The SUV Surge: A Critical Analysis of Road Safety and Urban Congestion

The unstoppable growth of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in cities presents serious challenges to urban road safety and congestion . Therefore, reflecting on mobility policies becomes crucial .

Private vehicle use has been increasing since the pandemic . For example, in May 2025, an average of 195 thousand light vehicles entered CABA daily, representing an 11.7% increase compared to May 2019 . However, the vehicle type is the real change . ACARA statistics show that Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) accounted for 53% of sales in the first quarter of 2025 . This marks a significant leap from 2023, when SUVs represented 33% of new registrations . Automakers drive this growth due to their better profit margins . Additionally, users choose SUVs for their greater comfort and safety .

Urban Challenges: Space, Safety, and Aggressiveness

Despite their advantages for occupants, the increase of SUVs in cities generates serious challenges . Questions arise about how desirable it is for society as a whole to have cities filled with large, tall vehicles . The two main issues are the greater use of public space and the threat to the road safety of other users .

SUVs occupy between 20% and 30% more public space . Consequently, less road space remains to be shared with other vehicles like bicycles . Regarding safety, engineer Fabián Pons indicated that the height difference complicates bumper engagement . This factor makes SUVs much more aggressive in side and frontal collisions . An SUV can weigh up to 2.5 tons, in contrast to a small car that weighs around 1000 kilos .

The Impact in Safety and Congestion Figures

Accident data confirms this concern. Half of all pedestrian deaths in 2022 accidents in the United States resulted from collisions with SUVs or large trucks . Furthermore, between 2011 and 2020, pedestrian deaths from SUV accidents doubled compared to fatal collisions involving smaller cars nationwide .

Congestion worsens as the percentage of SUVs in the vehicle fleet grows . This happens for a simple reason: their larger size occupies more space, which reduces room for maneuvering and overtaking . A University of Sydney study determined that the presence of SUVs increased congestion on Minneapolis-Saint Paul highways by 9.5% . This is due to their larger size, which limits other vehicles’ maneuvers, and their longer braking time . The dynamics of traffic congestion become more complex due to all these factors .

The Environmental Factor and Policy Responses

The environmental impact is an additional factor that deteriorates with SUV use . In fact, an International Energy Agency report held SUVs responsible as the second-largest factor in the increase of global emissions between 2010 and 2018 . This occurs because the high energy efficiency of new platforms does not offset the additional fuel consumption needed to move larger and heavier vehicles .

There are various possible policies to moderate these problems . Measures include improving the quality and frequency of public transport and creating adequate infrastructure . Implementing differentiated tolls on highways and high-density zones is also considered to discourage the entry of large cars . Cities like London, New York, and Paris already apply measures such as “congestion charges” or variable parking fees where heavier vehicles pay more .