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Blind Spot Testing by ConsumerReports.org

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by F8L, Nov 1, 2007.

  1. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    I thought this may be helpful in a "know thy enemy" kind of way. Due to the difference in visibility for each vehicle on the road, one cannot always assume the drive can see you and backing up. So rather than make such assumptions maybe you can inform yourself on different vehicles and avoid an accident. :)

    Here is the article: Be sure to use the left toolbar to explore different vehicles by type. The Prius scored pretty well. With an average score of 10 feet for all hatchbacks, the Prius rated 7 feet. The best of the best was the Chevy Aveo at 5 feet and the Yaris at 6 feet. The worst it seems was the Chevy Avalanche at 50' without a backup camera! The ultra-common 2007 Chevy Tahoe comes in at 38ft. So I guess one should be wary of 5'5" soccer moms driving trucks and SUVs. :eek:


    "Every year, children are injured and killed because drivers (in some cases, parents) don't see them while backing up. According to KIDS AND CARS (www.kidsandcars.org), a nonprofit group that works to improve child safety around cars, at least 50 children are backed over every week in the U.S. Forty-eight are treated in hospital emergency rooms and at least 2 children die. There were 474 fatal backover accidents between 2001 and 2006, which represents almost half of all non-traffic fatalities that involved children.

    A contributing factor is that larger vehicles (SUVs, pickups, and minivans), which have become increasingly popular, have larger blind spots than passenger cars. A blind spot is the area behind a vehicle that a person can't see from the driver's seat.

    To help consumers understand how large some blind spots are, Consumer Reports has measured the blind spots of a number of popular models. The results for both an average-height driver (5 feet 8 inches) and a shorter driver (5 feet 1 inch) are listed in the accompanying charts."

    [​IMG]
     
    #1 F8L, Nov 1, 2007
  2. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    A lot of the incidents aren't just about visibility, they're about
    what the drivers do. I'm often astounded at how some people punch
    it when backing out of somewhere. I always drift pretty slowly while
    swinging my gaze around between the various tools available to me
    [mirrors, out the back window, etc] and would like to think my style
    would give a kid plenty of time to get out of the way, scream, etc.
    .
    There's absolutely no reason to perform any close-in maneuvers in a
    tearing hurry, but so many people do. That's why people hit each
    other and sustain nontrivial damage in *parking lots* f'krissake.
    If that doesn't say it all about how far stupidity can go, I'm not
    sure what does.
    .
    _H*
     
    #2 hobbit, Nov 1, 2007
  3. brick

    brick Active Member

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    This is one more reason why I have always liked wagons and wagon-like vehicles. They have the small size advantage of the midsize sedan plus the glass is pushed all the way to the rear, which is why the minivans do so well.
     
    #3 brick, Nov 1, 2007
  4. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    I agree with you Hobbit. Combine reckless driving with a lack of visibility and you have a recipe for disaster. If one were to look at many older people the visibility factor becomes the main factor again. They, older people, tend to drive VERY slow yet they still run stuff over, habitually. Ironically they also tend to drive those very large sedans with poor visibility (Lincoln Town Cars, Cadillacs etc.)
     
    #4 F8L, Nov 1, 2007
  5. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    I have a friend lost a child due to a reversing accident. dreadful.

    I don't understand how being shorter changes the view to the rear, how does it change the height of the rear view mirror?
     
    #5 patsparks, Nov 1, 2007
  6. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Nov 1 2007, 07:10 AM) [snapback]533361[/snapback]</div>
    I believe it is due to angles. Try looking through the rear windows on the Prius then lower yourself a few more inches, or in my case over a foot, and look again. We are tought to twist our torso and turn our heads around to backup and not use the rearview mirror. At least that is how I remember it because I lost points for turning around too quickly before coming to a complete stop while backing up in my drivers test. lol
     
    #6 F8L, Nov 1, 2007
  7. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    i also have to agree its the driver. i am a perfect example when last month i almost backed into a child. i saw them coming when getting in the car and didnt look for them and nearly hit them. it was the child's parent that saved her, not my backup camera. they were so close behind the car walking at a 90 degree angle, that they did not really come into view until the last second.

    but i knew they were there, for some reason, i failed to verify their position as i was backing out.
     
    #7 DaveinOlyWA, Nov 1, 2007
  8. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    i also have to agree its the driver. i am a perfect example when last month i almost backed into a child. i saw them coming when getting in the car and didnt look for them and nearly hit them. it was the child's parent that saved her, not my backup camera. they were so close behind the car walking at a 90 degree angle, that they did not really come into view until the last second.

    but i knew they were there, for some reason, i failed to verify their position as i was backing out.
     
    #8 DaveinOlyWA, Nov 1, 2007
  9. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Well I don't find the view out the rear a problem. It's the view out the front they should be concerned about. I find it very hard to confirm it's safe to enter an uncontrolled intersection as the "A" pillers really block my view both right and left, even moving my head around a lot.

    And again, there are a lot of idiots who seem to think "uncontrolled intersection" means they can go blowing through at speed with no consequences.
     
    #9 David Beale, Nov 1, 2007
  10. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Nov 1 2007, 11:50 AM) [snapback]533400[/snapback]</div>
    I agree. Rounding a curve in my housing complex (no line on the road) it's hard to tell if someone approaching me is driving on my side without craning my neck to peer around the pillar.

    I don't recall this problem on previous cars...
     
    #10 mikepaul, Nov 1, 2007
  11. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    I always reverse using 3 mirrors. I can see down the sides and to the rear of the car without straining. I think turning your body was something they did before the invention of mirrors :) I always turn my head to check when changing lanes or reverse parking but I use my mirrors too.
    I'm sure I did my test using mirrors to reverse, I don't know how you would reverse a truck without using the mirrors? (Yes I have a truck licence)

    The front pillars are big, this is a product of the very strong body shell for occupant safety. It's also got impact absorbing facia to reduce injury. I find that with both eyes opened I can see around the front pillars pretty easily.
     
    #11 patsparks, Nov 1, 2007
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