Unlike Smaller Cars, 'Megacars' Drove More in 2020

The increase in miles driven by light trucks and other 'megacars' could have contributed to the rise in traffic deaths, despite an overall reduction in VMT.

2 minute read

February 11, 2022, 6:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Large pickup trucks are parked in neat rows extending into the fuzzy background of the image.

BoJack / Shutterstock

"According to estimates from the Federal Highway Administration, vehicles classified as “light truck, long wheelbase” — a category which includes many of America’s most popular pick-up trucks, or any car with at least 121 inches between its axles — were driven about 1.5 billion miles more during the year that much of the country fell under quarantine orders than they were the year before, an increase of about one percent." Smaller cars, by contrast, traveled 16 percent fewer miles in 2020 than in 2019. The implications for public health are severe, writes Kea Wilson for Streetsblog.

The rising popularity of both SUVs and light trucks has long been recognized as a significant factor in the nation’s rising pedestrian death rate, which surged 21 percent between 2019 and 2020, the largest annual increase ever recorded by federal agencies; light trucks of all lengths are two to three times more likely to kill a walker in the event of a crash, because of their weight, height, and front-end design.

The article outlines a variety of possible reasons for the discrepancy, including the use of bigger vehicles by workers who can't telecommute and the correlation of large vehicles with right-leaning voters. But Wilson argues "Whatever the reason why so many megacar drivers took to the road in 2020, there’s no doubt that those motorists posed an outsized danger to vulnerable road users — and that something must be done about it."

Monday, February 7, 2022 in Streetsblog USA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

4 hours ago - SD News

Sleeping in Public

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts

Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

5 hours ago - KSL

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

6 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO