Latest news with #AnnaGoodman
NZ Autocar
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
SUVs are twice as dangerous as cars when they strike children
A British study indicates small children are 130 per cent more likely to be killed or seriously injured when struck by an SUV. That increase compares with being struck by a hatchback or saloon. A team led by the Imperial College London analysed over 600,000 road collisions that occurred over the past 35 years. They found that being hit by an SUV, a ute or a van resulted in a 44 per cent greater chance of fatality than being hit by a car. That rose to 82 per cent for children and 130 per cent for those aged under 10 years. Roughly 17 per cent of adult pedestrian and cyclist fatalities could be avoided if drivers swapped their SUVs for cars. The figure for Europe is about half that. But it translates to 620 lives saved per year. ANCAP tests a vehicle's ability to detect a cyclist ahead. It should be noted that most of the SUV collisions were in the US, where vehicles tend to be larger than anywhere else. Hence, the reduced figure for Europe. Researchers also found that the chance of a slight injury increased by 24 per cent for adults and 28 per cent for children when they are hit by this type of tall vehicle. The authors felt that the dimensions of SUVs are an aggravating factor, particular their 'taller, blunter front-end'. The senior author of the study, Anna Goodman, described how the explosion in popularity of SUVs 'threatens to undermine all the road safety gains being made on other fronts'. The term SUV covers a multitude of vehicles. Small SUVs like the Ford Puma are barely bigger than superminis. However, the largest SUV models are amongst the tallest and heaviest passenger cars on the road. SUVs vary widely in design and size. Modern SUVs have safety features that reduce the impact on pedestrians, or avoid impacts altogether. But the study suggests that SUVs with their higher front ends are more likely to impact higher up on a pedestrian. That affects more vulnerable areas like the chest or head. Moreover, the pedestrian or cyclist is more likely to be thrown forward onto the road rather than up onto the bonnet. The striking vehicle may then hit them a second time or they may be driven over. The author remarked 'Cities and countries around the world are starting to introduce measures to discourage the use of these large vehicles, and our study strengthens the road safety rationale for this.' Study authors recommend ameliorating the high beltlines and blunt front ends that are typical of SUVs and pick-ups. Another 2024 study concurred. The researchers found that a 10cm increase in a car's front-end height increases the risk of pedestrian fatality by 22 per cent.
The National
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- The National
Young children 'twice as likely to die if hit by SUV than standard car'
Young children are more than twice as likely to be killed if they are hit by a sports utility vehicle (SUV) compared with an ordinary passenger car, a study has found. Pedestrians and cyclists were 44 per cent more likely to die if hit by an SUV, rising to 82 per cent for children and 130 per cent for under 10s, the analysis produced by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College London showed. Researchers gathered data from more than 680,000 road collisions over the past 35 years. They compared the severity of injuries suffered by pedestrians or cyclists struck by standard cars with 'light truck' vehicles (LTVs), which include SUVs, small vans and pickup trucks. SUVs have grown in popularity in recent years, with many drivers favouring their higher seating position. They accounted for 54 per cent of the cars sold globally last year, an increase of three percentage points on the previous year, according to GlobalData. SUVs are generally taller, wider and heavier than traditional cars, and less fuel-efficient. The study highlighted previous research indicating a key reason for the increased risk from SUVs is that they have a taller front end, which means a person is struck higher on their body. This means an adult is hit in the pelvis rather than the knees, while a child is struck on the head, not the pelvis. A blunter front ends also means a person is more likely to be thrown forward, which could result in the vehicle hitting them a second time or rolling over their body, the report added. Researchers analysed 24 studies, including 16 from the US, with others from countries such as France, Germany and the Netherlands. The authors estimate the proportion of car crashes involving an SUV is about 20 per cent in Europe and 45 per cent in the US. If all SUVs were replaced by standard cars, the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed in car crashes would decrease by an estimated 8 per cent in Europe and 17 per cent in the US, they said. When looking at the likelihood of fatal or serious injury, as compared to slight injury, the likelihood increased by about a quarter (odds 24 per cent higher in adults and 28 per cent higher in children) for those hit by an SUV or LTV. These effects were similar for both pedestrians and cyclists. A number of cities worldwide have recently introduced, or are considering, policies that discourage the use of such large vehicles. Parisians voted to triple parking costs for SUVs but that was due mainly to pollution concerns rather than safety. Milan has introduced a congestion charge, which is also being considered by Toronto. Anna Goodman, assistant professor at the LSHTM and senior author of the study, said: 'Around the world, we have seen a huge increase in the sale of ever-larger cars. Previous research has found that this trend is substantially undermining progress towards net-zero goals. 'Similarly, our findings indicate that this proliferation of larger vehicles threatens to undermine all the road safety gains being made on other fronts. 'Cities and countries around the world are starting to introduce measures to discourage the use of these large vehicles, and our study strengthens the road safety rationale for this.' The research is published in the journal Injury Prevention. Tanya Braun, of UK charity Living Streets, said: 'It's clear that SUVs make people, especially children, less safe while walking on our streets. 'Nearly 50 child pedestrians are killed or injured in England every day and every one of those deaths is a tragedy. We urgently need more measures to protect pedestrians. 'We're urging the government to invest in active travel infrastructure and safe zones around schools that are proven to help keep children safe from vehicles like SUVs.'
