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Coalition For Vehicle Choice Says NHTSA Statement is Wrong

3 June 1998

NHTSA Statement on Sport Utilities is Wrong, says Coalition For Vehicle Choice

    WASHINGTON, June 2 -- A statement today by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator that sport
utilities, mini-vans and pick-up trucks cause more injuries than passenger
cars in side crashes is dead wrong.  In releasing test data from research
crash tests between light trucks and passenger cars, Administrator Martinez
stated that 2,000 lives could be saved if all light trucks on the road were
replaced by cars. This is nonsense and is not based on any scientific research
whatsoever.  In fact, the NHTSA crash tests showed that none of the dummies in
the struck vehicle would have died and most would have escaped serious injury.
The data showed very little difference in results between light trucks and
passenger cars.
    It's like saying we should ground all small aircraft to reduce airplane-
related fatalities.  That's totally unrealistic.  There is no credible study
by NHTSA or anyone else to support the contention that 2,000 lives would be
saved.  In fact, light trucks -- SUVs in particular -- are among the safest
vehicles.  By taking them off the road, the government could actually wind up
increasing fatalities.  What's needed here is sound research on vehicle
compatibility -- not unsubstantiated hyperbole that alarms the public.
    The Coalition for Vehicle Choice represents more than 40,000 organizations
and individuals concerned about preserving safe and affordable transportation.