As pedestrian and cyclist deaths rise, the growing size and weight of American vehicles are making streets more dangerous. Here's some solutions: tax oversized vehicles, improve safety ratings and make smaller electric vehicles a more practical option for everyday trips.
It’s not mainly a consumer fault because we are talking about a systemic problem. If the policymakers are creating an environment in which it is permitted to drive these huge deathtraps, the auto and gas companies will naturally sell them and put a tremendous amount of money into advertising to create the impression that a big SUV or Truck is useful and manly or whatever else, because they do make more profit selling huge gas guzzling tanks. You can think the individual is a dumb asshole, i agree, but on a wider societal level it’s all about incentive structures.
It’s not mainly a consumer fault because we are talking about a systemic problem. If the policymakers are creating an environment in which it is permitted to drive these huge deathtraps, the auto and gas companies will naturally sell them and put a tremendous amount of money into advertising to create the impression that a big SUV or Truck is useful and manly or whatever else, because they do make more profit selling huge gas guzzling tanks. You can think the individual is a dumb asshole, i agree, but on a wider societal level it’s all about incentive structures.