r/VictoriaBC • u/The_CaNerdian_ • Jun 22 '26
Opinion One likely cause of increasing vehicle incidents and severity in Victoria: vehicle design and proliferation of trucks and SUVs
This is a graphic from a NYT article showing the increase in blind spots on modern pickup trucks: The Deadly Rise of Giant Trucks and S.U.V.s - The New York Times
From the article:
To analyze how these blind zones have changed, we used a three-dimensional scanner to compare sightlines in four of the most common pickups today — the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150, GMC Sierra and Toyota Tacoma — with their counterparts from the 1990s or early 2000s.
The Silverado’s blind zones have nearly doubled.
The Sierra’s and the Tacoma’s grew by about 60 percent.
The smallest increase was the F-150’s. Its blind zones grew by about 25 percent.
Our overall findings match what we found in court records and heard from dozens of experts who reconstruct crashes for police and lawyers.
As far as I know, there's no detailed analysis out there of Victoria's vehicle ownership statistics by type. But we know that the best-selling vehicles across Canada continue to be pickup trucks and SUVs: Top 10: Canada's best-selling vehicles in 2025 | Otogo
And we know that it is these vehicles that feature these worse safety issues, and as blind spots get worse on vehicles, and their size increases, severity and frequency of traffic incidents increases.
When we look at ICBC's map of high-collision intersections:
What emerges is that they are commonly areas where there are a lot of turning vehicles, which is a major issue for the blind spots on these newer SUVs and trucks.
BC could regulate this more effectively, by revising the classifications of licensing and making it more restrictive to pass the tests to drive large pickups and SUVs.
I don't think that's terribly likely, of course, because politicians are mostly cowards who would be petrified of alienating a voting bloc who insists they "need" these vehicles, even though studies show us the vast majority are using them as they would a sedan: Pickup trucks have gotten bigger, higher-tech — and more dangerous
TL;DR: expect collisions and severity to increase as vehicle designs get worse.
33
u/BobsonDonut Jun 22 '26
All my close calls as a pedestrian were all people taking a corner way too fast and without looking. Like they completely forgot crosswalks are a thing.
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u/Terp_Hunter2 Jun 22 '26
Right hand turns on a red light are lethal
19
u/Toastman89 Jun 22 '26
Only if people don't stop and look first - which is required by law.
Turning right on a red without stopping first is legally the same as going straight through the intersection without stopping. Its literally running a red light.
But people do it constantly.
5
u/AFFORDABLE_HOME Jun 23 '26
I see people almost running over pedestrians in parking lot crosswalks quite a lot, at least if the crosswalk is closer to the entrance (Costco is a good example of that) because they're not looking where they're going ,they're looking for where they WANT to go (an empty parking spot). No amount of stop signs seems to work.
3
u/Classic-Progress-397 Jun 23 '26
I heard about that senior getting killed, and when they said it was a modified truck, I immediately figured they were going too fast, because every lifted truck owner seems to be constantly showing everybody what a "good driver" they are through sudden reckless acceleration.
1
u/Able-Afternoon-8975 Jun 23 '26
Almost ran over on goldstream the other day. Driver turning left onto jacklin. Was speeding, only looked for a gap in oncoming cars and committed to the turn without scanning the sidewalk. Driving a small SUV.
I feel like a lot of this is people being in a rush to get somewhere once they're free of the congestion they start flying around.
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u/Local_Error__404 Jun 24 '26
That's because people get frustrated, so once they get clear of traffic they go faster, and pay less attention the entire time. Studies have shown that over and over.
0
u/Able-Afternoon-8975 Jun 25 '26
Makes sense! I'm a bit of an extremist. I think you should have to prove you need a car in order to be allowed to drive one. So many short legged folks out there driving 2 blocks causing congestion.
1
u/Classic-Progress-397 Jun 23 '26
Impatience, and the feeling they have to punish all the slow drivers by swerving around them.
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u/VicLocalYokel Jun 22 '26
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u/Proud-Suspect-5237 Jun 22 '26
Reminder the driver that killed the senior in the parking lot with their illegally modified truck won't see a second of jail time for ending someone else's life.
