How to Handle Your SUV

How to Handle Your SUV

When you get behind the wheel of a sport-utility vehicle, you become your own worst enemy. Statistics show that nearly two out of every three fatalities in SUV crashes involve no other cars, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles or pedestrians. They involve only the SUV and its occupants. In these so-called "single-vehicle crashes," the driver somehow loses control of his or her machine--with tragic consequences.
Nowadays, Americans drive more miles in SUVs and vans than they do in passenger cars. But why can't they keep these wildly popular machines under control? Why do SUVs show such a high incidence of single-vehicle crashes?
"The response characteristics of an SUV or van are inherently different than those of a passenger car," says Dr. William E. Van Tassel, AAA's national director of driver training operations. "Drivers can't change how an SUV behaves. So they have to change their driving. They have to adapt to their vehicle."
In nature, species need to adapt or die. The same holds true for you on the road in an SUV. Experts offer these survival tips:
Create more space. "Because SUVs ride higher than cars, drivers have a better view of the road ahead," says Barbara Ward of the Club's Traffic Safety Department and an instructor in the Driver Improvement Program. "As a result they tend to follow the car in front of them too closely."
That can present a serious problem when you consider an SUV's stopping distance. An SUV weighs more than a typical passenger car--often a lot more. For instance, even with no people or cargo aboard, a Ford Excursion tips the scales at close to 7,200 pounds. That's the equivalent of nearly two and half Honda Civics.
"Mass is a big factor in determining stopping distance," notes Van Tassel. "A driver's response time is just as quick in an SUV as it is in a car. But once the brakes are applied, the SUV will take longer to stop."
To compensate, you have to increase the available space to allow for a longer stopping distance. In a passenger car on dry roads, experts typically recommend a two- to three-second following distance. (As the car in front of you passes a stationary marker, begin counting, "One Mississippi, two Mississippi…." If you reach the marker as you reach "two Mississippi," then you have a two-second cushion of space.) In an SUV, however, experts recommend a three- to four-second cushion under the same conditions.
Wet, icy and snowy roads demand an even bigger cushion--despite the four-wheel-drive capabilities of many SUVs. Just as a high view of the road ahead may lead to following too closely, a four-wheel-drive SUV's go-anywhere traction has a dark side. "Many SUV drivers definitely get overconfident," notes Ward. The four-wheel-drive system that helps you go on slippery surfaces doesn't help at all when you have to stop.
Reassess your passing ability. An SUV's weight makes a difference not only in stopping but also in accelerating. "An SUV usually has a little more horsepower, but of course a lot more mass to move," notes Van Tassel. "So you have to be more careful in estimating passing distances." Allow extra time and distance when turning into traffic from a driveway or side street, too.
Take turns more slowly. "Because SUVs have a higher center of gravity than a car, they're less stable when turning and more susceptible to rollover," notes Ward. "You have to slow down on curves, sharp turns and exit or entrance ramps."
In fact, rollovers present the biggest danger to people in SUVs by far. Statistics show that SUV occupants are 11 percent more likely to die in an accident than people in passenger cars, and experts largely blame rollovers for the difference. The problem plagues all SUVs, but especially small ones. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that SUVs with wheelbases around 100 inches are four times more likely to roll over than passenger cars.
Automakers have attempted to address the rollover tendency with technology. For example, Ford's "roll-stability control" extends stability control with additional sensors that monitor a vehicle's wheel lift. When the sensors detect an incipient rollover, the automatic system selectively applies the brakes to individual wheels as necessary to restore stability. Although such technology can't override the laws of physics and allow you to blaze around turns, it does help you recover from mistakes. Whether this technology prevents real-world rollovers--or simply inspires more overconfidence among SUV drivers--remains to be seen.
Recheck your mirrors. "An SUV's size improves forward visibility, which drivers generally perceive as a safety plus," says Van Tassel. "But that size also means that they probably see worse out the back."
He recommends changing the mirror settings to reduce the significant blind spots in many SUVs. Adjust the driver-side outboard mirror by tilting your head until it rests against the door window; then, position the mirror until you see just a portion of the rear fender. (You'll see none of the fender when sitting upright.) Adjust the passenger-side outboard mirror the same way. Tilt your head toward the center of the vehicle, and position the mirror so you can glimpse a portion of the rear fender in the inner edge of the glass.
Redistribute your cargo. Loading cargo on a roof rack only exacerbates an SUV's top-heaviness. "You want to keep the weight close to the center of the vehicle, as low as possible," says Van Tassel. In vehicles with three rows of seats, passengers should opt to sit in the second row rather than the third. Stow luggage and other heavy cargo on the floor between the axles whenever possible.
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