The Deadly Rise of Giant Trucks and S.U.V.s

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/06/21/us/trucks-suv-pedestrian-crashes.html

The Deadly Rise of Giant Trucks and S.U.V.s
By Michael H. Keller, Eli Murray, Danielle Ivory and Irineo Cabreros
June 21, 2026

For decades, American roads were steadily getting safer for pedestrians. But around 2009, the trend reversed. Since then, the number of pedestrians killed each year has risen by about 75 percent.

The surge in pedestrian deaths has baffled researchers. Most other wealthy countries haven’t seen similar increases, suggesting that possible culprits like smartphones don’t tell the whole story.

Other likely causes of deadly crashes, such as drunken and distracted driving, have attracted immense attention from the public and policymakers. But the trend toward ever-larger vehicles has received much less scrutiny, even after federal researchers in 2022 cautioned regulators that it was endangering pedestrians.

After analyzing federal and industry records, including never-before-examined data on vehicle dimensions, we found that the rise of large pickups and S.U.V.s is an important factor.

There are two reasons bigger vehicles are deadlier: They have taller hoods. And they tend to have larger blind zones.





















....

[bucolic_frolic]

1. And they travel 10-20mph over the speed limit, weigh 3,000 lbs more,

and driven by dudes who think "Get the f*ck out of my way!" (a phrase actually shouted at me) gives them entitlement to their path.

[Jerry2144]

2. One silver lining for the Felon's gas prices

If they stay this high for much longer, then car makers will bring back smaller, more fuel economical cars or electric cars. These gas hogs will be too expensive to keep and won’t sell well new

[malaise]

3. Must Read

Kick, rec and Soread.
This is a global problem

[Johnny2X2X]

4. And they block visibility for other motorists

Last edited Mon Jun 22, 2026, 10:20 AM - Edit history (1)

Hate getting behind a giant SUV because it obscures my view of what's happening in front of them on the road.

In 1994 I bought an economy car that got 52 MPG on the highway and 48 in the city. I figured in another 30 years that would be average for gas mileage, boy was I wrong. Outside of fully electric, there are no vehicles getting that many miles per gallon, even most hybrids.

[Swede]

9. When you're making a left hand turn across from one these trucks, you cannot see what's coming.

Its ridiculous to use one these trucks as a commute vehicle. (I drive a Mazda 3 and it is very easy on gas)

[Johnny2X2X]

19. I can understand people wanting them for families

Having a big vehicle that feels safe and spacious when taxing your kids around town is probably fairly nice. But the amount of $60K pickup trucks I see is crazy and the people who own them simply don't need a pickup truck at all and don't use the bed.

And the cost of these monster vehicles is absurd. I think the average person has a car they cannot afford. Our income is in the top 10%, I just cannot fathom spending $50,000 on a car. When I drive down the road and look around, I just see half the cars on the road are much nicer than mine and then I think about how I probably make more money than 90% of the drivers. It just doesn't add up to me. How can someone only making $80K a year afford a $750 car payment? How can someone making $65K a year afford a $600 car payment? What are they sacrificing to drive around that new Chevy Tahoe? Do they not save for retirement? Do they not have a mortgage? What the hell makes someone think they need a car that expensive? There are loads of cars in the $30K range that are safe, reliable, and have all the bells and whistles.

[VMA131Marine]

18. Toyota Prius: 49-57 mpg

Honda Accord Hybrid: 48 mpg (combined)
Honda Civic Hybrid: 49 mpg (combined)
Toyota Corolla Hybrid: 50 mpg (combined)
Toyota Camry Hybrid: 53 city/50 hwy

[TexasBushwhacker]

25. Yes and they are built aerodynamic and low

Between the 18 wheelers and the big ass trucks and SUVS that people drive here in Texas, I personally just don't feel safe. I drove a Scion xB for 14 years, but was once run off the road by an 18 wheeler. They don't see low cars because they just don't look for them. When I had a chance, I upgraded to a hybrid RAV4 and I don't regret it.

[Sequoia]

36. Headlights so high they've blinding.

In front and rear view mirror.

