Pick-up Trucks on Raised Suspension are Even More Deadly

In some parts of the USA, pick-up trucks with raised bodies are referred to as ‘jacked-up.’  The problem is that while large pick-up trucks are already dangerous vehicles (see below), raised pick-ups can be particularly deadly.

A jacked-up pick-up truck.
In some states, simply raising the height of a vehicle’s bumpers is illegal and this typically prevents owners from jacking-up their pick-up trucks. (Copyright image, 2019.)

So why are pick-up trucks dangerous in the first place, and why does raising their height make matters worse?
Continue reading “Pick-up Trucks on Raised Suspension are Even More Deadly”

Combatting Drunk-Driving in the USA

Back in 1992, the World Medical Association [WMA] recommended that no country in the world should permit drivers to have a blood-alcohol concentration [BAC] higher than 0.05 percent, on the basis that medical research had proved anything above this level created an unacceptable level of risk.

In countries which have led the battle against deaths and injuries caused by drinking and driving, the push now is to change the safety culture until people reach the point where they accept the wisdom outlined in this excellent advertisement from the Heineken company.

Continue reading “Combatting Drunk-Driving in the USA”

Winter Tires or All-Season Tires — Which are Best & Safest?

(This copyright article was previously posted by Advanced Drivers of North America in 2017 and is reproduced here by permission.)

Which is better on winter roads: a two-wheel drive car with winter tires or a similarly-sized, four-wheel drive vehicle (such as an SUV or pick-up truck) with all-season tyres? …  The answer may surprise you.

Look at the vehicles that you see spun-off from snow or ice. You will be shocked how many of them are four-wheel-drive SUVs or pick-up trucks, which shows that the drivers don’t know the difference between traction and grip, for their tires. Winter or snow tires are far better than all-season even when it’s just cold, let alone when there actually is snow or ice.  (Copyright image, 2014.)

Continue reading “Winter Tires or All-Season Tires — Which are Best & Safest?”