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Crash dummies

You may have seen that an analysis of 50,000 crashes uncovered a 48% rise in "lane changing manoeuvres" between 2009 and 2011 as the cause. In the majority of cases, collisions occurred when drivers pulled out unaware that there was a car in their blind spot. Apparently, EC safety requirements have made manufacturers reinforce lighter built cars with thicker pillars around windows to provide better protection in a crash but causing a blind spot around windows.

Asked on 1 October 2011 by DC, Cornwall

Answered by Honest John
If you look at the research you will see that the main manoeuvre where cars hit each other is where a driver in lane 3 pulls into lane 2 unaware that a car in lane 1 is also pulling into lane 2. This is crass stupidity by the driver in lane 3 for not anticipating the need of the car in lane 1 to move into lane 2. I have witnessed, even been involved in this many times (as the driver moving from lane 1 to lane 2 to overtake a truck), so the research findings do not surprise me. It's not a matter of blind spots. It's a matter of anticipation, observation and awareness.

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