The Reason Why Are Trucks Getting Bigger

> You’ll be happy to know that pickups are actually more dangerous for their driver. Mostly because they’re more likely to spin out or roll over.

Just a consideration: Would integrating 5-point harnesses and an rollover cage into these trucks help to mitigate this problem? (I am of course aware that the latter would make to truck even heavier)

A HAND (head and neck device) could help, as could a roll cage (most vehicles have some roll protection built in - you can see cars and trucks stacked on top of each other at junkyards). Five point harness is a bit better than a normal belt, but we already have a significant number of vehicle fatalities where the occupants are not wearing the belts provided already. So it could make it worse as five-point is more annoying.

Arguably the strengthening of the roll-cage in vehicles has lead to the a-pillar problem. https://www.thewisedrive.com/the-a-pillar-problem/ - my small modern car has a much wider a-pillar than my massive boat from the 60s.

> an rollover cage into these trucks help to mitigate this problem?

I'm fairly sure that safety standards essentially require the roof to not crumple in rollover conditions.

Roll cages are necessary in racing where speeds (and forces) are much higher than road speeds.

Having relatively recently been in a rollover accident in a truck I found the rollover protection to be quite sufficient. The A/B pillars didn't appreciably deform and the roof didn't cave in at all.

Yes, because you survived. If you hadn't survived, you wouldn't be able to tell us this. Consider you may have just been lucky. Or would you care to repeat the experience a few more times so we can get data?

That would make them considerably more dangerous for the driver. A roll bar will crack your skull if your head hits it and a 5 point harness will snap your neck. Race cars have them because drivers are also wearing HANS devices and helmets to prevent those injuries.

They are two very different approaches to safety that aren't really compatible.

And the driver is restrained better while wearing a helmet. A cage with a three point belt and no helmet is more dangerous than not having a cage.

The side-curtain airbag in the A-pillar is also a factor [perhaps a bigger factor than rollover strength] of the expansion of the A-pillar's view blocking in particular for pedestrians during turns.

Naw, but by all means you're welcome to give it a go.

Heavy duty trucks are exempt from many federal safety standards in the US.