For years, SUVs were considered dangerous to their drivers because of the rollover risk. Fortunately, electronic stability control, a standard safety feature on modern SUVs, has made the number of rollovers go down significantly. Unfortunately for people who don't drive SUVs, that means their risk of injury -- and even death -- in a collision is going up.

It's important to note, before we go any further, that across all models of cars, the risk of injury or death by any sort of accident has been sinking by double digits over the last 10 years. New advances in materials, safety systems, and restraints mean accidents that might have been fatal in 2002 are mostly auto insurance headaches in 2012. Even in the riskiest vehicles for accidents -- namely small, light cars -- the numbers boil down to 72 deaths per million vehicles, or .000072%. Driving a car is relatively dangerous...but that's relative to our overall safe existence.

That said, accidents between smaller cars and bigger ones are still a pretty big problem in the world of car accidents, and one car manufacturers and auto insurance companies are struggling to solve.

When Big Car Meets Little Car
It's really all a matter of physics, which just aren't in the little car's favor, no matter how you slice it. If, say, a 2012 GMC Sierra, which weighs more than three tons, runs into, or gets run into, by a Toyota Prius, which weighs one and a half tons, the "energy transfer" is decidedly in the Sierra's favor. If the Prius hits the Sierra, the impact will be less than the Sierra hitting the Prius, and the Sierra will be more likely to absorb the energy.

It raises the question of what we can do. Obviously, most of us have no desire to get in a car accident, and certainly not to kill anybody. And car makers are working on new ideas every day to reduce the damage: for example, as crumple zone technology advances, it ensures that more of the energy is absorbed by areas of the car, not the passengers. But beyond relying on technology, what else can we do?

Four Ways to Protect the Little Guy

1. Respect each other on the road. Let's start with the most basic way we can, and something we should be doing anyway: driving safely. C'mon, admit it: sometimes you don't use your turn signal, or you speed, or somebody gets you angry and you cut them off. Well, like it or not, that's how people crash; somebody's thoughtless action triggers an unintended problem that gets nasty, quick. So, take a deep breath and drive mindfully of others.
2. If you’re in a large car, keep your eye out. This is especially true on side streets and in cities. Move carefully with a full awareness of other drivers, and be conscientious of your turn signal. The bigger the car, the more careful you'll need to be.
3. If you’re in a smaller car, don’t speed. The temptation to go zipping around, or try and get through a yellow light, is great in a zippy little car, but that's how you get hit. Even if a giant SUV is in your way, be patient.
4. Get a more modern car. Cars manufactured before 2002 are a higher safety risk, so whether you want a family-hauling vehicle or a tiny gas-sipper, look for a later model vehicle, and be sure to ask about available safety features.

Image Credit: http://www.los-angeles-injury-lawyer-blog.com/P1010081.JPG

Mississippi has been an integral part of the United States since 1817. The Magnolia State has lush forests, sun-kissed beaches, and almost three million friendly people.

No, it’s not the potholes. That’s Alabama.

So why is it such a dangerous place to drive?

Because Mississippi also has one of the highest percentages of motorists who drive without auto insurance. More than 1 in 4 drivers – about 28% – do not have current car insurance coverage for their vehicles. That’s sharply higher than the national average of 16%.

Technically, these uninsured drivers are breaking the law – since Mississippi (like all other U.S. states) requires its drivers to carry a minimum level of liability insurance on their vehicles. But for decades, enforcement of that law was nearly impossible because there was no system in place to make sure that its drivers were in fact insured. The regulation was strengthened somewhat in 2000, when a law was passed requiring drivers to show proof of insurance if they had been in an auto accident or pulled over by police for a traffic violation. But there still wasn’t any way to prove that the proof of insurance documentation was current (or even that it wasn’t forged).

To remedy this problem, lawmakers drafted a bill this year that would have made drivers purchase auto insurance and supply proof of this insurance to the Department of Public Safety before they could obtain a car tag, which is legally required for all vehicles on the state’s roads. Many other states have similar systems in place in order to ensure that motorists are acquiring the insurance coverage that is mandated by law. The Mississippi bill reportedly took years of discussion and debate before it was approved by the state’s Legislature.

It was a win for proponents of responsible, safe driving – until this guy stepped in.

BOOOO!

Governor Haley Barbour surprised everyone by vetoing the legislation. He claimed that the bill would overburden DPS, cost the taxpayers too much, and not permit enough time to do what was needed to implement the system.

This explanation was met with puzzlement by some lawmakers. State Representative Hank Zuber III, a Republican like Barbour, said he was shocked that the governor broke out his veto pen because Barbour had never expressed any problems with the bill during the legislative session. Zuber also insisted that the bill was both fiscally responsible and sound public policy.

Though he didn’t like the bill itself, Barbour did say he was in favor of the concept of presenting proof of auto insurance before getting a car tag. But Zuber said that the Mississippi legislature will be so busy in the near future that the bill will probably not be voted upon again; nor does he think Barbour’s veto can be overridden.

In short, because of the perplexing last-minute rejection of the bill by Haley Barbour, uninsured Mississippi drivers will continue to crowd the state’s roads and highways. And if one of these scofflaws crashes into you, the costs to cover property damage and medical bills may very well come out of your (insurer’s) pocket, not theirs.

He screwed up. But you’re paying for it.

That’s why it’s dangerous to drive in the Magnolia State.

Image credits: edgewatercb.blogspot.com, westernjournalism.com, canstockphoto.com.

Yielding on this road is probably a good idea.

Driving is a dangerous activity, and that’s specifically why you always need to have car insurance. But most roads are fairly safe and flat. Imagine if you had to drive every day on a road that is perched on a cliff or some other dangerous condition; you might think about drinking an extra cup of coffee before beginning your commute. So feel lucky. Because even though driving as a whole is a risky activity, some of these routes are utterly dangerous every single time they are driven, and not just because of traffic.

10. Pakistan By Truck

How would you enjoy driving through snowy mountain landscapes? OK, maybe that sounds fun, but what if you’re driving a LARGE TRUCK?

9. Himalayan Craziness

When you think Himalayas, you think icy conditions. Well, not always as seen here. The driver in this video is apparently used to moving really fast.

8. Would You Cross This Bridge?

Seriously, this is a floating bridge. Literally. We’ve heard of suspension cables, but this is ridiculous! And check out the other bridges in this video for more hair-raising excitement.

7. Directly Down

Another shot directly from Pakistan. In this one, you can see what’s at stake: if you slip up, you’re essentially diving off a cliff.

6. Mountainous Yemen

The peaks in Yemen are truly beautiful. But don’t let that distract you, because the tiny brick wall at the edge of the road is not going to stop your vehicle from going over.

 

5. Why So Narrow?

Not only is this Bolivian road on a mountain, but there are wet conditions as well. And the road is so narrow that it would only take one slick spot to finish you off.

4. China-Pakistan Border

They say that Osama Bin Laden is hidden in hills like these. It’s no wonder that we haven’t been able to find him – he’s not driving anywhere!

 

3. Rocky Road

This stretch of road seems so bumpy, you’d wonder if the shocks went out on this vehicle. Although it doesn’t really look like any type of suspension would help smooth out this ride.

2. Hawaiian One Lane Bridges

In Hawaii, they don’t make two lane bridges for two lane roads. At least not on this road to a place called Hana. You just have to deal with it.

1. Indian Traffic, Taxicab Style

When you’re an Indian cab driver, you are paid by the fare. So the best way to make money is to drive as fast as possible, and ignore right-of-way rules. Welcome to dangerous flat-lands.

Pictures (Chronological)

http://thecontaminated.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/dangerous-roads-1.jpg