Any pedestrian crash can potentially cause severe injuries or worse. Pedestrians don’t have a vehicle to shield their bodies from the force of impact during a collision. There is a lot of focus on pedestrian crash risk in areas with higher speed limits, like rural roads and areas with a lot of traffic, like major intersections. The sad truth is that anywhere people encounter motor vehicles, they are at risk of injury or worse.
Drivers may fail to notice pedestrians or may be unable to stop in time when they drive at higher speeds. In recent years, a certain type of pedestrian crash has begun occurring with increasing frequency. So-called frontover collisions are on the rise and are a threat to young people and those who are particularly short.
What is a frontover pedestrian crash?
As the name implies, a frontover pedestrian crash occurs when a motor vehicle drives directly into a pedestrian. What sets them apart from traditional front-facing pedestrian collisions is often how they occur at low speeds. Many frontover collisions take place in parking lots or at the end of a driveway. They frequently involve larger passenger vehicles and a driver who simply couldn’t see the pedestrian. SUVs, crossovers, hatchbacks, minivans and pickup trucks are all vehicles that may potentially cause a tragic frontover collision.
What causes frontover collisions?
There are two factors in play in the average frontover crash. The first is the overall height of the vehicle combined with the relatively short pedestrian. The second is the design decision in recent years to decrease the size of windows and windshields in vehicles. Doing so protects the occupants from flying glass in many collisions, but it also creates bigger blind spots, including directly in front of the vehicle. A pedestrian who may feel like they are perfectly visible might actually not be visible whatsoever to the person driving the big vehicle.
Even though they often occur at low speeds, frontover collisions can be tragic. Frontover collisions can cause broken bones, brain injuries and even death. As with other types of pedestrian crashes, frontover collisions often lead to insurance claims and civil litigation.