Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Safety

British Official Floats Idea of SUV Ban

Photo: Rebranding Driving

Data scientists in the U.K. are starting to figure out what we've known for a while now in the U.S.: SUVs are killing pedestrians.

But unlike here, British traffic safety officials might actually do something about it. A British transport safety official told Forbes that the commonwealth might even ban them.

Recent analysis by Leeds University found that drivers of vehicles with 2- to 3-liter engines killed the people they struck roughly twice as frequently as drivers of cars with engines smaller than 1.8 liters — 2.4 percent of the time vs. 1.4 percent of the time. By comparison, a 2020 Chevy Suburban is powered by a 5.3-liter engine at the smallest.

Adam Reynolds a transportation policy advisory with Britain's Department of Transportation told Reid the agency would continue to investigate, including efforts to isolate the effect of vehicle shape and size.

“If the data does show that SUVs are twice as deadly, then ownership in urban areas should be discouraged and use within cities curtailed with a ban on new sales," he told Reid.

U.S. researchers have estimated that SUVs are 2-3 times more likely to kill pedestrians when they strike them than sedans (cars). The effect is worse for children.

Still since Trump's election, national traffic safety officials have slow-walked any attempt to reign in the styling choices that are killing pedestrians at highs unseen in two generations.

Meanwhile, the U.K, has about a quarter of the traffic fatalities per capita as the U.S. And a larger percentage of British traffic deaths are pedestrians, because British walk more.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

The Week in Short Videos

This week: Transit Aid for the Bay, Cap-and-Trade, New Oil Licenses, and the Housing Near Transit Bill.

September 12, 2025

Friday’s Headlines

A big legislative update...

September 12, 2025

SB 79 Passes Assembly, Still Needs Senate “Concurrence” Before the Governor’s Desk

It was a bi-partisan vote on both sides, but in the end the legislation passed 41-17.

September 11, 2025

Last Minute Bill Would Allow Thousands of New Oil Wells Annually in Kern County

Environmental groups declare this legislature the worst in recent memory

September 11, 2025

Claremont Adds Eyecatching New Bus Shelters

The locally designed bus stops pay homage to the Foothill communities and provide plenty of shade.

September 11, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines

Lots of uncertainty for Bay Area transit, the legislature moves on oil production and more...

September 11, 2025
See all posts