The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducted a test to see how blind zones have grown in cars over the course of the 21st century so far. Due to rising rates in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, the institute wondered how much blind spots are to blame in modern cars, trucks, and SUVs. One of the cars tested is one of America’s favorite full-size SUVs, the Chevy Suburban.
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe Center, IIHS chose some vehicles that have been around for at least 25 years to measure how their forward blind zones have grown. The Chevy Suburban, the longest-running nameplate in car history, was a natural candidate for this test.
What it found was that between 1997 and 2023, forward visibility within a 10-meter radius dropped by as much as 58 percent for SUVs, 17 percent for pickup trucks, and eight percent for passenger cars.
“The across-the-board decrease in visibility for this small group of models is concerning. We need to investigate whether this is a broader trend that may have contributed to the recent spike in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities,” IIHS President David Harkey said.
The test results for the Chevy Suburban (which would presumably be identical for the Chevy Tahoe) were quite worrying for pedestrian safety. From behind the wheel of a 2000 Suburban, 56 percent of the area 10 meters in front of the driver is visible. For the 2023 model, which represents the current T1 generation, that number is a mere 28 percent. This problem isn’t unique to full-size SUVs; the 2022 Honda CR-V has an identical 28-percent visibility rate. Meanwhile, the best performers in the test were the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, which scored 60 percent and 57 percent for their respective 2023 models.
2000 Chevy Suburban
2023 Chevy Suburban
“These results are notable because we already know that the portion of SUVs in the U.S. fleet grew substantially over these years as well,” said IIHS Senior Research Engineer Becky Mueller, who led the development of the new mapping technique and is a co-author of the Volpe Center study. “If further research confirms that these changes reflect a general change, that would suggest that declining visibility in SUVs has compounded the effects of taller, blunt-nosed vehicles that IIHS has already documented.”
Comments
The 2000 Suburban generation the tidiest design. Correctly proportioned outside and in.
This is complete and utter BS. The increase in pedestrian and cyclist incidents is solely due to the increase in pedestrian and cyclists. Nothing more. This is just another liberal academic trying to create something out of nothing in order to push more negativity towards large SUVs. My 2025 Tahoe has more cameras, more sensors, more alerts for people and cyclist’s approaching then ever before. Please don’t give these idiots a platform to spew their inaccurate information.
The problem is that you are arguing with the data. Never argue with the data. I would bet you appreciate academics like Amy Wax and Jonathan Turley.
of course the manufacters are at fault. Its their fault that half the population is looking at their phone instead of paying attention to where they are walking.
This!!! I’ve seen so many people almost get bit because they are looking down at their phones.
Oh, these things have been around for decades, so it’s not news or 100% true. The thing that irritates me about Burbans and Slades is that the majority I see around town are driven by petite women. That can barely get into them.
Like Jeeps, they have become girls’ cars. Or wealthy grandmothers’ cars.
The late 70s early 80s versions were simple, clean and sharp looking. An ordinary bloke could buy one of these. Occasionally one sees these around. Today, one needs Jeff Bezos money to buy something that is more bells and whistles than durability and function.
Every summer as the temperature goes up, the number of deaths by drowning goes up. Every summer as the temperature goes up, ice cream sales go up. One could conclude that if you eat more ice cream you are at greater risk of dying. The IIHS study has a similar correlation. If there are more Pedestrians, cyclists and SUVs around, then there will be more Pedestrian and cyclist accidents. Also the types of drivers purchasing SUVs has an impact. This study by IIHS is seriously flawed and disingenuous.
It’s logical actually. Remember that ‘80s Wendy’s commercial with that little old lady driving, yelling “where’s the beef?” She couldn’t see over the steering wheel. Same thing here.
I think the IIHS study is relevant and accurate. Sure, there are more pedestrians and cyclists now in certain areas. A picture above shows a boy walking in front of a car, but his head and most of his torso are above the hood, so you can see him. By contrast, any child or animal whose height is below the hood will be impossible to see. That’s especially true with a Suburban and my ’20 Chevy 2500 pick-up. The side mirrors also block a good chunk of lateral forward space. You have to look above or around these mirrors in order to see. While stopped at a traffic light, my head is on a swivel, constantly looking in all directions for possible pedestrians, etc, since you know someone can suddenly appear right in front of you before you know it. If you ignore these blind spots, you’re gonna hit someone, guaranteed.
Is there a reason for these high hoods? They obviously reduce the forward sightline. I’ll be glad when GM moves past the current design phase.
All the newer vehicles have a lot more and bigger blind spots than older vehicles. I have two cars, a 1977 Buick Electra and a 2017 Chevy Impala. The A pillars on the Chevy are three times larger than the Buick. I have almost hit a pedestrian more than once, because of those huge A pillars.
The IIHS is just one of those organizations that has escaped DOGE. Do not pay any attention to anything they say. They are just trying to make themselves look useful before they too get the axe. The suburban and Tahoe combined have put more miles on the road than any other vehicle today with an astounding safety record. NICE TRY DEI.
IIHS is not a government agency. But, I like the work they do driving the industry towards safety. I feel safer with my family in a new vehicle when I know it aced IIHS tests.
Very nearly took out a bicyclist with a 2500 work truck. Saw the top of their helmet above the hoodline at the last second.
So yes, forward visibility. But also maybe crossing a foot in front vehicles and being in the intersection when the light changes?
Many cities have changed the ‘rule of the road’ by giving pedestrians the right-of-way in non-signaled cross walks (before they were expected to wait for an opening in traffic). A medium city near me made this change 5 years ago. I read a month ago that they are now funding a study to figure out why car/pedestrian crashes and deaths have greatly increased.
A couple of thoughts.
1. There was a time period in the late 80s and shortly thereafter where visibility was at a peak. Automakers had lowered hood lines for better aerodynamics and Honda had relentlessly pursued lowering the cowl height in their products and other companies had somewhat followed their lead. Also, cars like GM’s 1985-1990 C-body, for example, had a very large DLO meaning big side windows (the opposite of the recent Camaro) that comprised nearly the entire upper body. GM had done this to make downsized cars feel open and spacious. A side benefit though was outstanding visibility. Pedestrian safety standards imposed in Europe later began to drive the trend towards higher hood lines.
2. I’m a fan of the IIHS but I have to wonder if their own ever more stringent standards aren’t partially to blame for the decreasing visibility. They’ve instituted new tests in the last two decades like the offset test and small offset test that force automakers to make the front ends of cars much more robust. It’s therefore plausible that higher hoods have been driven by IIHS’ own tests.
IIHS escaped DOGE for one simple reason – they are not a government agency. They are an independent non-profit .
NHTSA, NTSB and DOT are government agencies.
🤦♂️
Well, on the bright side, they won’t be able to run away cuz that sorry, ahh, trans or the goofy engine is gonna get stuck.