Posted by CG (207.6.88.45) on November 19, 2002 at 18:01:48:
In Reply to: My SUV is safer than your car. posted by Jessica on November 19, 2002 at 14:44:54:
Hi there,
I live in British Columbia - where the number one killer of children is the automobile - in fact cars kill four time more children then the next four caused of death COMBINED (including disease). Even with BC's relatively small population, 2 kids die every week and another 250 are injured (some for life) because of cars. I’m sure that these stats translate quite well in your state, as BC is not home to exceptionally bad drivers. So your concerns about road safety are not unfounded.
However, which type of vehicle is most likely to be in an accident (according to our insurance corporation)? You guessed it - the SUV. Not only are the drivers of SUVs more likely to get in accidents - but they are also more likely to be severely injured/killed and are more likely to kill the people in other vehicles involved in these accidents. SUVs are classed as the most dangerous vehicles on the road – despite what the ads tell you. They are not sure if this is the case because people in SUVs feel safe and take more chances, if they are just so big and heavy that most drivers don’t know how to handle them, or if there is a correlation between aggressive driving and SUVs purchasers. Either way, the roads are dangerous and the worst thing to be in is an SUV.
If you were really concerned about your family (and not about status) and did proper research about the safest forms of transportation you would be buying your family some sneakers and a bus pass.
Get real. SUVs don’t offer safety – they are dangerous to you, your kids and your neighbour's kids. Look into the facts, not the glossy pictures of SUVs air-lifted to mountaintops. I did, and it didn’t take long for me to dispel that myth.
cg
PS - sorry to hear you've made such a poor investment on your chidren's health and the health of their environment.
: Until there are no more rainy nights, slippery roads, 18 wheelers, drunk drivers, and random accidents I will put myself and my family in the biggest, safest automobile I can get my hands on. So thanks for your ticket, but it made me all the more sure that my decision to choose the safety of my family and protect them agains road hazards was correct. I hope you never have a family member in an accident with a tractor trailer. Perhaps then you will put them in a larger mode of transportation. Your mode of protest is laughable.