[JT45242]

56. Hyundai hybrids also get there

Elantra and Sonata as hybrid cars combined for 54 &51 respectively.

The Blue version of the Tucson small SUV is still at 38.

So, there are cars doing that.

The addition of the weight of mandatory air bags and other safety equipment have contributed to gas mileage not increasing as much as I would have thought in the early 1990s as well,

My Santa Fe hybris gets about 40 in the city -- not as good on the highway where there is a lot of 70+ mph driving going across long distances to visit family.

[sop]

5. A couple of days ago I stood in front of one of these behemoths in the Publix parking lot.

The grille was so enormous I could barely see the top of the hood, and I'm over 6' tall. It was so long the bed stuck out about six feet from the parking space into the driving aisle. Its mirrors extended about 2' in either direction. The thing was cartoonish, like it wasn't built for the real world. And every year they get bigger.

[Ferryboat]

20. Sounds like a RAM truck

[Scrivener7]

6. I live in suburbia where there is no reason for

these monstrosities. When I see them in the neighborhood, I can't help but see them as a symptom of the epidemic of fragile masculinity.

[Tommy Carcetti]

7. Every accident and incident I've had seems to have been involved with a Ford F-series truck

I'm not saying that you're a bad driver if you drive a Ford F-Series trucks.

But bad drivers certainly seem to gravitate towards them.

They've totaled two of my cars over the years.

[sweetapogee]

57. me

I'm a volly firefighter/first responder and in our district, we service 12 miles north and 14 miles south on a major east coast highway/toll road. I have responded to 100s of MVAs. Many very nasty, multi-vehicle incidents. It has not been my experience limited as it is that pick-up trucks of any variety, driven by private citizens are involved in a majority of MVAs. Aside from that, during my 100 mile/daily commute, the vast majority of idiot drivers I encounter are driving non-descript, Asian 4 doors.

[Emile]

8. Large pickups and S.U.V.s look small from

the cab of an 18 wheeler.

[Swede]

11. Semis are mostly on freeways and industrial areas, not many pedestrians crossing streets in front of them.

The big truck used as an every day transportation is ridiculous.

[Emile]

14. I drove one 3,000 miles every week, on

every road imaginable. Lot of ridiculous drivers out there right now all doing the same thing.

[orthoclad]

23. 18 wheelers are super-sizing too

Longer and heavier, and harder to maneuver once off the freeway.
Larger loads=fewer trips=fewer drivers employed

[MineralMan]

10. Their popularity is based on size.

Many men like them, because driving one makes them feel larger and more powerful. I try to avoid dealing with men who own them. They drive the chip that's on their shoulder, I think.

[bedazzled]

27. With the huge tires and '"peaked chariot" hubcaps

"I am Sparacus!"

The way they tailgate is frightening.

[MineralMan]

29. That's about it.

I try to give them plenty of room to puff up their chests and move on.

I drive small cars. I always have. I learned long ago just to ignore assholes in big vehicles. Just let them blast by.

[bedazzled]

47. I always give them every opportunity to pass me

And tailgate someone else! I love when they blast past you to come to a screeching halt at a traffic light...

I love my sedan! The gas shortage was the year I got my license. I will never drive one of those hippopotamic land masses! (Thank you Rob Reiner!) These people don't remember gas lines but i sure do. Odd/even license plates, God not again!

[BannonsLiver]

53. Women like driving them too.

Particularly the large SUVs. Not so much on the pickups.

[MineralMan]

54. I think many people think they're safer to drive.

I'm not sure whether that's true or not. But I know that many people say they feel safer in larger cars. I've never felt that way, though.

[GiqueCee]

12. Mister Macho Jockstrap...

... gots to have him the biggest weenie substitute they make. A big 4WD truck is often essential to folks in the trades, but too many of those vehicles wind up in the hands of those who require mechanical exhibitions of their masculinity, and think monthly child support should come in a distant second to the obscene payments for an $80-grand truck.

Edit to add: I drive a 2010 Dodge Dakota 4WD pickup with more than a quarter of a million miles on her. But I'm a rabid do-it-youselfer, and I live on a dirt road in central Vermont where we only have 3 seasons: Winter, Mud Season, and July, so I'm excused.

