Cars - For Car Enthusiasts

road durability

Wear and tear on roads and bridges themselves. Heavier vehicles cause dramatically more damage to pavement.

handling

SUVs and trucks turn and stop like total crap compared to smaller vehicles. Longer braking distance, wider turn radius, harder to park, and far more likely to turn over in a collision or when driven poorly.

And yes, I actually had a 76 Lincoln 4 door. Perhaps you noticed that trend reversed in the 80s and 90s.

One of the reasons some drivers cite for buying SUVs and trucks is it makes them feel safer in an accident. They are, it's true, while people in smaller vehicles are much more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a collision with these larger vehicles. As for your next claim, of course getting hit by a 7,000 lb truck is worse than a 3500 lb passenger car. It's also more likely since many trucks and SUVs are too tall to see say, a 4 foot kid in front of the vehicle. Also, taller vehicles hit pedestrians in the chest which is likely to cause more serious injuries, as bad as it is to be struck in the legs.