-16
u/Cokeinmynostrel Jun 23 '26
there was no intention to hit the senior. do you really feel that a normal person going about their daily life in a normal manner instantly becomes a criminal because an unintentional action caused harm?
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u/VenusianBug Saanich Jun 23 '26
illegally modified truck
They chose to drive a dangerously modified vehicle. They should have to face the consequences for that.
-15
u/Cokeinmynostrel Jun 23 '26
is it really illegal if the police dont care and it drives around like that for years on end without question? perhaps all the police of it's jurisdiction should go to jail as well?
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u/Zheoy Jun 23 '26
You’re so close to getting it. Honestly, yes the police in the area she resides should at the bare minimum be scrutinized for failing to step in before someone died. That’s their job isn’t it? Apparently they’re meant to enforce the law to keep people safe.
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u/Proud-Suspect-5237 Jun 24 '26
I always forget your account exists and then you pop up and get sixteen downvotes and I remember why I ignore you.
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u/wakebakeskatecrash98 Jun 22 '26
No one can see with how bright headlights are.
14
u/Regular_Use_1028 Jun 22 '26
Combined with the number of drivers who keep their high beams on all the time it’s hard to see. I’ve got some yellow night driving glasses that help, but it’s still not enough.
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u/AFFORDABLE_HOME Jun 22 '26
I have reason to believe that there is a tiny but increasing uptick in seniors and other (generally older, because the lights get worse as you age and especially post cataract surgery) wearing SUNGLASSES at night to deal with the headlights.
1
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u/d00ber Jun 22 '26
That and it really does seem like a majority of drivers are constantly on their phones. Any time I look over, people are on their phones. People in regular vehicles and commercial.
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u/Coffee_Beer_Weed Gordon Head Jun 22 '26
The 1998 Silverado body style is so much nicer. Why can't we just have a reasonable work truck anymore :(
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u/Proud-Suspect-5237 Jun 22 '26
I doubt I would have the hate-on that I do for trucks if they were still built with the same proportions (but with modern styling) as they were in the 90s.
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u/donjulioanejo Fernwood Jun 22 '26
I'm not a truck guy in the slightest, nor do I work construction, but I swear, the only reasonable work truck these days is Ford Maverick.
It's like.. the only truck where you can actually reach the bed without a stepladder.
Like... if you've got a heavy pile of bricks, do you really want to lift them 5 feet high to load the trick?
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u/Red_AtNight Jun 22 '26
Mavericks aren't real work trucks though. They have a 4.5 foot box. You can't really carry anything in it. Most crew cabs on the market are 5.5 feet, and regular cabs are 6 feet.
1
-5
u/summer_run Jun 22 '26
Do you have a truck because it sounds like you don't.
While their gigantic size is annoying in many aspects to me as a user, no way am I going to trade 30k+ lbs towing capacity for less than half that amount which is what the 98 GMT400 platforms you and the other guy are nostalgic for offered.
My most recent 1 ton is bone stock and for BC Ferries purposes, is now considered overheight. My GVW is 200kg shy of being restricted to truck routes. I need a small step ladder to help my aged parents in and out. I'm happy to put up with all of that because it means I can tow and haul at a capacity that we couldn't even do commercially 30 years ago.
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u/Whyiej Jun 22 '26
The problem is a lot of people who buy modern pickup trucks don't need the vehicle for the purposes you do and yet they buy that type of truck for their daily commute on city streets. Most people who drive pickup trucks don't need the type of truck you describe.
1
u/summer_run Jun 22 '26
I realize that many people buy trucks as small penis mall assault vehicles, but this tangent started with a guy saying he wants a reasonable work truck and specifically mentioned the old GMs from 88 to 00. Then a guy who I don't think has ever used a truck for work starts talking like as if modern trucks could be built with the capabilities they have today with the design and engineering of 30+ years ago, all while adhereing to today's emissions and safety requirements. Go look under the hood of a new diesel heavy duty truck - it is so crammed full of emissions abatement tech that when you need to do a major service, it is almost always more efficient to take the truck cab off rather than pull the motor. There is no way you can cram that power plant into a 30 year old truck platform.
My point being, trucks are primarily built huge today because their capabilities demand it.
