Whilst sat in another jam this morning on the A1, I had the opportunity to consider the rear windows of some new and relatively new cars.

The Fiat Brava has what appears to be a large rear window but the actual viewing aperture is very small. Same goes for the new Ford Fiesta.

I'm wondering if this is a precursor to, and has anything to do with, rumoured EU plans to increase the height of metalwork on the sides of cars - at the expense of window height - for added crash protection?

 

I'm sure it does have to do with safety, but at present, probably pedestrian safety. The bonnet-lines of cars now have to be very high to incorporate the new regulations and as most cars look best with a waistline rising from front to rear, the rear consequently has to be higher as well.

It's a typical EU/bureaucrat response to a problem, closing the stable door after the horse is bolted. enabling people to see where they are going or where they've been and thus avoiding accidents in the first place is replaced by nannying "safety measures" which encourage carelessness.