The U.S. has always been the home of the motor vehicle industry. A change in the type of vehicle driven is proving deadly for millions of Americans. An increase in beefed-up trucks and SUVs is creating front and rear blind spots. The number of pedestrians killed in pickup truck accidents in Maryland and around the country has been increasing.
A changing fleet of vehicles
Pedestrian accidents involving SUVs and pickup trucks are increasing. A changing vehicle profile for suburban drivers is increasing pedestrian accidents. The urbanization of the modern pickup truck has made it a viable family vehicle.
The rise of SUVs and Pickups
The SUV is changing the face of the U.S. auto industry. A change in the type of vehicles driven by Americans includes the falling status of the sedan. The sedan topped 40 percent of the U.S. automobile market in 2009. The SUV has been climbing from 30 percent of the market in 2009 to 42 percent of the market in 2017. The number of SUVs and pickup trucks will continue to climb, with sedans falling below 20 percent by the end of the 2020s.
Taxes change the market
The rise of the large vehicle market is driven by the status of the largest vehicles as commercial. Smaller trucks are liable for higher taxes than the largest pickups that benefit from business taxation. Pickup trucks with hoods at shoulder height to an average male face lower taxes as work machines.
The deadly nature of roads in the U.S. has been a problem for decades. Large vehicles are causing problems for American pedestrians, particularly women and children.
