# America’s Dangerous Supersized Vehicle Crisis Over the last few years, SUVs and pickups have displaced the classic sedan as the vehicles most Americans drive. While their bigger and wider dimensions may make their drivers feel especially safe, the risk to smaller vehicles and those outside the vehicle has increased.  This study, from [Los Angeles car accident lawyers](https://www.omegalaw.com/los-angeles/car-accident-lawyer/) Omega Law Group, considers the states with the most fatal crashes by SUVs and pickups, and those that feature the highest rates of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities. It also covers the safety differential between SUVs and pickups and smaller vehicles, the visibility issues that often compromise SUV and pickup drivers, and the times of day the statistics confirm feature the highest proportion of fatal SUV and pickup crashes. ## Fatal SUV and Pickup Crashes: Key Data, Plus Dangerous States According to the EPA’s latest Automotive Trends Report, in 2024, two-thirds of new vehicles built for the U.S. market were trucks, with SUVs accounting for half. Generally, vehicles on U.S. roads are getting bigger. According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) data, on average, new vehicles weigh 4,354 pounds, with the average U.S. passenger vehicle about 8 inches taller than was the case 30 years ago. This height carries safety risks. IIHS research found that pickups, SUVs, and vans with hoods taller than 40 inches are around 45% more likely to kill a pedestrian in a crash than a car featuring a lower, sloped front. Federal crash data tells us that, in 2024, 19,438 fatal crashes involved an SUV or pickup, at a rate of 5.72 per 100,000 residents. That’s 30% higher than the passenger car rate (4.40; 14,963 fatal crashes). Overall, SUVs and pickups featured in 53.6% of the country’s 36,297 fatal crashes; in 47 states, there were more fatal crashes involving SUVs or pickups than passenger cars. These crashes killed 21,340 people, significantly more than half of the 39,254 road deaths recorded that year. Of those 21,340 deaths, 47.8% (10,210 people) were outside the SUV or pickup: traveling in another vehicle, walking or cycling. For fatal crashes that involved passenger cars, the equivalent share was far lower (35.3%). During 2024, SUVs and pickups killed 3,866 pedestrians, cyclists, and others outside the vehicle, at a rate of 1.14 per 100,000 residents. That’s 42% more than the 2,721 deaths that involved passenger cars (0.80 per 100,000). If we focus solely on pickups, the percentage of people outside the vehicle killed in fatal crashes was 54.9%. Mississippi saw the nation’s highest fatal SUV and pickup crash rate (12.71 per 100,000 residents), which was a notable 122% above the average U.S. rate. The state’s 374 crashes involved 421 fatalities; Mississippi also ranked first for fatalities from crashes involving SUVs (6.97 per 100,000) and pickups (6.73). Montana ranked second with a rate of 10.50 fatalities per 100,000 (119 crashes, 130 deaths), which was 83% above the national rate, with New Mexico ranking third with a 10.23 rate (218 crashes, 240 deaths). All states featured in the top 10 exceeded the national average fatal crash rate by at least 43%; seven were Southern states, while three were from the Mountain West. In terms of raw numbers, Tennessee recorded the highest number of crashes and deaths in the top 10 (591 crashes, 652 deaths). South Carolina followed (496 crashes, 552 deaths), while Alabama was third (482 crashes, 525 deaths). Pickups are a big contributor to road risk in rural states: Wyoming ranks second to Mississippi for fatal pickup crashes (6.13 per 100,000), while South Dakota also features in the pickup top 10 (4.11). SUVs represent a key safety challenge in growing Sun Belt and suburban states, with Arizona ranking 10th for fatal SUV crashes, at a rate of 5.02 per 100,000 (381 crashes). **California**’**s** fatal SUV and pickup crash rate (4.16 per 100,000) puts the state low in the overall 2024 rankings (41st), despite 1,639 such crashes and 1,809 deaths. Yet danger to people outside the vehicle is pronounced. In California, SUVs and pickups killed 501 pedestrians, cyclists, and others outside vehicles at a rate of 1.27 per 100,000. This rate ranks 13th of all states, is above the national average rate of 1.14, and almost matches the 507 people killed by passenger cars in California. As the popularity of SUVs and pickups has grown in America, the risk to pedestrians has also risen. But in which states is pedestrian safety most affected by SUVs and pickups? ## Who Pays the SUV and Pickup Safety Price? America’s supersized vehicles especially endanger people outside the vehicle. In 2024, of the 3,866 pedestrians, cyclists, and others killed by SUVs and pickups, 3,179 were pedestrians, which is 37% more than were killed by cars (2,319). 