What to do about America's killer cars
America's roads are nearly twice as dangerous as those in other wealthy nations, with large SUVs and trucks increasing fatality risks for smaller vehicle occupants, necessitating improved safety standards.
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America's roads are significantly more dangerous than those in other wealthy nations, with a notable risk of fatalities linked to the prevalence of large SUVs and pickup trucks. The analysis indicates that for every life saved by the heaviest 1% of these vehicles, over a dozen lives are lost in smaller cars during collisions. This situation creates an ethical dilemma on the roads, as the design and weight of these larger vehicles contribute to increased danger for other drivers and passengers. The findings highlight the need for a reevaluation of vehicle safety standards and road safety measures to mitigate the risks associated with these "killer cars."
- America's roads are nearly twice as dangerous as the average in other wealthy countries.
- Large SUVs and trucks contribute to a higher fatality rate for occupants of smaller vehicles.
- The weight of larger vehicles increases the risk of accidents for other road users.
- There is a pressing need for improved vehicle safety standards and road safety measures.
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9 commentsThese monstrosities are environmentally unfriendly, pedestrian unfriendly, kid unfriendly, biker unfriendly, small car unfriendly, and are antithetical to the type of walkable and bikable cities that point to healthier and happier living. I wish we could tax the crap out of these things and drive them out of our towns.
Motorcycling youtuber fortnine offers a good view on some other aspects of the situation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpuX-5E7xoU
I’ve noticed in cities with tighter roads, like San Francisco and Seattle, these kind of massive trucks and SUVs aren’t popular.
A lot of state and local regulations create minimum sizes for roads and other auto infrastructure that’s simply too big.
The author doesn't elaborate if the statistic they're referring to is really only considering car occupants, otherwise I'd say that people should rather look around for pedestrians and cyclists (if there are any in sight of course), because those are even more vulnerable than people in smaller cars...
My own policy has two drivers with a long flawless history, and several vehicles, including a heavy duty pickup truck and a compact crossover.
The truck policy prices for bodily injury is 8% higher than the crossover, while property damage coverage costs 20% less for the truck.
There appears to be a material difference in conclusion between my insurance underwriters and the producers of these studies on the danger of these vehicles.
I drive an SUV now and I plan on driving a bigger safer car once I have a family. It is an arms race on the road.
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