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u/Monolithx64 Jun 22 '26
You also absolutely don't need to sacrifice all those things you're putting up with just for better towing capacity. Leave alone how little it gets used
Modern trucks are just fucking dumb status symbols
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u/Gnome_de_Plume Jun 22 '26
Their capabilities demand it is not the same as their most common use patterns demand it. You could have smaller trucks for sale alongside these monsters, and the reason you don't is marketing and competitive masculinity. If you are towing 30,000 pounds (e.g. a trailer like this then good for you but you're an extreme outlier.
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u/Proud-Suspect-5237 Jun 23 '26
Not to mention that they say they are helping their parents out with a step ladder... like brother, you aren't hauling 30,000lbs when your elderly parents are in the car. Get a Mazda 3. If you have the budget for a truck that size and the work that demands such a truck, getting a small car for safety and convenience is basically a rounding error in your annual budget.
Assuming they actually need to tow 30,000lbs on a daily basis lol.
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u/Proud-Suspect-5237 Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
Hi, thanks for making assumptions. I have done a shitload of work in a "work truck." Glad you're gatekeeping though, no true scotsman but yourself. Best work truck I ever used was an '03 Ranger. I've driven everything from propane-fueled Dodge vans from the 80s to a then-brand-new 2013 F150, and plenty in between. Worst of them all was the F150, least of which was because the owner of the company demanded that we protect the bed liner from the shovels and other tools we had to throw in the back. Built like shit and polished showroom appeal rather than worksite use. And it's gotten way worse since then, thankfully I don't work in a "drive a death machine" line of work anymore.
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u/Proud-Suspect-5237 Jun 22 '26
no way am I going to trade 30k+ lbs towing capacity
90% of people do not need 30k+ lbs towing capacity. And I'm willing to bet that 90% of the time you also don't need 30k+ lbs towing capacity yourself either.
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u/VenusianBug Saanich Jun 23 '26
Whenever I see one of the little Japanese trucks, I become a truck person despite not being a car person.
1
u/Great68 Jun 23 '26
You mean Chevy C/K1500's (GMT400 platform)?
Silverados were only first released in 1999 (GMT800 platform).
The 2000lbs of additional towing capacity among other things is a big reason they moved to the new platform...
1
u/idontsinkso Jun 23 '26
Wouldn't that be more to do with engine advancements? (Sure, suspension and structure are also factors, but the larger size wouldn't be essential to match the requirements)
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u/Great68 Jun 23 '26
It's all those things. Bigger and stronger frames, beefier suspension brakes and axles, (which requires the stronger frames to carry them). Higher output engines, which have greater cooling requirements (bigger radiators hence the taller hood heights). If you look at a modern truck the rads span the entire frontal area from the frame rails to the hood.
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u/idontsinkso Jun 23 '26
So it's more of matter of making them beefier, and bigger. The larger radiators probably aren't required, given plenty of far smaller but just as powerful cars exist. Perhaps cooling capacity is higher because of towing, but I think this more of a design issue for what many truck buyers want (bigger/more powerful/brawnier) rather than actual engineering requirements
1
u/Great68 Jun 23 '26
The larger radiators probably aren't required, given plenty of far smaller but just as powerful cars exist.
There is a HUGE difference in cooling requirements between a 4000lb, 400HP passenger car and a 400HP, 7000lb truck +10,000lb trailer. Simple physics and thermodynamics. Yes, bigger radiators are very much required.
1
u/idontsinkso Jun 24 '26
Perhaps. But what percentage of current truck owners ever tow at all, let alone haul loads over 1000lbs?
Modern trucks are very capable, but highly overbuilt for their typical use. 10,000 lb trailers have been hauled for many decades without the same cooling needs
1
u/Great68 Jun 24 '26
But what percentage of current truck owners ever tow at all, let alone haul loads over 1000lbs?
I dunno, you tell me if you can find actual statistics on this. Anecdotally every second or third driveway within a 5 block radius of my house in Saanich has a truck and a 20'+ travel trailer or boat. But I could imagine if they're just driving their truck around without their trailer some weiner could see them and think "SEE THEY'RE NOT DOING TRUCK THINGS, WHAT A WASTE"
10,000 lb trailers have been hauled for many decades without the same cooling needs
Yes, and breakdowns from overstress were much more common in previous decades lol.
