We know that cars are getting bigger, but they’re also getting much more difficult to see, writes David Zipper in Bloomberg City Love.
A zipper refers to one major perpetrator. The A-Pillar is part of the car’s frame that blocks the driver’s vision with the windshield. “For passengers, thicker A-pillars provide protection in case of rollovers and prevent roof caves from entering the cave. However, their girth can also expand driver blind spots and exacerbate the dangers of pedestrians and cyclists dying at record levels on US roads,” Zipper explains.
Automakers are focusing on internal vehicles and A-pillar safety, which is growing at the expense of pedestrians as they help prevent injuries from rollovers. However, studies have shown that electronic stability control reduces rollover crashes, resulting in stronger roofs.
Meanwhile, “If the safety of a stronger A-pillar is neutral to positive for vehicle residents, the opposite applies to walking, cycling, or other vehicles.” The blind zones for most car models are expanding, and federal regulators seem un poised to intervene immediately. According to Matt Reed, an engineering professor at the University of Michigan, “The complexity of calculating the size and risk of an A-pillar blind zone presents a formidable regulatory barrier for the cost-benefit analysis required for federal rulemaking.”
Source link
