Originally Posted by
gerv
Unfortunately, when they run these news stories on TV, there's absolutely no background, no qualification of the data. The image says simply "Buy a bigger car".
However, when you look at lives lost through auto accidents, it is often the larger vehicle that causes the most damage. One of the safest vehicles on the road is the Volkswagen Jetta. And one reason why a smaller car can be safer is that it is more nimble. It is better able to avoid collisions altogether because steering is quicker and you generally have better control of the vehicle.
The passengers of SUVs and large cars are twice as likely to die in a large car vs. large car collision than a small car vs. small car collision. If everyone buys large cars to be safe... its makes the roads less safe overall. Its in everyones best interest, safety wise, to own as little vehicle as possible for their situations and the drivers of SUV's should need special licenses IMHO.
My source is "Mothers for better SUV's," sadly.