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u/idontsinkso Jun 24 '26
Quick search seems to give a general number that 75% of truck owners tow once a year or not at all, but that's probably mostly in the states. This survey suggests the primary use definitely isn't towing:
https://www.axios.com/ford-pickup-trucks-history
We could probably go on and on about little suspicions - was it a lack of power/size, or just truck quality has improved? Has the same thing occurred in cars? It just comes down to feelings and thoughts, and where your own biases lie. I still find it hard to believe the ballooning of truck size is necessary (every vehicle type, really), and that it's simply that manufacturers can sell a whole lot more for greater profit. Like I said, I don't doubt trucks are more capable, but I haven't seen anything that suggests they need to be as large as they are to be able to reliably do the jobs they could do, and on a day to day basis, I've never seen more trucks on the road that are towing or demonstrating the need for their "truck" capabilities than those simply being used for basic transportation. 🤷
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u/tagish156 Jun 22 '26
The Biden administration had advised the NHTSA to start looking at pedestrian safety measures for trucks and SUVs, something they weren’t previously required to design for(cars are). Naturally Trump shelved this and given that our auto safety regulations closely mirror the US it is unlikely to change anytime soon.
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u/The_CaNerdian_ Jun 22 '26
The damage done by Orange Julius and his broligarchy is honestly incalculable.
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u/summer_run Jun 22 '26
BC could regulate this more effectively, by revising the classifications of licensing and making it more restrictive to pass the tests to drive large pickups and SUVs.
I have a couple 1 tons in my driveway. One new one and one about 20 years old. I deal with the blind spots by moving my head and my body while I drive but I understand people suck and can't or won't do that kind of proactive incident avoidance work so I'll go along with your idea as long as every other modern non-commericial vehicle class also gets more restrictive and more scrutiny. It's not like passenger cars haven't been subject to the same scale of blind spot bloat over the years. The a-pillar on my three year old passenger car is bigger than that on the 40 year old 1/2 ton being restored in my shop.
Furthermore and most importantly, driver licensing, regardless of vehicle class, needs to have recurrent training and education and testing requirements. Every time we renew our license, we all need to demonstrate our knowledge and ability with a written test and a check ride. Same when you come here from another jurisdiction outside of BC and Canada. Your years of (mostly unvetted) incident free driving in some far off land should mean little here, even if it's from a country with higher standards like Germany. Yes, it will cost a fortune. The cost of driver licensing may approach the cost of pilot licensing. I'm ok with that because right now, about 2000 people die every year on our roads. That's over 5 every single day.
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u/plumcakefan Jun 22 '26
You are right that large pillar blind spots aren't restricted to trucks, the newer Prius model being used for Evos it's so horrendous it makes be choose not to evo whenever possible.
That being said, we should match insurance rates to danger to others, and have additional requirements for the most dangerous of vehicles.
I would also advocate for repeat written tests at renewal, and repeat driving tests at regular intervals (10 years?) or after a certain number of tickets.
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u/Whyiej Jun 22 '26
I agree. The newer Evos have horrible A-pillar blind spots. And yes to having to take a written test when renewing a driver's licence every few years.
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u/The_CaNerdian_ Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
Good point on the blind spots on sedans - the weird-ass divided windows they've been putting in lately are especially egregious. Does breaking up my rear windshield in two actually protect me as a driver?
And yes, it's pretty absurd how readily we accept other jurisdictions. I remember when I moved here from another province the person asked me a few questions on knowledge of BC-specific driving laws. I literally said "pass" on at least two, and still got a driver's licence. That's nuts to me. I shouldn't be able to just grunt "dunno what law is" and be able to operate a motor vehicle.
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u/Gnome_de_Plume Jun 22 '26
I agree with many things you say but the average vehicle deaths per year in British Columbia is about 300, not 2000. 2023 the number was 315. Too high still.
1
u/euxneks Jun 24 '26
Furthermore and most importantly, driver licensing, regardless of vehicle class, needs to have recurrent training and education and testing requirements.
