Theory why Mavericks get rear-ended so much

[Ben51]

According to what I can find, the Maverick, when operating with Adaptive Cruise Control on, only turns on the brake lights when mechanical breaking is required. If the slowdown is achieved using regenerative braking only, there are no brake lights. An earlier warning to following drivers could possibly reduce the number of rear-end collisions.

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[Alfetta159]

Interesting theory but I don't think Mavericks are getting rear ended more I think there are just more crashes in general.
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3. Lastly the one I rarely hear anyone talking about is cannabis legalization. How many drivers are under the influence??

I agree, I haven't heard anything about Mavericks getting rear ended, but I'm new to the flock.

I don't think legalized cannibalism is key because I don't think that would affect only those following Mavericks. And people have been doing dope and driving under the influence for decades.

I do agree that all the Ford light trucks do look alike now with the 25 Mavericks even having that headlight treatment. I do come up F-X50s and it takes me a sec to recognize what model it is.

The other boomer rants about distracted driving isn't necessarily untrue, but it doesn't address why only Mavs get hit, (by peanuts)

 

[Cancunbadlands]

Nonsense, people driving and texting. Period.

 

[Derwood]

The Maverick looks so much like the F-150 that drivers approaching from behind think the have lots of room before they must stop. The Maverick is smaller, and appears the same as an F-150 that is much further away giving drivers a false sense there is more room between them and the tailgate of the Maverick.
I do not know how, but bet one could figure what a Maverick looks like at 50 yards, and compare that to an F-150 that was 100 yards away. If they look the same, there's the explanation of the high rear-end collision frequency. I say high, base only on the accidents reported on site.
Anyone have a better idea or want to poke holes in mine?
tom

For the hybrid its easy to suggest one theory. I like to coast up to stoplights and I slow down faster than a regular car without hitting my brakes. I give my brakes a few intermittent light taps when a vehicle is behind me to let them know Im slowing down.

 

[Jadephoenix]

I figured they were trying to read all the imaginary bumper stickers I had on the back

But yes, the amount of distracted drivers I see on the road is annoyingly high. A lot of people severely underestimate their ability to multifunction. Doesn’t matter what vehicle you drive if the other driver is not fully paying attention.

 

[Veritable]

The Maverick looks so much like the F-150 that drivers approaching from behind think the have lots of room before they must stop. The Maverick is smaller, and appears the same as an F-150 that is much further away giving drivers a false sense there is more room between them and the tailgate of the Maverick.
I do not know how, but bet one could figure what a Maverick looks like at 50 yards, and compare that to an F-150 that was 100 yards away. If they look the same, there's the explanation of the high rear-end collision frequency. I say high, base only on the accidents reported on site.
Anyone have a better idea or want to poke holes in mine?
tom

OMG!

 

[grumpyunk]

OMG!

Is that verbose comment a realization that perspective DOES have some effect on peoples' braking technique?
That a smaller truck that looks just like larger versions lulls the approaching vehicle to delay
brake application because they have misjudged the distance between the two? Cool.

 

[Tbone289]

It's a pretty wacky theory in my opinion. Are you posing this theory because you have data to support that Mavericks are more prone to be rear-ended than F-150s?

The back end of a box truck looks an awful lot like the back end of a semi trailer, but I don't find myself almost rear-ending box trucks because my mind is playing some trick on me. The back end of a Ford Focus vs. an Escape, same, along with many other similar comparisons...1980's Ranger vs. F-150, etc, etc.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Anything other than, distracted / non-attentive drivers running into stuff is Overthinking it.

For Pete's sake people still run into the sides of moving trains

I wonder if they got their text sent?

 

[Krrr]

According to what I can find, the Maverick, when operating with Adaptive Cruise Control on, only turns on the brake lights when mechanical breaking is required. If the slowdown is achieved using regenerative braking only, there are no brake lights. An earlier warning to following drivers could possibly reduce the number of rear-end collisions.

Bingo!! This is my bet. I worry about it. I try to never use my brakes. I don't have ACC, just regular Cruise Control. Works great. Button brakes.

 

[Tbone289]

Anything other than, distracted / non-attentive drivers running into stuff is Overthinking it.
For Pete's sake people still run into the sides of trains

I wonder if they got their text sent?

The train was smaller than the ones they're used to, so they didn't realize how close they were.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

The train was smaller than the ones they're used to, so they didn't realize how close they were.

Yeppers

 

[Meeka]

Anything other than, distracted / non-attentive drivers running into stuff is Overthinking it.

For Pete's sake people still run into the sides of moving trains

I wonder if they got their text sent?

Bingo! Wondering if that was alcohol, weed, other narcotics or texting, and nowadays, a combo of all 4?

 

[HeyBales]

suggest you turn on your drivers side turn signal when stopped - you are not turning but it makes you much more visible

That's assuming they are looking in the first place to see that light but not the 3 red brake lights.
If they are merely glancing up not sure a flashing light is better than bright steady light to get their attention.

If that's the theory to having flashing lights - hit the hazards - which I've seen more people doing when they stop.
Sadly some of them seem to be distracted drivers and leave it on as they pull away!

 

[notfast]

Commercially I’ve logged 3.2 million miles. Plus to and from in my POV all my life.
I’ve never rear ended anyone or even caused a wreck. Never been at fault.
It’s not the vehicles fault.

I'm nowhere near you; logged about half a million as a part-time truck driver. And same. Been involved in 4 collisions, all rear-enders, all not my fault (I was literally stopped legally in all of them). Otherwise I've never totaled a car or caused a wreck myself.

To me, driving is an active activity. The armrests on the vehicles I've driven are like-new, because I seldom use them. I always drive with two hands on the wheel unless I am momentarily shifting gears, or adjusting the A/C or something. A lot of passengers comment on how smoothly I drive. I attest it partly because I always have a firm grip with both hands on the wheel, so things like bridge expansion joints don't cause me to involuntarily shake the wheel minutely and thus cause the car to wiggle a bit.

I commuted on a motorcycle for about four years. That was an adventure. Get to see a lot of how society drives. Saw one guy change his pants while driving, a lot of women putting on makeup, a lot of people eating anything you can imagine (including one guy eating Panda Express and steering with his knees...on an Interstate nonetheless). I seldom even drink water while driving. I hydrate and satiate during rest stops.

suggest you turn on your drivers side turn signal when stopped - you are not turning but it makes you much more visible

I would discourage that because confusion (why is this person signaling but not making a move or turning their front wheels?) coupled with approaching at speed is a recipe for a collision, especially if there is something else that requires their attention that they are now distracted from while sorting out the rogue turn signal.

If I am the last in line stopped at a traffic jam on the freeway (where the vehicles behind me are approaching at speed), I'll turn on the hazard lights (universal "approach with caution" signal) , but that's about it.

If anything I suggest adding more brake lights, and separate amber turn signals. I installed a headache rack on my F-250 with a 6" oval LED brake-only light and a 6" oval LED amber turn signal.

I got comments from other drivers at rest stops on how great the lights on the headache rack were. They could see the lights above all the traffic, so they knew that there was another "braking" wave coming long before the cars directly in front of them started braking.

Also, the brake lights on the headache rack were brake-only (not tail/brake), so at night, drivers were probably more alerted to two brake lights turning on and two taillights turning to brake, rather than just two taillights turning to brake.

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