SUVs are not as safe as they appear
Long before the Subaru Outback coined the term “Sport Utility Vehicle” the modern SUV was a favorite of the American auto buying public. The GMC Jimmy, Jeep Wagoneer and infamous Ford Bronco were on the streets picking up kids from soccer practice and getting lousy gas mileage. But it was during this hybrid period where it appeared that the old 70’s station wagon had gotten a flashy new makeover and a new moniker that a startling trend began to happen: these new SUVs weren’t very safe.
With reports of rollovers reaching epic proportions, the US National Highway and Traffic Administration commissioned a study in 2004 that showed that drivers are approximately 11 percent more likely to die in an SUV accident then an average car accident. This came as an ironic twist to many SUV drivers who bought their car of choice believing it was safer than the average car. Combine these stats with other studies that have shown that SUV drivers are less likely to wear seat belts, most likely due to the false idea that if they were in an accident they wouldn’t really need one. Another study showed that people in SUVs tend to drive more aggressively and recklessly and you have a true recipe for disaster.
Not only have SUVs proved to be less safe for those that are behind the wheel, they also tend to be less safe for those in other cars. Since SUVs outweigh most traditional cars on the road, if you happen to be the unlucky driver of a smaller car that gets into an accident with an SUV, there is a greater chance of serious injury or death. Think of it as a Tonka truck is a head-on collision with a monster truck and you get the idea.
But maybe the biggest risk the SUV poses is to the environment. Due to the absolutely dreadful (19.19mpg average) gas mileage of SUV’s, they have become the most common gas guzzler in North America. Compared to the 63mpg that you can get from the Honda Insight or even the almost 27mpg from the average family sedan and you can see why the biggest fans of the SUVs are the world’s oil companies.
The worldwide concern about SUVs and their impact on the road and on the planet has reached a fever pitch in some places. The cities of Paris and London are both considering bans, or separate road tolls at the very least, on SUVs. While it is unlikely that the US would ever consider such drastic steps, buyers should be aware that the SUV isn’t all its cracked up to be.