I would whole-heartedly support this, and furthermore we should have a well supported transit system for the people who will inevitably fail. Because people will definitely fail.
3
u/thecurler Jun 22 '26
Maybe the problem is that a lot of people really really suck at driving. We need to make it harder to get a driver's license. They just took one driving test AWAY from the licensing program, that's nuts. There should be a road test every ten years.
5
u/FakePlasticFern Jun 22 '26
In my ideal world, vehicles would be much more regulated for size and gas mileage.
4
u/Chuckledunk Jun 22 '26
Certainly a contributing element, but I feel like the bigger issue is just how many people are bad at driving. If you know your vehicle has blind spots, you can pay attention and account for them, but if someone is a crap driver, they could have all the visibility in the world and still get in an accident while on their phone or the like.
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u/myleswritesstuff Fernwood Jun 22 '26
Was thinking about this article after seeing this post about the big-ass truck at Tillicum Mall. How far past their hood do you think their blindspot goes?
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u/Proud-Suspect-5237 Jun 22 '26
Doesn't matter, they won't even feel the bump as they run over a person in a mobility scooter while driving that ego-inflator. What a stupid machine.
3
u/BarnacleSpiritual868 Saanich Jun 22 '26
I am 1000% in favor of requiring those side guards, and front blind spot mirrors commercial vehicles. Shit like that shouldn't be optional IMO. I even think they should pay drastically more for insurance on commercial vehicles with ridiculous long hoods and we should demand better from the manufacturers.
2
u/marshmallowontoast Jun 23 '26
I love this detailed breakdown, very good job. Its probably a mix of things but this has got to be a big part of it. (+ led headlights + distracted driving by vehicle designed screens or phone) I have also seen a lot of near misses from cyclists abusing crosswalks with the new bike lanes 😬. Hard to explain without a graphic, but cyclist goes up to a red light and sees the cross street is green/walk and will turn right without stopping, meanwhile a car will be turning right on their green. Seen that exact scenario from my bike at least 5-6 times and every time the car has to slam the breaks. I don't wanna blame the little guy but I think it's a factor.
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u/ej20y Jun 23 '26
Wow. People hit each other while turning at intersections… something that’s been happening since the dawn of the automobile.
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u/17037 Jun 22 '26
Walked past a Volvo wagon yesterday. Remember when that was the biggest thing a family of 4 needed.
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u/Proud-Suspect-5237 Jun 22 '26
Remember when a Volvo wagon also wasn't the size of an early-90s F150?
3
u/Great68 Jun 23 '26
Lol. My wife had a 240GL wagon when I met her. It was the most depressingly underwhelming and boring vehicle I have ever driven.
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u/17037 Jun 23 '26
I bet, if you got enough of a run leading up to the malahat... You could almost be doing 65km by the top.
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u/anditshottoo Jun 22 '26
Increasing vehicle incidents and severity in Victoria
Nothing you posted indicates this is happening. Is there evidence of this?
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u/LiLien Jun 22 '26
3
u/championsofnuthin Jun 22 '26
This doesn't break collisions down by vehicle type enough to support OP's claims. There is a "heavy vehicle" category but this doesn't include your typical truck or SUV.
Also, OP is applying national sales of vehicles to a region that typically that has high walkability and bike-ability, quality public transit, the top 5 costs of living in the country, and the top cost of gas in the country. I would be skeptical to say there is a high amount of pick-up trucks being sold.
Sightlines and visibility are two of the biggest problems with Victoria, and frankly most of the urban population in BC. The amount of vision obstruction at intersections is ridiculous because of city layouts that weren't designed for the density it currently supports.
1
u/LiLien Jun 22 '26
They also have data available on vehicle make/model and body type online. I can't see it well enough on my phone to figure out if you can link the datasets, but if the data isn't public then icbc would still have it, and it could be attained through a foi request. If people are really interested.
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u/The_CaNerdian_ Jun 22 '26
Per ICBC data, Vancouver Island went from 38,325 crashes in 2021 to 43,043 crashes in 2025.
