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Don’t Panic, I’m a Mechanic: What is a High Profile Vehicle?

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During inclement weather conditions, many people have commented about seeing signs around highways and freeways warning “high profile vehicles” about high winds. But what constitutes a high profile vehicle?

First of all, let’s get one thing straight: high profile vehicles are NOT expensive or flashy cars, like an Audi S7 or a Bugatti Chiron. Although, yes, they are pretty high profile, that’s not what “high profile vehicles” mean in context.

High profile vehicles are a specific and technical term about a specific class of automobiles that are more susceptible to sudden gusts of wind.

So to answer your question . . .

What is a High Profile Vehicle?

Simply put, a high profile vehicle is a big vehicle.

Think: pickups, RVs, SUVs, vans (like the Scooby van) and so on. If it’s got a whole lot of sides and height, you can bet that it’s a high profile vehicle. The thing about these types of automobiles is that, although they’re big, beefy, sounds like a darn beast, and can haul a whole lot of you-know-what and a lot of other junk down the highway is that it’s very susceptible to crosswinds.

Here are a few examples of a high profile vehicle:

Pickup Trucks and SUVs

This one is a bit controversial because a lot of people don’t consider pickups and SUVs (and, in some cases, AUVs) as high profile vehicles because, heck, it’s not like it has a lot of height to them. Regardless, these types of vehicles have a lot of surface area (particularly pickups), much more so than smaller cars like sedans or coupes.

Even if it’s not tall, that you have a lot of space for crosswinds to touch makes your trusty pickup or bully SUV a high profile vehicle.

Box Trucks

If you look up “high profile vehicle” in the dictionary, this is the picture you’ll get: tall, narrow, with a whole lot of surface area, box trucks are the textbook definition. Yes, they come in all different sizes, but the relative risk to crosswinds to box trucks remain high because of its proportions and ridiculous side surface area.

Of box trucks, the semi is probably the most susceptible to freak gusts of wind, with some even toppling over on the highway (it’s rare, but it does happen). Most semis are dragging trailers that usually more than 50 feet long and around 9 feet high, giving you a surface area of about 450 square feet. It’s a lot of space for the wind to hit.

RV

Again, it’s not about the height, it’s about the girth, and from the side, RVs are practically just boxes on a set of wheels. And, of course, the bigger your RV, the higher your risk of getting affected by crosswinds. Yes, there are stabilizers to keep your RV in place if you’re camped somewhere, but if you’re barreling down the highway, chances are big that you’re going to get broadsided by a rogue gust and make it feel like you’re going to flip. You probably won’t, but it’s enough to give any driver the heebie-jeebies.

To reiterate, a high profile is any vehicle that has a large, exposed surface area that cross winds can affect. This means that vehicles like trucks (from multi-wheel semis to light container trucks), trailers and even some SUV’s can be considered a high profile vehicle.

In this context, the term “high profile” refers to the large sides, or profile, of a vehicle, and NOT its personality, as some people mistakenly believe. High profile vehicles are often warned about strong winds because these vehicles are often traveling at relatively faster speeds, which means their large surface area makes them prone to being hit by sudden gusts of cross winds that could potentially knock them over.

The risk of high winds is different for each vehicle, depending entirely on their center of gravity, weight and of course, wind speeds. However, high profile vehicles need to take certain precautions like reducing travel speed or figuring out a way for the wind to pass through their sides.

In the US, individual states have differing laws that govern whether or not a high profile vehicle can travel during inclement weather; some states can even issue travel bans on high profile vehicles if the winds are strong enough.

What Do High Profile Vehicles Need to Worry About?

As mentioned, there are a few factors that govern what constitutes as a risk to high profile vehicles. Of course, a slight breeze or barreling down the freeway won’t exactly turn your SUV into a makeshift rollercoaster (which isn’t fun, unless you’re offroading).

If you’ve ever driven down the interstate, you know how bad crosswinds can get: one minute, you’re driving with your pickup, doing 65-70mph down the highway and everything’s smooth-sailing until whoosh! Your car gets hit in the side with what-feels-like a slap from an invisible giant and it just rattles both you and your car to the core. That’s crosswinds for ya.

What’s worse is that these gusts of wind can come out of nowhere; there doesn’t have to be a storm or a snow flurry to create strong winds that slice across the freeway. Despite clear skies and a sunny day, high winds can be just as dangerous for high profile vehicles as hurricanes. Unlike other vehicles, like sedans, large vehicles have a tendency to get knocked over by high wind speed.

High winds are defined as gusts of air that are over 30mph or above 50kmh, or a 7 on the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.

On the highway, high winds can pose more than its fair share of troubles:

One way to minimize your risk for rolling over amid high winds is to weigh down your high profile vehicle. Other safety practices also apply.

Driving Your High Profile Vehicle Safely During High Winds

When driving your high profile vehicles during high winds or other inclement weather, it’s best to treat it like winter conditions; stay on the lower gears for more torque, ease up on the accelerator, stay as alert as possible, and be ready to do some defensive driving should you lose control.

Other things you can to drive your high profile vehicle safely during high winds:

What are Safety Options Available in a High Profile Vehicle?

The safety options in high end vehicles are generally the same as in the normal minivan. A further advantage is that the vehicle also has several highly advanced technological features including ABS, several Airbag Systems for all seating areas, air brake systems and brakes.

All of these provide the most efficient protection to prevent accidents. A high visibility vehicle has the most serious safety issues due to slackening on the streets in rainy weather or on windy days. If the driver has no attention they could quickly fall off the side of the road.

As always, always be safe when driving, be alert and be courteous to other people on the road, especially in a high profile vehicle.

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