Experts in leading medical journal condemn the rise of SUVs, citing critical public health and safety risks

Experts writing in the BMJ, a leading medical journal, have called for urgent policy intervention to curb the proliferation of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), citing their significant harms to public health and safety. The opinion article highlights that the increasing size and popularity of SUVs – which now account for nearly half of new car sales globally – is directly responsible for greater risk on the roads, particularly for vulnerable users.

Evidence cited shows that a pedestrian or cyclist faces an alarming 44 per cent relative increase in the likelihood of death if struck by an SUV compared with a standard car, largely due to the vehicle’s taller, squarer bonnet striking the victim higher and creating greater driver blind spots. 

Beyond trauma risk, these heavier, larger vehicles exacerbate air quality issues through increased non-exhaust emissions – fine particulate matter from brake and tyre wear – which now dominate pollution in many European cities and are linked to chronic illness. Furthermore, the greater use of raw materials presents a major hurdle to climate goals. The experts urge governments to reverse this trend through immediate policy changes, including reforming tax charges on large vehicles and implementing weight-based parking fees, alongside the introduction of a ‘child visibility test’ within safety rating programmes like Euro NCAP.

Photo: Crispin Hughes / Clean Cities Campaign / Climate Visuals