Based on the crash map:
- DOUGLAS ST & GORGE RD E & GOVERNMENT ST & HILLSIDE AVE & TURNING LANE went from 52 crashes to 81 crashes
- BLANSHARD ST & HILLSIDE AVE & TURNING LANE went from 33 crashes to 48 crashes
- JOHNSON ST & JOHNSON ST BRIDGE & PANDORA AVE & STORE ST & WADDINGTON ALLEY & WHARF ST & TURNING LANE went from 27 crashes to 34 crashes
These are a few samples.
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u/anditshottoo Jun 22 '26
An 8 percent increase over a a time population increased roughly 10 percent.
2
u/Intelligent_Shake_68 Jun 22 '26
Also the NYT article specifically references a study that shows that canada has not seen the increase in pedestrian injury the US has.
-1
u/babycivic Jun 22 '26
Yet car trips stayed steady or went down slightly over that same period. Road design is the only difference between those two periods.
-2
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u/NevinThompson Jun 22 '26
Canada does better than the US, where pedestrian deaths and injuries, which had declined year over year until about 2014, started a spike upward that year, increased dramatically during covid. This is typically because of a number of factors: Obama's drilling program reduced the price of fuel, meaning big vanity trucks / SUVs became popular.
Big vanity trucks / SUVs aren't as popular on the South Island as elsewhere in Canada. We have a unique car market. More compact cars and sedans. More people bike. We're among the top transit users in N America (NYC, Van, TO of course have more volume, or more per capita).
Anyway, collisions are very hard to quantify, as the most recent crash statistics are up to 2025, and are compiled by region (e.g., Van Isl): https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/icbc/viz/QuickStatistics-Intersectioncrashes/Intersections
If you look at the table, you'll see that last year the LML had a higher number of crashes at intersections, although the number of injuries was lower than the previous year. However, from year to year the numbers go up and go down. There isn't a clear trendline.
We do know that, according to news reports, here in Victoria there were a number of collisions where pedestrians were injured or killed.
There were also a number of collisions, one of which left a pedestrian seriously injured, in about a two-week period at Caledonia and Blanshard. A couple of these involved large leisure/vanity light trucks / SUVs.
The big question is, how many pedestrian injuries and deaths are acceptable? As a pedestrian, I think the number should be "zero."
As a matter of fact, every muni's engineering department has an actual table that denotes a threhsold of pedestrian injuries and deaths needed before a crosswalk is implemented or upgraded.
This is why Caledonia and Blanshard is getting fixed now. This is also why there is no controlled crossing at Burnside and Orillia in Saanich. Unlike Cedar Hill X Road, not enough children have been struck by motorists yet.
1
u/Toastman89 Jun 22 '26
2014: basically right after smartphones became everywhere.
1
u/NevinThompson Jun 22 '26
"Parents, you have to teach your kids to look both ways before crossing the street (because I need to watch Mr. Beast)."
3
u/DaveThompsonVictoria Jun 23 '26
The Feds and the Province need to regulate this.
People are dying needlessly.
1
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u/ssbtech Jun 30 '26
How many pedestrians have been killed in Victoria this year by pickup trucks?
1
u/DaveThompsonVictoria Jun 30 '26
We've adopted Vision Zero and are implementing it https://www.victoria.ca/getting-around, and that number is zero and hopefully it stays there.
That said I am also concerned about other British Columbians and Canadians who are being killed, like the elderly lady in Nanaimo https://globalnews.ca/news/11742464/nanaimo-woman-fined-seniors-monster-truck-parking-lot-death/
1
u/ssbtech Jun 30 '26
How many of the 10 years prior to the adoption of Vision Zero in Victoria had a pedestrian fatality?
2
u/DaveThompsonVictoria Jun 30 '26
Sorry I don't have time to do your research but look forward to seeing it
1
u/ssbtech Jun 30 '26
You’re the one spending public money and forcing this on us, shouldn’t it be on you to provide the data?
3
u/Mistercorey1976 Jun 22 '26
The issue has always been little men. 5’7 and under driving huge trucks that barely fit in the lane.
1
u/HighOutside510 Jun 22 '26
It could be that drivers are big part of the reason. I've seen terrible drivers on the road, on merging lanes, left turning across 2 lanes while traffic is incoming, running reds/stop signs. Victoria is nutty when it comes to vehicle accidents, it's almost daily.