The National
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- The National
Study reveals SUV design major factor in increased road fatalities
Young children are more than twice as likely to be killed if they are hit by a sports utility vehicle (SUV) compared with an ordinary passenger car, a study has found. Pedestrians and cyclists were 44 per cent more likely to die if hit by an SUV, rising to 82 per cent for children and 130 per cent for under 10s, the analysis produced by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College London showed. Researchers gathered data from more than 680,000 road collisions over the past 35 years. They compared the severity of injuries suffered by pedestrians or cyclists struck by standard cars with 'light truck' vehicles (LTVs), which include SUVs, small vans and pickup trucks. SUVs have grown in popularity in recent years, with many drivers favouring their higher seating position. They accounted for 54 per cent of the cars sold globally last year, an increase of three percentage points on the previous year, according to GlobalData. SUVs are generally taller, wider and heavier than traditional cars, and less fuel-efficient. The study highlighted previous research indicating a key reason for the increased risk from SUVs is that they have a taller front end, which means a person is struck higher on their body. This means an adult is hit in the pelvis rather than the knees, while a child is struck on the head, not the pelvis. A blunter front ends also means a person is more likely to be thrown forward, which could result in the vehicle hitting them a second time or rolling over their body, the report added. Researchers analysed 24 studies, including 16 from the US, with others from countries such as France, Germany and the Netherlands. The authors estimate the proportion of car crashes involving an SUV is about 20 per cent in Europe and 45 per cent in the US. If all SUVs were replaced by standard cars, the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed in car crashes would decrease by an estimated 8 per cent in Europe and 17 per cent in the US, they said. When looking at the likelihood of fatal or serious injury, as compared to slight injury, the likelihood increased by about a quarter (odds 24 per cent higher in adults and 28 per cent higher in children) for those hit by an SUV or LTV. These effects were similar for both pedestrians and cyclists. A number of cities worldwide have recently introduced, or are considering, policies that discourage the use of such large vehicles. Parisians voted to triple parking costs for SUVs but that was due mainly to pollution concerns rather than safety. Milan has introduced a congestion charge, which is also being considered by Toronto. Anna Goodman, assistant professor at the LSHTM and senior author of the study, said: 'Around the world, we have seen a huge increase in the sale of ever-larger cars. Previous research has found that this trend is substantially undermining progress towards net-zero goals. 'Similarly, our findings indicate that this proliferation of larger vehicles threatens to undermine all the road safety gains being made on other fronts. 'Cities and countries around the world are starting to introduce measures to discourage the use of these large vehicles, and our study strengthens the road safety rationale for this.' The research is published in the journal Injury Prevention. Tanya Braun, of UK charity Living Streets, said: 'It's clear that SUVs make people, especially children, less safe while walking on our streets. 'Nearly 50 child pedestrians are killed or injured in England every day and every one of those deaths is a tragedy. We urgently need more measures to protect pedestrians. 'We're urging the government to invest in active travel infrastructure and safe zones around schools that are proven to help keep children safe from vehicles like SUVs.'
