with the organization Transport & Environment (T&E) It has shown that the design of these vehicles represents a real threat to children. Since many are less than 1.2 meters high, they are invisible to the frontal vision field of models such as the RAM TRX or Land Rover Defender. In contrast, smaller cars such as hatchbacks offer a much wider and safer field of view. According to T&E, about a third of the 430 children who die annually in road accidents in Europe are run over by large vehicles at low speed.
Given this scenario, the organization asks the European Union to adopt new rules by 2027. Among the proposals are the legal limit of 85 cm to the hood’s height in new vehicles and the obligation to test child visibility in real situations.
Although manufacturers follow current standards and equate their cars with safety technologies, experts argue that preventing risks begins with the basics: ensuring that the driver can see what is right before his eyes.
Source: Digital Look / Car and Drive | Photo: Unsplash | This content was created with the help of AI and revised by the editorial team
