Industry News from Yes Insurance

The public may have been misled about the safety of 4x4 vehicles according to a statement from the Advisory Council for Transport Safety.

A report from the Department for Transport (DfT) released recently stated that injuries are more common among drivers of smaller vehicles, therefore implying that larger vehicles, like 4x4s, are less likely to cause the public injuries.

Robert Gifford, a representative of the Advisory Council for Transport Safety, went on BBC Lunchtime News this week to set the record straight: "Smaller cars tend to be driven by younger people who have a different driving style from those who are little bit older so it is not a case for going out and buying big sports utility vehicles or multipurpose vehicles."

The report did show that 4x4s like the Land Rover Defender were safer to drive but analysis from the Motor Industry Research Association highlighted the clear danger for other road users, caused by the "detrimental effect" the supportive A-pillars, which separate the windscreens from the windows, have on the driver's vision.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee, for example, was found to have an A-pillar blind spot of 14 feet nine inches, a distance that could hide two motorcyclists from the driver.

Car insurance providers are said to be pushing up premiums for 4x4 drivers with the Financial Mail's research claiming four-wheel drive vehicles are 25 per cent more likely to be involved in accidents than ordinary family cars.

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