5 On Your Side

The growing size of pickup trucks is a growing safety concern

Consumer Reports looked through 18 years of data starting from the year 2000. They found pickups are 11 percent higher and 24 percent heavier.

Posted Updated

By
Monica Laliberte
, WRAL executive producer/5 on Your Side reporter

Pickups – trucks of all styles – are the best-selling vehicle style in the country.

And they’re growing! Consumer Reports looked through 18 years of data starting from the year 2000. They found pickups are 11 percent higher and 24 percent heavier.

Many safety experts say, the bigger size translate to bigger risks.

Consumer Reports' data shows the big trucks have poorer front sight lines and bigger blind spots that can hide a pedestrian or smaller car that’s right in front.

“Because of their height and long hoods, we found that some trucks had front blind spots 11 feet longer than those in some sedans and 7 feet longer than in many popular SUVs, which increases the risk of the driver running over someone in front of them that they cannot see,” says Consumer Reports Auto Editor Keith Barry.

Advocacy group KidsandCars.org found most fatalities with in big pickup crashes involved children between 12 and 23 months old.

Compared to a lower vehicle, a pickup’s tall front end and higher bumper are also more likely to cause serious injuries when hit.

Consumer Reports asked manufacturers about the increased size.

Stellantis, the parent company of Ram, declined to comment.

Ford and GM said the changes are driven by consumer preference, and the big trucks need larger grills to support engine cooling when towing trailers.

Barry says Consumer Reports suspects another reason. "Despite these risks, automakers are reluctant to make changes to a vehicle that is a major source of profit. Trucks with luxurious amenities have prices that are far above $60,000, and an automaker might make four to five times more money from selling a pickup than a sedan,” he said.

To improve safety, Consumer Reports believes mandatory advanced safety technology could help, such as automatic emergency braking.

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