e43Guy

Looking at the posts above, I don't really get what is wrong with a young girl and a large SUV.
We will definatly get a large *ss SUV for my sister once she will be 16. I think it's still safer for her to drive a large car, then an SLK for example. Most of accidents are car/car collusions and i think that she will have better chances in a large European SUV than a regular midsize sedan ( im not even mentioning those little cute girlie cars ).

Baby ///M3

You're right. A SLK may not be safe for a girl as well.

However, I think a girl driving a SUV for no purpose other than grocery shopping, going to school, etc. is really an overkill. SUVs like Suburbans are very truck based and other than being large in size, I really doubt their overall structural integrity and safety.

Besides, SUVs are harder to steer and control out of dangerous situations.

Many female drivers (no offense to them) tend to either step on the gas pedal instead of the brake or jerk the steering wheel violently when they encounter dangerous situations. If she drives a SUV, such reaction may lead to either a serious crash with another car or a rollover accident.

Even if she's a skillful driver and instantaneously hits the brake pedal during an emergency, it's still going to take her longer to stop the SUV because it's a very heavy car.

If safety is a concern, then a better choice may be sedans that score well in the crash rating tests.


Jon

Davtown

I agree with Baby///M3, a sedan with proven structural integrity will be safer than a truck-based SUV (not to mention the part about emergency situations - an SUV is difficult to control in an emergency situation, and while possible, is not easy for a 16 year old girl. high center of gravity doesn't help at all, either)

The LS400 is an incredibly safe car, and I would recommend that over an SUV any day. Plus you get to stay in the Lexus family I feel safer in my ES300 than in my mother's Land Rover.

CleanSC

You're right, she will be safer in a large car.

So why are you getting her an SUV?

Like mentioned above, they roll easier, are harder to control, take longer to stop and have more mass to do more damage.

Why put all that on a brand new driver with ZERO experience? I couldn't put that on my conscience. I'd rather see her in a 5-star safety rated sedan (there's many affordable ones). In that car, she hopefully won't need those 5 stars because she'll be more able to keep it out of harm's way.

An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound (gross tons) of cure, no?

RTIS250

iTrader: (9)

I made sure when my girl wanted an SUV, we got her something smaller... She ended up with an 03 Toyota RAV4... and i actually like it a lot Its small enough for her to be able to drive, similar to a car. But built a little stronger...

SecPole14

= teh death

mikeloc24

We got my ex an Explorer because we fell into that same mentality that SUV's are safer. And to a point it's true, they are slightly safer in some instances, but the trade-off is that they're X amount of times more likely to cause major damage to other drivers during an accident. My ex had 2 accidents in her explorer, one her fault because she was too small to see over the front of the thing and the second because the heap couldn't stop soon enough due to someone running a red light. In the second case she saw the driver running the light but due to her speed (40mph) and the weight and maneuverability of the vehicle the collision wasn't able to be avoided. Buying an SUV and putting it in the hands of a new driver is dangerous, not only to the driver but to all the other motorists they have to share the road with. Anytime I see a woman struggling to see over the wheel of her SUV I make sure to steer clear, it's an accident waiting to happen.

Like Jose said (I believe) the SUV phenomenon in this country is ridiculous. The pollution, congestion, gas prices, insurance rates, etc. all are affected by this. I hate SUV's actually, most people buy them to simply take up space.

LS4fun

Jeesh..i hope the passengers made it out OK...

Davtown

vredniykot.. I think you might have to explain the title of this thread to me.. I still don't understand

BLK13X

Geez... SUVs are a real 'love or hate' issue over there huh?

Davtown

Yep....

as for me, I don't hate SUVs, but I don't think they should be given to 16 year old girls, especially for all the wrong reasons.

Baby ///M3

Amen.

Jon

joshthorsc

Whoa!! I hope no one died!!