Most drivers unaware SUVs pose greater risk to pedestrians, study finds

Mark Mansfield

Nearly two-thirds of UK driving licence holders are unaware that sports utility vehicles (SUVs) pose a greater danger to pedestrians and cyclists than smaller cars, according to new research led by Swansea University.

The study found that 66% of licence holders did not know larger vehicles carry a higher risk for vulnerable road users. Among current SUV owners, the figure rose to 86%.

Researchers also found that even when people were told about the increased risks, very few said it would influence their next vehicle purchase. Just 3.6% of respondents who planned to buy or lease an SUV said they would reconsider.

The findings have prompted academics from Swansea University’s School of Psychology to call for tougher measures to curb the growing popularity of larger vehicles, including higher taxes, design restrictions and limits on advertising.

The study, carried out with campaign group Adfree Cities, analysed responses from 1,838 British adults surveyed by YouGov in April 2026. Participants were shown mock SUV advertisements, with some also seeing prototype safety warnings highlighting the greater danger larger vehicles pose to pedestrians and cyclists.

Lead author Jimin Choi, a PhD student at Swansea University, said the findings exposed “a significant blindspot” in public understanding of road safety.

“Our study reveals a significant blindspot in current conversations about road safety,” he said.

“British drivers — and SUV drivers in particular — showed a lack of awareness about the well-documented hazards SUVs pose to pedestrians and cyclists.

“What’s more, raising awareness failed to persuade them to choose a smaller car in the future. Policymakers need to reckon with the fact that concerns about other people’s safety might play only a negligible role in people’s car purchase decisions.”

Sales of SUVs have risen sharply in recent years, with two out of every three new cars sold in the UK now falling into the category.

The researchers cited previous evidence suggesting pedestrians and cyclists are 44% more likely to be killed if struck by an SUV than by a smaller car. For children, the increased risk rises to 82%.

Consequences

Professor Ian Walker, an environmental psychologist at Swansea University and co-author of the study, said information campaigns alone were unlikely to reduce the harms associated with larger vehicles.

“Buying whatever vehicle we like, and driving it wherever and whenever we please without having to think about the consequences for other people, has become normalised and ingrained across our society over decades,” he said.

“As such, it’s not surprising there’s a growing body of evidence that says asking or encouraging people to drive differently doesn’t work, and that stronger interventions will be needed if governments want to get serious about the issue.”

Campaigners have proposed measures including weight-based vehicle taxes, higher parking charges for heavier cars and restrictions on SUV advertising.

France introduced a weight-based registration tax on heavier vehicles in 2022, while Cardiff became the first British city to approve higher parking charges for heavier cars in October 2025.

The study concludes that warning labels on SUV advertisements are unlikely to significantly change consumer behaviour, with the researchers arguing that governments will need to rely on stronger policy measures if they want to reduce the safety risks associated with larger vehicles.

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.