Americans love giant trucks — but they’re killing us
An key obstacle is that U.S. automakers apparently can't make money on anything but large vehicles.
The motor vehicles sold in the U.S. have been growing larger and heavier, with large pickup trucks at the forefront. These heavy-duty pickups also emerge as the most lethal on the road, according to recent statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Out of the 10 and 13 2023 model-year vehicles with the highest death rates for other drivers, seven and 10 respectively were large or very large pickups.
While these figures don’t account for risks to non-drivers, they are likely to be similar, as large pickups and sport-utility vehicles, due to their weight and high front ends, pose unique dangers to pedestrians and cyclists. The high traffic fatality rates in the U.S., comparatively to other affluent nations, can be attributed to the unique size and shape of the vehicles many Americans prefer.
Besides the safety concerns, these giant passenger vehicles occupy excessive space on streets and parking lots that could be utilized more efficiently. On the other hand, these larger and heavier vehicles generally offer better protection for their occupants, contributing to their popularity. This characteristic of vehicle weight makes it a classic "externality," imposing greater societal costs while providing benefits to their owners.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
