We need to rethink our love affair with big vehicles

"Larger vehicles like pickup trucks and SUVs are inherently more dangerous to pedestrians. Kids are eight times more likely to be killed when hit by an SUV or light truck than kids who are struck by passenger cars. The reduced visibility in the front corners of large vehicles leads to a higher likelihood that those drivers will strike pedestrians and cyclists. Tall trucks and SUVs are 45% deadlier to pedestrians."

Vehicle size has become an increasingly important public safety issue as pickup trucks, SUVs, and minivans represent a growing percentage of new vehicle sales. Multiple studies document the dangers larger vehicles pose: the Governors Highway Safety Association confirms they are inherently more dangerous to pedestrians, the University of Illinois at Springfield found children are eight times more likely to be killed by SUVs or light trucks compared to passenger cars, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that reduced front-corner visibility in tall vehicles contributes to a 45% higher pedestrian fatality rate. Despite these documented risks, public discourse often dismisses safety concerns as overreach, reflecting broader tensions between personal vehicle choice and collective safety outcomes.

Read at Fast Company