Why do people feel that 4WD vehicles are safer to drive than FWD or RWD?

Question

I learned to drive when you could only find 4WD on large 3/4 ton trucks and very few cars were FWD. My 1st 2 vehicles were RWD long before Traction Control or Stability Control.

And when I owned a 4WD pickup living in the midwest and northeast, I only used my 4WD maybe 2 days out of the year on average. And ony because I wanted to. Not because I needed to. The days I probably needed to, I used a vacation day and stayed at home.

Considering the fuel I wasted lugging around 750 lbs of transferfer case and axles around for the other 363 days, I was really screwing myself.

Anyone else share my opinion? Or are folks just real wusses and believe the hype that the car companies are selling them as far as expensive 4WD SUVs are concerned?

Answer 1

I'm like you; I think people place far too much confidence in 4WD. It sure doesn't help you stop, and I doubt it's much better on icy roads at holding the road at 70 MPH.
It depends on where you live, I'm sure, if one should have it. You're right, that's a lot of extra weight to lug around and a lot more parts to maintain or wear out.
I have only had FWD cars for the past eight years or so and have never gotten stuck. There's only been two days I couldn't get around in the snow, and we had 15 inches of snow. Everything was closed up in town, anyway.
However, there are some rural areas that don't get plowed quickly, and for some people, such as mail carriers, construction workers, or real estate agents, I could see where they're very beneficial.
People who drive SUVs always seem to think they're so safe, but they forget the first component to being safe is staying out of the accident in the first place. I once spun out a rental car in the rain on the Interstate and ended up in the median. It hit the rain-soaked ground so hard that grass and mud were in between the sidewall and rim. I have no doubt if I were in a pickup or (worse), SUV, I would have rolled it.

Answer 2

When you are out in the middle of no where and have to drive a 1/2 hour just to get to a town and where a vehicle couldn't hope to get through a snow drift or muddy road with out 4X4, you wouldn't mind carrying around the extra 750lbs. There is a reason most people in rural areas have 4X4. If you ever drive on ice and snow covered roads you are far safer with 4X4, especially compared to RWD.

Traction and Stability control have nothing to do with 4 wheel drive. 2 wheel drive vehicles have them too. And no matter how safe you are, you could easily find yourself in a situation where you must react quickly, and that is where these come in handy. Hopefully, you'll never have to use them. But if you do, they are there to help regain control of your vehicle or help you avoid unexpected obstacles. You can be the best driver in the world, but when a deer or worse yet a child runs out in front of your car, you wish you had had some kind of traction control.

Answer 3

Kdog is correct. 4WD is only useful if you travel on snow and mud terrain. It helps to steer your vehicle out of slippery/ soft surfaces by adding traction from four wheels. If any one of the wheels were to get bogged down, the traction from the other 3 wheels will pull it out. The one disadvantage of using 4WD on normal roads is because all four wheels are being turned by the engine it requires extra power and so extra fuel where a normal FWD or a RWD will suffice. Traction Control and Stability Control are recent additions to motor vehicles for added safety but this does not mean drivers should depend on them completely. Defensive driving and safety of occupants should the paramount importance for any driver.

Answer 4

I DRIVE AN SUV. MY LAST 4 VEHICLES HAVE BEEN THE SAME. I LIVE IN NORTH EAST REGION AND I DO USE MY FOUR WHEEL DRIVE QUITE A BIT DURING THE WINTER. JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN SUV DOES NOT MAKE YOU SAFER.I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE DRIVE WAY TO FAST IN BAD WEATHER BECAUSE THEY THINK THE VEHICLE WILL SOMEHOW KEEP THEM SAFE WITHOUT TAKING THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS.
I GUESS FOR ME I JUST FEEL SAFER BEING IN A BIGGER VEHICLE.I HAVE
MORE ROOM TO TAKE MY KIDS DOGS AND ALL THERE FRIENDS ALL AROUND. MY SUV FITS 8.

THE GAS THING NOT SO GREAT ... GOTTA TAKE THE GOOD WITH THE BAD

Answer 5

I hear you man.

The best and most effective safety feature in any car or truck is a competent and alert driver who understands the limitations of their vehicle and how to handle it, but that safety feature seems to be getting more and more rare these days.