The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

US Government Report Says Lighter Motor Vehicles Riskier

NEW YORK October 15, 2003; Dow Jones reported that motorists in crashes are most likely to die in mid-size sport-utility vehicles, light pickups and small four-door sedans, according to a U.S. government study, The Washington Post reports in its Wednesday edition.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration study also concluded that reducing the weight of such vehicles increases the risk of a fatal crash - a finding disputed by consumer groups that say the auto industry will use it to justify resisting higher fuel-efficiency standards, the Post reported.

The study was an update of a 1997 report about the role of vehicle weight in fatal crashes. It looked at 1991-99 model-year vehicles and found that large four-door sedans and minivans had the lowest overall fatality rates. It also showed that reducing the weight of the largest cars, trucks and vans had little effect on safety, according to the Post.