Why Weight Distribution Matters


Why Weight Distribution Matters









 

📊 Key Insights from the Graph

·         Balanced vehicles (≈50% front weight): Fatalities hover around 50 per million, reflecting stable handling.

·         Moderately front-heavy (55–60%): Fatalities climb to 75–100 per million, showing increased instability.

·         Critical threshold (63%): Fatalities spike to 150 per million, about 3× higher than balanced vehicles.

·         Severe imbalance (65–70%): Fatalities plateau around 160–170 per million, confirming that once the rear is too light, recovery from skids becomes nearly impossible.

🚗 Why This Happens

·         Physics of imbalance: A heavy front pulls the car forward, while the lighter rear struggles to maintain grip.

·         Breakaway risk: The rear loses traction suddenly, leading to spins that drivers cannot correct.

·         Human error amplification: Drivers misjudge safe cornering speeds because the rear provides little warning before sliding.

🛞 Safety Implication

·         Best tires on the rear axle: This practice directly counters rear breakaway, stabilizing the vehicle even when the front is overloaded.

·         Driver awareness: Recognizing that front-heavy cars are more prone to accidents helps encourage safer speeds and cautious maneuvers.

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