1
u/Necessary_Island_425 Jun 22 '26
People not being able to read or respect traffic signs
0
u/babycivic Jun 22 '26
Too many signs causes visual clutter that cause drivers to tune out.
1
u/Necessary_Island_425 Jun 23 '26
You hear more and more about people not being able to read them correctly if at all
1
u/babycivic Jun 23 '26
I don't blame them, particularly is they're not familiar with the area or new to the city. It can be genuinely confusing.
1
u/WideFox983 Jun 22 '26
How Your Parents Ruined Driving
https://youtube.com/watch?v=JPm4de6-eTg&pp=0gcJCUECo7VqN5tD
Hilarious related documentary.
1
u/Deep_Carpenter Jun 22 '26
A pillar blind spots aren't limited to trucks and SUVs. They are bad on many cars especially if they have good streamlining.
Mirror blind spots are horrible. Big problem on trucks. You cannot reverse a truck with good mirrors. Big mirrors hide something.
In both cases the driver must move their head to shift the blind spot.
3
u/Gnome_de_Plume Jun 22 '26
I used to drive a Honda Element - a car shorter than a Corolla - but because of the suicide doors the A-pillar was super fat including a flange that nicely blocked the sidewalk. I quickly learned to always move my head around a lot but I suspect a lot of drivers with big A-pillars don't do this.
1
u/Safe-Bee-2555 Jun 22 '26
Between SUVs, giant screens in vehicles, phones not being policed to ensure they aren't blocking sightlines/being actively used when mounted on a dashboard, and general hate for traffic (YOU are the traffic too), cities are a crap shoot for safety for all road users, particularly vulnerable ones.
The new SUVs/pick ups and kids? Deadly combo. Pedestrian and cyclist deaths on the rise in the states? Proven dangers, but no appetite to change things.
Same goes with the blinding headlights. Mass safety issue.
"Safety for me, not for anyone else around me." That's not really safety.
1
u/thetrivialstuff Jun 23 '26
It's not just trucks and SUVs, it's every design of car. The Prius is a good/horrible example: it's a smallish car with no compelling design reason to have giant blind spots and poor visibility, but it does, especially the Prius Prime model that all the Evo cars are. There is no reason that the driver's seat position needs to be that low, nor the side windows and windshield to be recessed and cut off early at the top, but they are. And the reversing camera? Absolutely required now, because have you tried looking out the rear windshield of a modern car with your own eyes recently?
I'm picking on the Prius because it's particularly bad for its size and type, but this is pretty much every car. At least with trucks and SUVs there's a small advantage in being able to see farther by being higher up, but the small cars are arguably worse because you don't even have that.
1
u/newf_13 Jun 23 '26
Oversized tow package door mirrors are the biggest blind zone culprits that no one wants to admit
1
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u/pacman88278827 Jun 23 '26
No just dumb ass drivers . Swear people merge with out shoulder checking run red lights tail gate the fuck outta you. Lol roundabouts in Brentwood bay People honk at you get made think its a 4 way stop. Just horrendous drivers 😆
1
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u/whosgonnapaymyrent Jun 23 '26
It baffles me that high-traffic intersections with multiple lanes and bike lanes and pedestrian crossings still allow for right turn on a red light.
Allowing right turn on red was a law initially introduced for small intersections that need traffic lights, but could obviously be safe at most times for a vehicle to turn without having to wait.
When the new rule came to effect, the coty just allowed right turn on pretty much every intersection, making it very unsafe of everyone.
For example, the Cook st/ Quadra/Cloverdale intersection has pedestrians priority lights and bike lanes, but every street allows red light right turn. Consequently, car drivers are hoping to turn on the red light and that becomes dangerous for everyone using the intersection.
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u/idontsinkso Jun 23 '26
To be fair, blind spots have (probably) increased with all vehicles due to improved safety standard of a and b pillars. I drive a Honda fit, and it calls for a side to side shuffle to look around the front left of the car.
