GREENSBORO, N.C. — Pickup trucks and crossover SUVs dominate our roadways. And as pickup trucks and large SUVs grow in size, so does the risk to people around them — when drivers hit people directly in front of them because of dangerous blind zones just past the hood.
Consumer Reports demonstrates how big these blind zones can be and how we can help to protect our families. It was almost 15 feet before the driver of the SUV in the test could see a stuffed animal the size of an average 4-year-old.
Influenced by Consumer Reports’ testing of rear visibility, backup cameras have been required on all new cars since 2018.
"Backup cameras have saved lives by giving us all that additional view when we are moving backward. Now we need to shift the focus to the safety in front of the vehicle," said Jennifer Stockburger of Consumer Reports.
The latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that in 2020 there were over 500 deaths and more than 10,000 “frontover” injuries due to forward-moving vehicles. A disproportionate number of frontover victims are children. According to Kids and Cars, about 81 percent of victims are 6 and under.
One reason: As vehicles have grown in size, so have the blind zones around them. There is currently no law requiring vehicles to have front cameras or sensors.
"There are so many large vehicles on the roads that awareness has to be part of it. If you are driving a large vehicle, maybe walk around the vehicle, or make sure all kids in the area are in your line of sight before that vehicle starts to move," said Stockburger.
A bill called the STOP Frontovers Act is in Congress and could require changes to certain vehicles to help prevent these types of crashes.