Why are so many Mavericks getting rear ended?

[crgator]

So if you are decelerating fast it’s not a good idea to make sure the person behind you knows? I understand the argument that is their problem. But on roads where the majority of vehicles today have automatic transmissions you have no real choice but to hit your brake pedal in an automatic right? If it is such a bad idea why do all EV’s do it? Why do most hybrids do it?
But that really isn’t the question. The real question is why is it not a good idea? Not just because that is not the way it is done with manual transmissions. Not being argumentative I am looking for an answer. I really don’t want to lose my Mav over a stupid rear end collision that maybe could be avoided.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but don't the brake lights come on when you step on the brake pedal? My understanding is that they do. Regen braking when you take your foot off the gas, no. And that is what I would expect. Brake lighting every time you take your foot off the brake would be like the idiots that ride the brake pedal and you see those lights coming on and off constantly and you don't know what he's doing.

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[ripperAZ]

It seems like a very high percentage of Mavericks are getting rear ended. Most of the accident posts here are about getting rear ended. I read an article recently about a huge salvage company somewhere in the Midwest that is buying up all the totaled Mavs and the majority have rear end damage. Certainly Idiots on cell phones and texting are a contributing factor but you would expect the rate to be the same as all vehicles. Idiots don t discriminate. So that can’t be the only reason
One thing I suspect with Hybrids is one pedal driving. Ford did not put a simple $25 part in the hybrids that would engage the brake lights when the vehicle is regen braking like most other hybrids and EV’s do. Maybe the NHTSA will pick up on this and order a recall.
Couple of questions for the group.
Of those that have been rear ended did to you replace the stock brake bulbs with brighter led’s like Lasfits?
If you are running the replacement LED’s do you think they make a difference?
Basicly, does anyone have any good ideas to prevent this?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Idiots behind Mavericks expecting the AEB to actually stop them before colliding? It doesn’t it most cars

 

[Jaackil]

I agree. It would be kind of like the brake light coming on while downshifting a manual tranny. Not a good idea at all.

I had to think about this one a little more. I can not think of any instance when I am downshifting with an manual transmission and not applying the brake at the same time or at least covering the brake pedal enough that the brake lights would in fact come on. The one exception is downshifting to pass, and you are actually accelerating so no brake light needed. But in most cases when you are downshifting to decelerate aren’t you using your brakes too? But the way I learned to drive a stick was always cover the brake when downshifting. And I am not talking about tractor trailers. I am talking about passenger vehicles. So it really is not a good comparison. Unless I am missing something.

 

[Jaackil]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but don't the brake lights come on when you step on the brake pedal? My understanding is that they do. Regen braking when you take your foot off the gas, no. And that is what I would expect. Brake lighting every time you take your foot off the brake would be like the idiots that ride the brake pedal and you see those lights coming on and off constantly and you don't know what he's doing.

No not exactly the same. In a hybrid when you take your foot off the gas the electric motor slows you down at a much faster rate than if you take your foot off the gas in a regular ICE. In an ICE you are coasting. In a hybrid you are braking ie regen braking. Of course it depends on the mode you are in at what rate you decelerate. With a simple accelerometer it can be determined whether you are coasting or decelerating(braking). Too many people are over thinking this. All EV’s do it. Most other Hybrids do it. Next time you are behind an EV or a Prius. Look see if you even notice it? It’s seamless. It’s based on g force. So no brake lights would not come on every time you take your foot off the gas.

 

[Waterick]

Seems we've been down this road before in another thread. Much the same discussion. Most regenerative braking is not aggressive enough to require stop lights. (Like a downshift in a manual.) I suggested before, an accelerometer to activate the brake lights anytime on all vehicles there's a deceleration of a TBD amount. This will also give warning to drivers that car in front of them stopped or slowed drastically whether the brakes were activated or not. (Like a car running into something without braking or aggressive regenerative braking). Many of the Mavericks rear ended on this forum were not even hybrids, just like most vehicles that get rear ended.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

No not full one pedal like a ev but you can virtually one pedal with it. I do it all the time.

