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To see or not to see: that is the question’
We’ve come a long way since Henry Ford rolled his Ford Model T cars off the production line. Car designs have evolved considerably since. Imagine a convoy of Lamborghinis driving down O’Connell Street. It would be hard to miss. Indeed that’s probably why these cars are bought in the first place, to make an impression. But the question is can the driver see you?
The search for ever sleeker aerodynamic and aesthetic designs down through the years has naturally affected, and in many cases, obstructed, driver visibility. Safety concerns have also necessitated plenty of interior reinforcement, yet paradoxically this has contributed to the new danger of reduced visibility.
Vehicle blind spots are estimated to account for just 1pc of accidents, while lack of view and vision also contribute to the daily inconvenience, stress and uncertainty when parking, reversing and turning on and off roads.
The latest survey from ‘Which? Car’ reveals the best and worst for car visibility, revealing how all-round visibility is, in the main, worse than it was around 15 years ago.
The best of the bunch is the small Smart Fortwo Coupe, with a visibility score of 64.8pc, followed by the Fiat 500 (58.7pc) and the Citroen C3 Picasso (58.2pc) coming third.
Worst offenders are convertibles with the top down, such as the Porsche Boxster (31.4pc), BMW Z4 (38.7pc) and Lexus IS 250C (39.4pc).
‘Which? Car’ editor Richard Headland said, “It’s vital to make sure a car protects its occupants in a crash, but accident research and common sense suggest that crashes are more likely if visibility is reduced. This is of particular concern for more vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists”.
With the Smart Fortwo Coupe coming out top of the poll, we have another reason to consider the environment when choosing a new car. Although this time it’s not so much about saving the environment as being able to see it.
Brought to you by AXA Car insurance.
Its interesting that most recent publicity concentrates on crash protection for a vehicle’s occupants and there is much less on what vehicles are best able to avoid an accident in the first place. Like the Smart car, vehicles of the 1960s & 70s had more exposed seating positions and thinner A & B pillars making them weaker in an impact but also giving the driver better visibility to potentially avoid the impact in the first place.
Its surprising to see hood down convertibles faring so poorly.
These can be more tiring to drive but generally give the occupants much better all round visibility as well as exposing them to surrounding sounds and even smells which can give a better appreciation of potential hazards.