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American Morning
Interview With Automotive Expert
Aired January 17, 2003 - 09:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: They are among the most popular cars on the road, but if you're thinking about buying a sport utility vehicle, the head of the national highway traffic safety administration says think again.
Jeffrey Runge tells the "Wall Street Journal" that in rollover accidents, people in SUVs are three times more likely to die than people in other vehicle types.
Bill has gone outside with more to talk more about SUV dangers -- good morning again, Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Paula. Hello. Not too bad out here, actually. Jean Jennings is with "Automobile" magazine. She knows this issue better than anyone. Good morning to you.
JEAN JENNINGS, "AUTOMOBILE": Good morning.
HEMMER: Does the doctor have a point about SUVs?
JENNINGS: Well, he certainly has a point, but I would like to say that right after he spoke, a Department of Transportation spokesman said, Remember, this is not a condemnation, it is not a blanket indictment of SUVs. They have a tiny bit propensity to roll over. It is especially extreme emergency avoidance situations. So, he does have a point.
HEMMER: Now, let's get to our demonstration here. This is a Volvo, it is an XC 90. We want to impress upon our viewers that we are using this car today because it is safe. In fact, you like it, right?
JENNINGS: Well, yes. And once again, I would like to say that a tiny percentage of SUVs, even qualify in this roll over thing.
HEMMER: Tell me what to look for -- if I walk into a dealership, what am I looking for, Jean?
JENNINGS: Well, you are looking for height versus width. That is just a rule of thumb. What we want is a low center of gravity. Low center of gravity. Not something you can point to. But if you have a fairly low vehicle where the width is quite comparative to the height -- you see, this is a very wide vehicle, the center of gravity is going to be much lower.
HEMMER: But if I'm walking into a lot, how do I know the dimensions? What do I look for? Do I get out a tape measure and do it myself?
JENNINGS: No, what you can see, you can see here this is not a very tall vehicle. The other thing you look for is if it has a really high -- if it has a very high ground clearance. If it's really built to go off-road, the center of gravity is going to be higher.
The other key thing is where is the engine situated in the car? Is it up high under the hood? Is the whole vehicle up high with a lot of air down low? Is the vehicle really narrow compared to that?
HEMMER: All right. With a Volvo out here, tell us and show our viewers why this is a vehicle that you like, and think is safer than a lot of the others out there that we are talking about?
JENNINGS: Let me say I think almost all SUVs are much safer than an average car, first. This is specially is one that you can see, because look at how wide the outside of the vehicle is, and you you can see the tires are way out to the outside, and then comparatively short. This is not a big, tall vehicle.
Now, let me say when you put a bunch of stuff on here, up on the roof rack in the summer, the center of gravity goes up again. So even if you have a vehicle that feels very comfortable every day, if you load it up, you should drive it around, and you can feel if it's a little tippy.
HEMMER: I want to show our viewers probably the most telling statistic about this story. Of all the accidents involving vehicles in this country every year, 3 percent are rollovers.
JENNINGS: Three percent.
HEMMER: But of that 3 percent, 32 percent are fatalities. In that group, you have 61 percent tied to an SUV. That is the point of the story.
JENNINGS: Now, the point is who is wearing their seat belts and who has been drinking? There you'll find more statistics that say, wear your seat belt. There are people that drive these big SUVs that feel like just because they will go anywhere, they're safe, they don't have to wear their seat belt.
HEMMER: And watch your speed, too.
JENNINGS: You can't drive it like you are in the Baja 1000.
HEMMER: That's right. Hey, nice gloves.
JENNINGS: Thank you.
HEMMER: Perfect. Have a great weekend, OK? Thanks for chatting.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 17, 2003 - 09:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: They are among the most popular cars on the road, but if you're thinking about buying a sport utility vehicle, the head of the national highway traffic safety administration says think again.
Jeffrey Runge tells the "Wall Street Journal" that in rollover accidents, people in SUVs are three times more likely to die than people in other vehicle types.
Bill has gone outside with more to talk more about SUV dangers -- good morning again, Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Paula. Hello. Not too bad out here, actually. Jean Jennings is with "Automobile" magazine. She knows this issue better than anyone. Good morning to you.
JEAN JENNINGS, "AUTOMOBILE": Good morning.
HEMMER: Does the doctor have a point about SUVs?
JENNINGS: Well, he certainly has a point, but I would like to say that right after he spoke, a Department of Transportation spokesman said, Remember, this is not a condemnation, it is not a blanket indictment of SUVs. They have a tiny bit propensity to roll over. It is especially extreme emergency avoidance situations. So, he does have a point.
HEMMER: Now, let's get to our demonstration here. This is a Volvo, it is an XC 90. We want to impress upon our viewers that we are using this car today because it is safe. In fact, you like it, right?
JENNINGS: Well, yes. And once again, I would like to say that a tiny percentage of SUVs, even qualify in this roll over thing.
HEMMER: Tell me what to look for -- if I walk into a dealership, what am I looking for, Jean?
JENNINGS: Well, you are looking for height versus width. That is just a rule of thumb. What we want is a low center of gravity. Low center of gravity. Not something you can point to. But if you have a fairly low vehicle where the width is quite comparative to the height -- you see, this is a very wide vehicle, the center of gravity is going to be much lower.
HEMMER: But if I'm walking into a lot, how do I know the dimensions? What do I look for? Do I get out a tape measure and do it myself?
JENNINGS: No, what you can see, you can see here this is not a very tall vehicle. The other thing you look for is if it has a really high -- if it has a very high ground clearance. If it's really built to go off-road, the center of gravity is going to be higher.
The other key thing is where is the engine situated in the car? Is it up high under the hood? Is the whole vehicle up high with a lot of air down low? Is the vehicle really narrow compared to that?
HEMMER: All right. With a Volvo out here, tell us and show our viewers why this is a vehicle that you like, and think is safer than a lot of the others out there that we are talking about?
JENNINGS: Let me say I think almost all SUVs are much safer than an average car, first. This is specially is one that you can see, because look at how wide the outside of the vehicle is, and you you can see the tires are way out to the outside, and then comparatively short. This is not a big, tall vehicle.
Now, let me say when you put a bunch of stuff on here, up on the roof rack in the summer, the center of gravity goes up again. So even if you have a vehicle that feels very comfortable every day, if you load it up, you should drive it around, and you can feel if it's a little tippy.
HEMMER: I want to show our viewers probably the most telling statistic about this story. Of all the accidents involving vehicles in this country every year, 3 percent are rollovers.
JENNINGS: Three percent.
HEMMER: But of that 3 percent, 32 percent are fatalities. In that group, you have 61 percent tied to an SUV. That is the point of the story.
JENNINGS: Now, the point is who is wearing their seat belts and who has been drinking? There you'll find more statistics that say, wear your seat belt. There are people that drive these big SUVs that feel like just because they will go anywhere, they're safe, they don't have to wear their seat belt.
HEMMER: And watch your speed, too.
JENNINGS: You can't drive it like you are in the Baja 1000.
HEMMER: That's right. Hey, nice gloves.
JENNINGS: Thank you.
HEMMER: Perfect. Have a great weekend, OK? Thanks for chatting.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