[Scrivener7]

17. I know a landscaper. He needed a new working truck

but couldn't actually find one. They were all $100,000 and lousy with video screens and cup holders.

[GiqueCee]

34. All those electronic gimmicks...

... are just more things to go wrong as the vehicle ages, and they're expensive as hell to repair or replace.
Your friend might find a good deal on a slightly used rig on the repo market. A lot of the aforementioned yahoos get in over their heads and can't keep up payments, so the banks take the trucks back. They don't want to run a used car lot, so they'll deal. Worth a try, at least.

[MineralMan]

35. When I contact a contractor for an estimate,

if he rolls up in a brand new huge pickup, I move on. I don't need to make his payment on that thing. Typically, the owner of the company does no work anyhow, so why does he need the largest truck on the market?

I'm not impressed.

[questionseverything]

45. I hope you let the contractor whose time you are wasting realizes

You want to pay higher prices so he can have a “small car” for the bidding process and a larger vehicle to actually carry the tools and materials necessary to do the work

//////

So I guess you only want to deal with big business and screw the little guy… this is why we always work through a contractor, so we don’t have to actual customers who want a different vehicle for each stage of the job

[MineralMan]

50. Nope. I won't hire such a contractor.

When I get estimates for a project, I don't know what kind of trucks the contractors drive until they show up. I do know that if it's huge and expensive, the job will cost me more.

For example, the guy with the fancy truck's bid for the new roof on the home I was selling was twice as high as the contractor I chose for the job. Everything else was the same. Materials, type of construction, etc. Why should I pay more so the owner of that company can drive a big-ass pickup?

I shouldn't, and I don't.

You have completely misunderstood my post, apparently.

[Happy Hoosier]

13. They are freakin' everywhere.

They block vision, and a LOT of folks seem to have no idea how to drive them. I get both amused and annoyed when I see one of these ridiculous behemoths wallowing aroun in a parking lot. They don't really fit in parking spaces, and they are so huge, people struggling to maneuver them into the spaces.

[ornotna]

15. Add the Carolina squat to the mix

And it just gets much worse.

I think it looks stupid but it seems there’s a group of truck owners that don’t care about others safety.

[a kennedy]

16. and don't get me started on how trying to back out of a parking space when they're right next to you!!!

All parking spots ARE NOT EQUIPPED FOR THESE GIANT BEHEMOTHS!!!!! I’m half way in traffic before I even see the end of these gawd damn things. Ugh, they should NOT be allowed to park in spots for “normal” sized cars. 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬

[Ferryboat]

21. The headlights!

Its not just the trucks, but most newer cars. I no longer drive at night. Newer headlights blind me.
Too dangerous.

[Emile]

43. And a majority of them also have their fog lamps on too.

They say they're road lamps now days. No reason to have them on if their is no fog.

[Blue Full Moon]

22. Another thing about this is the insurance companies.

Insurance companies have been pushing the SUVs because they cause deaths. During crashes both inside the vehicle and out. It's cheaper to pay out a death than to pay out an injury.

[GoCubsGo]

24. It's mostly bad drivers driving vehicles they can't handle.

Yes, over-size trucks are a huge problem. But, it's pick-ups and SUVs, in general. It's not the same as driving a car. Most people don't know how to drive them, and don't realize that sitting up that high feels like you're going slower than you really are. Which is why I constantly see them making turns at 40 mph. But, that all goes back to them being shitty drivers in the first place. Where I live, most people think traffic laws and signs are just a suggestion, and don't apply to them. I regularly see people tearing through my neighborhood going 50 mph, and blowing off stop signs. And, don't get me started on the whole right-of-way thing...

[Clouds Passing]

26. The old saying "the bigger the pickup the smaller the wang"

[3catwoman3]

28. I don't have any stats at my fingertips, but I'm willing to bet that the majority of people...

...driving these big ass pick up trucks do not need them for their jobs. How many have perfectly pristine truck beds that have never had anything in them other than groceries?

[dalton99a]

31. +1. Their purpose is to impress and intimidate.

