Risk of death rises for pedestrians, cyclists if hit by an SUV

Free Malaysia Today

14-05-2025

Research says adult pedestrians and cyclists hit by an SUV or LTV are 44% likely to suffer fatal injuries than if hit by a smaller vehicle. (Envato Elements pic)
PARIS : Recent UK research reveals the extent to which sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and light transport vehicles (LTVs) present an increased risk to pedestrians and cyclists in the event of a collision, compared to more conventionally sized cars.
According to the study conducted by researchers at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London, pedestrians and cyclists hit by an SUV or LTV are 44% more likely to suffer fatal injuries than if hit by another vehicle.
The odds are even worse for children, with an 82% increase in the likelihood of death if hit by an SUV or LTV.
These figures are all the more worrying given that SUVs have never been so popular, now accounting for almost half of all sales in both the United States and Europe. In Malaysia, nearly 180,000 units of SUV models priced under RM200,000 were sold last year.
It's hardly surprising, then, that SUVs are directly involved in 45% of car crashes in the US and 20% in Europe. In fact, if all SUVs were replaced by smaller cars, the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed in road collisions would fall by around 17% and 8% in these regions, respectively.
This proportion would be even greater for children, with an estimated reduction of 27% in the United States and 14% in the European continent. The study underlines that, because of their size and body structure, children are particularly vulnerable.
To obtain these results, the researchers reviewed and analysed data from 24 studies across Europe and the US, covering some 682,509 collisions over a 35-year period.
In the course of their study, they identified a number of factors that explain why SUVs are so dangerous, especially for vulnerable road users. Firstly, their height means that pedestrians and cyclists are hit higher on the body, with an even greater risk of being knocked off balance or hit on the head.
Furthermore, the weight and rigidity of these vehicles result in far greater impacts during a collision.
Ultimately, the researchers' findings lend additional weight to policies aimed at limiting the use of large vehicles in urban environments for ecological reasons.