12-year high

Safety first?. US auto fatalities are at a 12-year high. Eighty percent of the increase since 2001 is due to rollover accidents. The rollover rate for SUVs is three times higher than for cars. You do the math.

Millions of Americans buy these things because the think they are safer. Our government policies create huge incentives to buy gas-guzzling big SUVs that destroy the environment, apparently becasue this is the one bright spot for US auto makers. Sooner or later this has to change. (And yes, I own an SUV myself, a Honda CRV. It's smaller, better handling, and more fuel-efficient than most SUVs, and good for hauling kids and stuff, but I'm starting to wonder whether our next family car should be a station wagon.) [Werblog]

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