Martina Devlin: If Micheal Martin wants to save lives, he should do to SUVs what he did to smoking

The article highlights the growing prevalence of oversized vehicles, particularly SUVs and crossover utility vehicles, which are portrayed as detrimental to both safety and the environment. Despite marketing claims of enhanced safety, these vehicles pose greater risks to pedestrians and cyclists. Additionally, they contribute to infrastructure damage and are less efficient in terms of emissions compared to standard vehicles, leading to increased pollution. The author calls for a societal shift away from these 'selfish utility vehicles' in favor of more responsible transportation options.

“Autobesity is on the increase and it's time to switch off the ignition on supersized SUVs and their hefty first cousins, crossover utility vehicles.”

“Few owners require a vehicle of such dimensions, and seem wilfully blind to its negative repercussions.”

“They also contribute to road and bridge surface damage and take up extra space on the road and in car parks.”

“Not to forget that fossil-fuel models cause more pollution than standard cars.”

Read at Independent