Why do people drive SUVs?

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People tend to identify with their vehicles. Images of nature are most commonly used to sell SUVs. Ironically, these vehicles destroy the very thing used to sell them by consuming larger quantities of fossil fuels and adding more pollution to the atmosphere. Advertising for this product has taken advantage of the disconnect between how people perceive themselves and the reality. Most SUVs spend very little time in "the great outdoors".

Because SUVs are classified as "light trucks", they enjoy looser restrictions on emissions and can have worse gas mileage. Ford has acknowledged that SUVs are environmentally unfriendly; however, the SUV continues to be most popular type of vehicle in North America.

 SUV
Source:www.cleanair.ca

Safety

Pickups and SUVs generally come off better in crashes with smaller vehicles. However, they are much more likely to be involved in single car crashes and vehicle rollovers than other passenger vehicles. See Fatality Facts: Passenger Vehicles at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety site. This would suggest that, if you are driving a pickup or SUV, that you are more likely to be dangerous to yourself, your passengers and others on the road. Basic physics says that a vehicle with a high centre of gravity rolls over more easily than a vehicle that sits lower. The braking capabilities of an SUV are not always matched to its increased weight. Having a false sense of security about the stability of the vehicle that you are driving doesn't help. In "High and Mighty: SUVs", Keith Bradsher suggests that people may buy SUVs because they are insecure about their own driving skills.

A study published in the January 2006 issue of the journal "Pediatrics" found that, in an accident, children were just as likely to be injured in an SUV as in other types of passenger vehicles, primarily because SUVs are more likely to roll over in a collision.

More Room

There are many all-wheel drive vehicles, including minivans, that provide more storage, more passenger space and perform much better on pavement. SUV owners, in fact, often overestimate how much weight their vehicle can safely carry.

Status

The SUV conveys size and power. They are designed to look good. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has remarked that SUV bumpers are designed more for appearance than function; the rugged appearance is an illusion. For the reasons already mentioned above, the SUV owner puts social status ahead of social responsibility and common sense.

Chance of a Rollover

Rollover chart Source: Safercar.gov

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