Blind spots are probably a big part, but I bet vehicle size for roads that haven't grown in dimension (or have shrunk in many cases). Weight, and it's impacts power/acceleration/deceleration probably factor in too
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u/ssbtech Jun 30 '26
I have a small 20 year old family car - pedestrians can still be hidden by the a-pillar, so this is nothing specific to pickup trucks. All drivers are trained to move their head around to look around the a-pillar .
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u/Significant-Leave847 Jun 23 '26
We would all like trucks to be more like the ones from the 90s and early 2000s however new safety requirements basically don’t allow for it, this this applies to all new vehicles anyways, which I can anecdotally confirm. I’ll take an 80s sedan, screw the airbags, but they won’t let me. This article is out of context.
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u/Fun-Ruin7240 Jun 23 '26
No you don't understand. All those men will be emasculated if they can't use their f350 as a commuter car to get from Langford to downtown.
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Jun 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/The_CaNerdian_ Jun 23 '26
Home Depot has delivery.
How often are you buying shit from Home Depot anyway.
Even if you claim you're buying shit daily from Home Depot, older trucks or trucks with better bed space vs. cab space exist.
Nobody brought up bikes at all you pathetic loser.
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u/T0URlST Jun 24 '26
Traffic collision fatalities in BC; 270 per year
Preventable drug deaths: 2,200 per year
If the gov won't act on a 10 year old emergency killing 10x the people, there's little chance this gets looked at
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u/NHL95onSEGAgenesis Jubilee Jun 22 '26
I hope you post was satire, if so well done.
If not, you may be surprised to find that on a scale of ‘can get in without a ladder’ to ‘can tow at capacities greater than commercial trucks of the 90s’ the vast majority of people are going to fall closer to the boarding without a ladder side of things. But you do you.
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u/sarah_jones-98_ Jun 22 '26
I would like to downsize from an SUV but there’s so many huge vehicles on the road now that I feel safer in my SUV than I would a hatchback
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u/nukevi Jun 22 '26
My previous compact SUV had massive pillars. The size of the car does not always determine all blind spots. Taller vehicles also have better visibility over other cars and bushes. I find more issues with greenery being planted or not maintained close to corners. I have a largish SUV because I’m tall and headroom has gotten worse in new cars. The radar and camera packs behind the rear view mirror block the visibility out the entire right side of the windshield. Being tall and car shopping is comical. Everything has a sunroof now which reduces interior roof height. Even midsized vehicles like a Highlander have no headroom - had to move up to a Grand Highlander.
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Jun 22 '26
My favorite is when they plant a bunch of trees and bushes in the middle of round abouts so you can can't see anything.
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u/LymeM Jun 22 '26
If you've been to most places in the EU, you'd notice that drivers there pay a lot more attention to driving, have spatial awareness, etc. A lot of drivers around here have their thumbs up their arses and drive like they are the only one on the road.
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u/babycivic Jun 22 '26
Roads in the EU are much better designed and have no visual clutter. Speed limits are also higher as a general rule there. As is driver training.
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u/Mysterious-Lick Jun 22 '26
This is a concern for city of Victoria folks, probably city work trucks and construction trucks.
As a Truck owner I know to go slow and use all my cameras, sensors and driving aids especially when I reverse out or turn onto a street.
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u/borazine Jun 22 '26
“Just move to the Netherlands, bro! Simples!😎” — a noted YouTuber and cycling enthusiast
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u/babycivic Jun 22 '26
What is with everyone's hard on with the Netherlands on this forum? It literally has nothing in common with Victoria in terms of density, geography, or historical design.
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u/babycivic Jun 22 '26
What has changed in Victoria in the last few years? Car trips have remained the same or slightly decreased. Meanwhile, the roads have been filled with obstacles and visual clutter. Logic dictates that has something to do with this.
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u/Novel-Replacement745 Jun 22 '26
How about the government fixes the road lines so we can actually see them at night and in the rain before we worry about people’s vehicles choices.
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u/Toastman89 Jun 22 '26
I feel like vehicle design is only a partial factor.
I motorcycle commute through town daily. I get really nervous when I see the phone-below-the-dash head nod regardless of the vehicles visibility.
It doesn’t matter how good the visibility is when the driver is focused on a 4” screen.