[orthoclad]

33. It's the "alpha" display

from all these omegas.

[ananda]

30. And boy are they annoying!

Try to back out of a parking place next to one.
It's so slow and tedious it drives me crazy.

[orthoclad]

32. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Ecclesiastes.

The trucks with testicles hanging from the tail are at least honest.

[The Madcap]

41. I thought those were bags containing their brains...

Well, I guess we are both right...

[cab67]

37. I'm not convinced this explains the worldwide trend.

I travel abroad a fair bit. One sees very few SUVs or pickup trucks. Most people drive smaller cars.

That said, I haven't actually looked at the research. I'm merely expressing my initial thoughts. I'll have a look and, if necessary, correct myself.

[unweird]

44. It's not a global 'worldwide' trend

It’s here in ‘murica that we got relaxed standards and allowance for these stupid bigass vehicles.

[Chi67]

38. Agree with everyone here

I have never, and will never, own one these terrible contraptions. There is literally nothing good about them. They’re gas guzzling death machines. SUVs are completely ridiculous and really don’t offer much more storage compared to a sedan. Hopefully, gas prices rid us of these ugly monstrosities. But anyone who owns a truck or SUV and complains about gas prices gets no sympathy from me.

[The Madcap]

40. Smaller SUV's work pretty well for families (even better than most minivans).

It's the giant ones that are out of control.

[The Madcap]

39. I can understand a pickup if...

you work construction and/or haul lots of stuff frequently; however, you don't need something the size of an aircraft carrier to do that.

I feel much the same way about SUV's. They make sense for hauling a family, but you don't need a Nissan Armada to do that (unless you have 10 kids or more).

It's just crazy how these vehicles get larger every year while our road widths stay the same. Pretty soon, they are going to need their own dedicated highways so they fit within the lanes.

[dalton99a]

46. +1. The margin for error is reduced

[question everything]

42. From my observation, since the pandemic many careless drivers, of all sizes.

[RockCreek]

48. I hate driving in this country now

I prefer to drive in another country with "the wrong side of the road" driving, to driving in the US.

[maxsolomon]

49. My #1 rule as a Pedestrian: they're trying to kill you.

Last edited Mon Jun 22, 2026, 01:18 PM - Edit history (2)

About 1 in 10 (I'm exaggerating) drivers nowadays are unpredictable, angry, distracted idiots. Un-signaled crosswalks are treacherous. Make sure they're stopping and they are looking at you.

My #1 rule when I drive: they're trying to get killed.

I drive in downtown Seattle; the homeless Schizophrenics and Fentanyl addicts deliberately jaywalk on green lights or mid-block. Lime scooters can come from anywhere. I can kill people with my Mini as easily as with my Land Cruiser.

[DBoon]

51. and people refuse to take public transit because it is too "dangerous"

At least the crazy person on the bus is not driving ab F-250 at 75 mph

[LogDog75]

52. The problem is more than just blind spot and size

It's about how people drive them that's the problem. I've been driving since the late 60s and the thing I've noticed is people are increasingly unconcerned about the drivers and pedestrians around them. I've driven compact to large luxury cars, pickups to 1 1/2 ton stake bed trucks, box trucks, military Humvee, and military field ambulances and each vehicle requires you to adjust how you drive and your attitude.

A vehicle is a tool and like any tool you have to use it correctly. The problems I see with other drivers today are:
Speeding
Not using turn signals
Cutting in and out of traffic
Waiting until the last minute to change lanes to take an exit
Failure to properly merge onto a freeway
Failure to come to a stop at a stop sign and/or brake late at a stop sign so they're past the stop line or in the pedestrian crossing zone
Tailgating
Using the shoulder of the freeway as a passing lane when traffic is going slow

For the record, I consider myself a good driver and I drive defensively. I'm not perfect but the fact is I've never caused an accident (been in one that was the other driver's fault) and my car insurance rate reflects a good driving record.

[Miguelito Loveless]

55. This is news to these folks?

Was obvious to me for over a decade.

Also, people driving these monsters do NOT give a damn about anyone other than themselves and routine speed 10-20 mph over them limit.