Hardening2753 must not understand what the term "one pedal driving" means.

 

[Traegorn]

I mean, we see posts when folks get rearended here, but do we have any indication that it actually happens more frequently to Mavericks than other vehicles on the road?

Heck, a lot of the time the people are at a complete stop when they're rearended. The brake lights aren't really a factor at all most of the time.

 

[Jaackil]

Seems we've been down this road before in another thread. Much the same discussion. Most regenerative braking is not aggressive enough to require stop lights. (Like a downshift in a manual.) I suggested before, an accelerometer to activate the brake lights anytime on all vehicles there's a deceleration of a TBD amount. This will also give warning to drivers that car in front of them stopped or slowed drastically whether the brakes were activated or not. (Like a car running into something without braking or aggressive regenerative braking). Many of the Mavericks rear ended on this forum were not even hybrids, just like most vehicles that get rear ended.

Well said!

 

[crgator]

I had to think about this one a little more. I can not think of any instance when I am downshifting with an manual transmission and not applying the brake at the same time or at least covering the brake pedal enough that the brake lights would in fact come on. The one exception is downshifting to pass, and you are actually accelerating so no brake light needed. But in most cases when you are downshifting to decelerate aren’t you using your brakes too? But the way I learned to drive a stick was always cover the brake when downshifting. And I am not talking about tractor trailers. I am talking about passenger vehicles. So it really is not a good comparison. Unless I am missing something.

I've downshifted manuals in pickups, cars, and motorcycles without using the brakes, just to slow down a bit. If someone is behind me, and it's a quicker deceleration, then I'll use the brakes as well. But if it's slowing with traffic and had I been in an automatic, slowing only by foot off the accelerator, then I'm not braking while downshifting. Been doing it this way for over 55 years and the only time I"ve been hit is when I'm at a dead stop.

 

[Jaackil]

I mean, we see posts when folks get rearended here, but do we have any indication that it actually happens more frequently to Mavericks than other vehicles on the road?

Heck, a lot of the time the people are at a complete stop when they're rearended. The brake lights aren't really a factor at all most of the time.

No other than what I said before. The majority of Mavericks in salvage yards are rear end collisions. I also do not see many posts here about any other type of collision. So is that hard eveidence? Absolutely not and maybe I am making the totally wrong assumption. I admit that.

 

[Jaackil]

I've downshifted manuals in pickups, cars, and motorcycles without using the brakes, just to slow down a bit. If someone is behind me, and it's a quicker deceleration, then I'll use the brakes as well. But if it's slowing with traffic and had I been in an automatic, slowing only by foot off the accelerator, then I'm not braking while downshifting. Been doing it this way for over 55 years and the only time I"ve been hit is when I'm at a dead stop.

I am 100% agreement here. But downshifting in an automatic also is not as aggressive as downshifting manually. And if you are downshifting manually to slow a bit you are using your gas pedal to match revs right? You not slamming it down and popping the clutch. Which is a lot more like letting off the gas a little in a hybrid to kick over the electric motor. You’re still on the accelerator. That is more of a coast than a regen braking. But again EV’s all have it that is all I am saying. I have never clocked this but in a hybrid brakes lights come on a lot less than a ICE only. Just wondering if that is a contributing factor.

 

[K5Blazer]

People who think brake lights should come on during coasting/regen, are the same type of people who rear end others.

 

[A-a-ron]

People just aren't used to seeing unicorns in the wild and want to reach out and touch it.

 

[MetalThunder]

Fun Fact

Rear-End Collisions Are the Most Frequent Type of Collision | Abels & Annes, P.C. (daveabels.com)
Rear-end crashes are the most frequently occurring type of collision. About 29 percent of all car crashes are rear-end collisions.

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[onetequilatwo]

You guys are missing the distracted drivers. I was sitting at a stop light waiting for it to turn green and get rear ended. (trade in car) She claims her brakes were bad, but it was up hill. See was not looking at the road. It was a 30mph area.

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