How Your Vehicle’s Size Impacts Others on the Road

Nowadays, so many large vehicles are taking to the Australian roads that driving alongside a big car is nothing out of the ordinary. But have you ever thought what would happen if a large vehicle were to crash into another vehicle, probably a smaller one? You might think it’ll result in a fender bender, but the impact of such a crash is often bigger. Ever wondered why your Sydney driving school instructors focus so much on maintaining safe distances and observing speed limits? That’s because when you’re driving with larger vehicles, speeding may lead to a crash, which might not affect the larger vehicle as much as it will hurt you. It’s all about the size and momentum of the vehicles involved in a collision. Larger vehicles are generally safe, but smaller vehicles suffer more in collisions with them than in crashes with other small vehicles. This blog explores how the size of a vehicle affects other vehicles in a crash.

The Physics of a Collision: Why Size Matters

If you’ve ever gone bowling, you’ll remember how the bowling ball knocks over an entire stack of bowling pins easily. Can you imagine a tennis ball doing the same? This is a basic principle of physics related to size and momentum. The larger ball has more mass and thus greater momentum when it travels at a high speed. In comparison, the tennis ball travelling at the same speed would have less momentum as it is smaller. Similarly, a larger vehicle like a truck or a large SUV carries more momentum when driving compared to smaller cars. So, in a crash, it has more force and can cause greater damage to the smaller, lighter vehicle.

In a crash where a large vehicle and a smaller vehicle are involved, the riders of the smaller vehicle have a greater risk of severe injuries resulting from the intense force transferred from the larger vehicle.

A Tale of Two Cars: When Safety Features Work Against You

When buying a car, your key concern is personal safety. That’s why large vehicles are becoming popular recently. In 2018, Australian markets used to have a few SUVs and big cars, but by 2022, SUVs alone accounted for more than half of all new sales! Take a look at the chart below to get an idea of how big a shift this has been.

But do you know what effect your vehicle has on other road users? A vehicle’s design can play a big role in a collision. Larger vehicles have longer front ends that provide more space between the driver’s seating area and the exterior of the vehicle. This space acts as a crumple zone, quickly absorbing and dissipating a large amount of the crash force before it reaches the passengers. While these safety features protect the larger vehicles, they can cause damage to the smaller vehicles.

The momentum of a larger vehicle is greater than a smaller car, and in a collision, it can push the smaller vehicle easily. It can cause the smaller car to either slide under or ride over the bigger vehicle. Such critical ‘under-riding’ or ‘over-riding’ can easily bypass the crumple zones of the smaller cars and cause fatal damage to their passenger compartments. The safety features of the larger vehicle can become lethal for the smaller ones.

The Unseen Threat: How Larger Vehicles Impact Other Road Users

Not just small cars, other road users are also affected by the large vehicles using the road. Compared to motorists and large vehicle drivers, other road users like motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians are considered vulnerable. The tremendous force of large vehicles can have a major impact on such vulnerable road users and can cause them much greater damage.

Plus, these vulnerable users are at a higher risk of collision with large vehicles than cars. This is because huge bodies and larger profiles give them bigger blind spots. Smaller road users like cyclists can even disappear from the large vehicle driver’s view if their blind spots are not properly eliminated. The increased use of large vehicles poses unseen threats to vulnerable road users and is a big cause for concern for road safety.

Beyond the Crash: The Hidden Costs of Driving a Big Car

But all this is just about how large vehicles affect other vehicles and users on the road. But the impact of their size goes even beyond roads, affecting their owners, users, and the environment too. Due to their immense size, these vehicles consume more fuel, which increases fuel, vehicle maintenance, and operational costs for maintaining them. Beyond the owner’s increased personal costs, their high fuel consumption leaves a bigger environmental footprint. And their heavy weight and mass also cause the road surfaces to deteriorate faster, thus increasing the road maintenance costs for local councils and taxpayers. While it may not sound like much but these costs also affect the public significantly.

Driving Mindfully: Your Role as a Driver

No matter which vehicle you drive, the responsibility of ensuring road safety and order is of all road users, equally. Knowing how the size of a vehicle impacts others on the road should not prevent you from driving responsibly. Whether you’re driving a large vehicle, handling a small car, or cruising on your motorcycle, you must stay aware of the road, other vehicles around you, and their size and impact. Maintaining a safe following distance, checking mirrors regularly, adjusting mirrors for blind spots, and driving slowly in urban areas are some safe driving habits that all drivers should cultivate, regardless of their vehicle size. When all drivers perform their role as a driver with conviction and commitment, we can make our roads safer for the future!

Final Thoughts: Drive with Awareness

To cut a long story short, drivers need to stay aware of the impact their vehicles have on their safety as well as the security of other road users. Large vehicles cause greater damage to other smaller vehicles in a crash. Their size, momentum, and design may keep them safe, but the force they generate in a crash can greatly harm other vehicles or pedestrians involved. However, if you drive a big vehicle, knowing how it affects other drivers can help you become a better and more responsible driver. Plus, following traffic rules and using the safe driving techniques you learn in driving school Sydney like Onroad Driving School can reduce the risk of accidents. By staying aware of your surroundings and driving responsibly can help make the Australian roads safer for everyone!

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