Report: Are SUVs Safer Than Cars?

The authors of this study analyzed fatality data by type of vehicle. They discovered which vehicles caused more fatalities to their drivers, and which were more fatal to other drivers. "Opponents of strengthened fuel-economy standards claimhigher standards will result in more traffic fatalities. If the newfleet were to be like the recent average light vehicle, trafficdeaths probably would increase...Many existing small-car models, built primarily by foreignmanufacturers, are as safe as their larger and heavier (and lessefficient) counterparts...There is reason to expect that manufacturers can further improve the safety of vehicles by making them lighter without making them smaller,...While it is reasonable to expect that increased fuel economy standards would make for lighter vehicles, we have shown that reduced vehicle weight does not imply reduced safety." [Complete report in PDF format, 4.6 MB.]

Thanks to Haila Maze