Realistic Facts Regarding SUV's

Within the first paragraph of Ms. Tal's article there are several factual errors. First of all, SUV's are far from the most dangerous vehicles in the US, let alone the world. Secondly, SUV occupant deaths are the lowest among passenger vehicle deaths, which include cars, pickups and SUV's. Finally, SUV driver deaths are the lowest among passenger vehicles, as well. The following facts are found at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website, on their page entitled Fatality Facts 2004: Occupants of cars, pickups, SUV's and vans. (Click here to access these facts and much more statistical information regarding passenger vehicle fatalities.)
*Please note these statistics are for the year 2004, the most recent available.
? In 2004, SUV's accounted for 4,670 (less than 15%) of the 31,581 occupant deaths, while cars accounted for 20,443 occupant deaths, and pickups accounted for 5,751 occupant deaths. As noted on the Institute's site, car occupant deaths have declined 21 percent since 1975, while pickup occupant deaths have risen 57 percent and SUV occupant deaths are more than 10 times as high. That falls right in line with the increased popularity and ownership of pickups and SUV's.
? In 2004, SUV's accounted for 3,071 of the 21,838 driver deaths, while cars accounted for 13,962 driver deaths, and pickups accounted for 4,365 driver deaths. Again, the Institute notes that the proportion of deaths involving pickup and SUV drivers is growing as the popularity of these vehicles increases.
? In 2004, 33%, or 10,572 passenger vehicle occupant deaths occurred in the 25 and under age group. The second highest was the 70 and older age group, with 13%. All other age groups were single digit percentages. This indicates a significant factor of driver ability rather than type of vehicle.
? Sixty-nine percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2004 were drivers; 70 percent of these drivers were males.

As you can see, SUV's are not, in fact, the most dangerous vehicle in the world. As SUV ownership increases, the number of fatalities likely will rise. It does seem the SUV market appears to be leveling off in light of high fuel costs. Additionally, rollover crashes, injuries and fatalities are notably higher among SUV's and pickups. However, it should be noted that crashes in which a vehicle rolled over accounted for 33 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2004. According to the Institute, passenger vehicle occupant deaths in rollover vs. no rollover crashes break down as follows: in cars, 23% rollover vs. 77% non-rollover; in pickups, 45% rollover vs. 55% non-rollover; in SUV's, 62% rollover vs. 38% non-rollover. It is unfortunate that the vast majority of media coverage regarding these statistics focused on the rollover percentages. Even a slight examination of the factual data presented at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety site bears much more data and presents a more complete overall picture of vehicle safety in SUV's, as well as other passenger vehicle categories.

I would also venture to say that while some people make the decision to purchase an SUV for the "fear" factor, most people purchase their vehicle based on personal preference. An educated consumer will consider other factors such as performance, fuel efficiency, passenger comfort, longevity and repair costs, but personal preference is often a major factor in the final decision. The idea of fearing larger vehicles is more closely related to driver ability, as is often the case with crashes as well. Were safety the main consideration, a large car like a Lincoln Town Car or Mercury Marquis would offer excellent protection in crashes as well as virtually eliminating the rollover potential.

There is also no evidence to support the claim that "SUVs single handedly destroy the structure of our roads." I daresay the number of delivery vehicles, package vehicles, tractor trailer and other commercial-weight vehicles far outnumber the number of SUV's present on our roadways. I could find no evidence of politicians desperately attempting to find a resolution for such a problem, nor that such a problem (attributed to SUV's) even exists. A more realistic assumption may be the sheer number of vehicles on the road, as well as the high percentage of commuters who travel alone rather than utilizing public transportation or carpooling.

Making a blanket statement such as "It is essential that we simply stop selling SUVs or problems will greatly escalate" provides no realistic outcome. For many, large pickups and SUV's are essential to their lifestyle and livelihood. I honestly cannot picture a farmer feeding the cows from the back of a Honda Accord, nor a horse trailer being pulled by a Nissan Maxima, nor a family of six or seven traveling in a Toyota Camry. There is a real and profitable need for SUV's and large pickups, not to mention a whole segment of society that would choose nothing less.