The National
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- The National
Young children twice as likely to die if hit by SUV than standard car
Young children are more than twice as likely to be killed if they are hit by a sports utility vehicle (SUV) compared with an ordinary passenger car, a study has found. Pedestrians and cyclists were 44 per cent more likely to die if hit by an SUV, rising to 82 per cent for children and 130 per cent for under 10s, the analysis produced by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College London showed. Researchers gathered data from more than 680,000 road collisions over the past 35 years. They compared the severity of injuries suffered by pedestrians or cyclists struck by standard cars with 'light truck' vehicles (LTVs), which include SUVs, small vans and pick-up trucks. SUVs have grown in popularity in recent years, with many drivers favouring their higher seating position. They accounted for 54 per cent of the cars sold globally in 2024, an increase of three percentage points on the previous year, according to GlobalData. SUVs are generally taller, wider and heavier than traditional cars, and less fuel-efficient. The study highlighted previous research indicating a key reason for the increased risk from SUVs is that they have a taller front end, which means a person is struck higher on their body. This means an adult is hit in the pelvis rather than the knees, while a child is struck on the head, not the pelvis. A blunter front ends also means a person is more likely to be thrown forward, which could result in the vehicle hitting them a second time or rolling over their body, the report added. Researchers analysed 24 studies, including 16 from the US, with others from countries such as France, Germany and the Netherlands. The authors estimate the proportion of car crashes involving an SUV is about 20 per cent in Europe and 45 per cent in the US. If all SUVs were replaced by standard cars, the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed in car crashes would decrease by an estimated 8 per cent in Europe and 17 per cent in the US, they said. When looking at the likelihood of fatal or serious injury, as compared to slight injury, the likelihood increased by about a quarter (odds 24 per cent higher in adults and 28 per cent higher in children) for those hit by an SUV or LTV. These effects were similar for both pedestrians and cyclists. A number of cities worldwide have recently introduced, or are currently considering, policies that discourage the use of such large vehicles. Parisians voted to triple parking costs for SUVs but that was due mainly to pollution concerns rather than safety. Milan has introduced a congestion charge, which is also being considered by Toronto. Anna Goodman, assistant professor at the LSHTM and senior author of the study, said: 'Around the world, we have seen a huge increase in the sale of ever-larger cars. Previous research has found that this trend is substantially undermining progress towards net-zero goals. 'Similarly, our findings indicate that this proliferation of larger vehicles threatens to undermine all the road safety gains being made on other fronts. 'Cities and countries around the world are starting to introduce measures to discourage the use of these large vehicles, and our study strengthens the road safety rationale for this.' The research is published in the journal Injury Prevention. Tanya Braun, of UK charity Living Streets, said: 'It's clear that SUVs make people, especially children, less safe while walking on our streets. 'Nearly 50 child pedestrians are killed or injured in England every day and every one of those deaths is a tragedy. We urgently need more measures to protect pedestrians. 'We're urging the government to invest in active travel infrastructure and safe zones around schools that are proven to help keep children safe from vehicles like SUVs.'
The Independent
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
SUVs like Range Rovers cause more pedestrian deaths than standard cars, study finds
Large SUV cars are far more likely to cause deaths on the road compared to smaller vehicles, a new study has found. Pedestrians and cyclists are 44 per cent more likely to die if they are hit by an SUV, researchers say, rising to 82 per cent for children. Data for the findings was gathered from over 680,000 road collisions over the past 35 years by researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College London. They compared the severity of injuries suffered by pedestrians or cyclists struck by standard cars with light truck vehicles, which include SUVs, small vans and pick-up trucks. SUVs have grown in popularity in recent years, with common models including Range Rovers, the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai. They accounted for a third of all new car registrations in the UK last year, compared with 12 per cent a decade earlier. SUVs are generally taller, wider and heavier than traditional cars, and less fuel efficient. The study highlighted previous research showing that a key reason for the increased risk from SUVs is that they have a taller front end, which means a person is struck higher on their body. This means an adult is hit in the pelvis not the knees, while a child is struck on the head not the pelvis. A blunter front ends also means a person is more likely to be thrown forward, which could result in the vehicle hitting them a second time or rolling over their body, the report added. Researchers analysed 24 studies, including 16 from the US, with others from countries such as France, Germany and the Netherlands. The authors estimate that the proportion of car crashes involving an SUV are around 20 per cent in Europe and 45 per cent in the US. If all SUVs were replaced by standard cars, the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed in car crashes would decrease by an estimated 8 per cent in Europe and 17 per cent in the US, they said. Anna Goodman, assistant professor at the LSHTM and senior author of the study, said: 'Around the world, we have seen a huge increase in the sale of ever-larger cars. 'Previous research has found that this trend is substantially undermining progress towards net zero goals. 'Similarly, our findings indicate that this proliferation of larger vehicles threatens to undermine all the road safety gains being made on other fronts. 'Cities and countries around the world are starting to introduce measures to discourage the use of these large vehicles, and our study strengthens the road safety rationale for this.' The research is published in the journal Injury Prevention. Tanya Braun, director of external affairs and fundraising at charity Living Streets, said: 'It's clear that SUVs make people, especially children, less safe while walking on our streets. 'Nearly 50 child pedestrians are killed or injured in England every day, and every one of those deaths is a tragedy. 'We urgently need more measures to protect pedestrians. 'We're urging the Government to invest in active travel infrastructure and safe zones around schools that are proven to help keep children safe from vehicles like SUVs.' Environmental activists claim to have deflated tyres on thousands of SUVs in the UK in recent years. The Tyre Extinguishers said its supporters have taken action in cities across the country in an attempt to 'make it impossible' to own the vehicles in urban areas.
