Archive · 26 Dec 2025
Rising SUVs and Utes Increase Road Risks
More and more people in Australia are buying big cars like SUVs and utes.
These big cars can be dangerous because they cause more harm in crashes.
They also make drivers feel safer, which might make them take more risks.
This is making roads less safe for everyone, especially people walking or biking.
Some people think we should have special rules for driving big cars to make roads safer.
80% of new cars sold in Australia are SUVs or utes, up from 20 years ago.
Larger vehicles cause more severe impacts in collisions and may encourage riskier driving.
Occupants of smaller vehicles face a 30% higher risk of serious injury in collisions with large SUVs.
Drivers of larger vehicles show more risk-taking behavior, such as speeding and not wearing seatbelts.
Policy changes, like vehicle class-specific license testing and scaled penalties, could help mitigate these risks.
- Who
- Australian drivers and road users
- What
- Increase in SUV and ute sales and their impact on road safety
- When
- Present and projected future trends
- Where
- Australia, influenced by global and US policies
- Why
- Consumer preferences, marketing, and policy incentives for larger vehicles
- SUV and ute share of new cars
- 80%
- Increase in SUV and 4x4 advertising
- 29% (2023)
- Higher risk of serious injury for smaller car occupants
- 30%
- Fatality risk increase per 500kg vehicle weight
- 70%
- Additional deaths among other road users per avoided fatality in large vehicle
- 4.3