Is Car Design Responsible For Increase In Blind Spot Accidents?

Wednesday, 26. October 2011

Have you noticed how windows in cars have become – skinny? Years ago the height of a rear window in a car was probably a couple of feet unless you were one of my dopy mates that cut the roof off their mini and dropped it by about 18”. In fact thinking back that may have been the inspiration behind the design of the modern car. Look at the new Evoque and compare the windows with a Range Rover or a Discovery – they are positively skinny. The same applies to cars like the Astra and the Meganne and Scirocco – all now have skinny windows but could this trend be the cause for the massive increase in ‘blind spot’ accidents?

These accidents are costing £437 million per annum according to a study carried out by accident management firm Accident Exchange. Accidents caused by drivers changing lanes without proper signalling and crashing into another vehicle have increased by 48% over the last 2 years and now account for 6% of all road traffic accidents.

This adds up to 150,000 accidents every year with an average repair bill of £2,876. Shocking and maybe a good reason why we should stop making cars as though they has squinty eyes for windows and fit the new allround camera system about to be launched in the Nissan range.