527 were cyclists, and 136 people were using scooters, skateboards, wheelchairs, or other personal modes of transport. Of the 21,340 people killed in fatal crashes that involved SUVs or pickups, victims included 3,410 passenger vehicle occupants and 2,176 motorcyclists. Children and older adults are especially vulnerable, with SUVs and pickups killing 97 pedestrians under the age of 15 (twice the 48 who were killed by cars), which accounts for 58% of child pedestrian deaths where the vehicle type was recorded. Among those aged 5-9, SUVs and pickups killed 29 compared with seven killed by cars and caused 63% of deaths, the highest share of any age group (for children under the age of five, the figures were 30 versus 19). The higher front end of an SUV or pickup can make it very difficult to spot children near the vehicle, leading to potentially devastating impacts with heads and chests. In terms of older pedestrians, 756 aged 65 and older were killed by an SUV or pickup in 2024, 59% more than cars (476), numbers that accounted for 53% of older pedestrian fatalities. For those aged 75-84, the comparison was 254 (SUV or pickup) versus 139 (cars), representing 56% of deaths in that group. People aged 25-64 accounted for 64.7% (2,035) of the pedestrian deaths caused by SUVs and pickups, with the median victim age 47. In every age group, supersized vehicles killed more pedestrians than regular-sized cars. Of the fatalities that involved non-occupants, 68.9% occurred in darkness, 81.3% on urban roads. In terms of state rankings, Louisiana was top of the list (2.15 deaths per 100,000), 89% above the national average rate. SUVs and pickups killed 99 people outside vehicles (including 72 pedestrians), accounting for 48% of non-occupant deaths. New Mexico was second with a rate of 2.02 (43 deaths, 40 pedestrians), 78% above the national rate. Alaska was third (1.76), 55% above the national rate, with SUVs and pickups causing 76% of its non-occupant deaths (13 of 17), the highest share of all states. Unlike the overall crash rankings list, the proportional ranking list leans toward the expanding Sun Belt area. As mentioned earlier, **California** ranked 13th: Los Angeles County recorded 115 SUV and pickup fatalities involving outside vehicles, more than twice any other California county. ## When Supersized Meets Standard Size When two vehicles of markedly different sizes collide, the smaller of the two often bears the brunt of the damage. In 2024, passenger cars collided with SUVs or pickups in 2,810 fatal two-vehicle crashes, during which 2,438 car occupants and 856 SUV or pickup occupants were killed. In these cases, smaller vehicles were subject to 74% of the deaths (2.8 car occupants for every SUV or pickup occupant), and in 72% of the crashes, only car occupants died. By contrast, 1,225 people died in 1,029 passenger car-to-car crashes, with neither vehicle carrying greater risk. The mismatch rises proportionately with vehicle size. In car-SUV crashes, 69.4% of deaths occurred in cars (1,395 vs. 614), a 2.3-to-1 ratio. In car-pickup crashes, this rose to 81.2% (1,043 vs. 242), a significantly higher rate of 4.3 to 1. Against full-size and heavy-duty pickups that weighed between 6,001 and 10,000 pounds, the ratio rose further to 5.8 to 1, with 898 car fatalities compared with 154 pickup fatalities, or 85.4% of deaths. Even between larger vehicles, SUVs suffered more losses than pickups: 668 SUV occupants died compared with 314 pickup occupants, a 2.1-to-1 ratio. A weight comparison tells a similar story. 80.6% of deaths from crashes involving vehicles weighing 6,000 pounds or less and vehicles weighing 6,001-10,000 pounds were suffered by occupants of the lighter vehicles (2,490 vs. 600), a ratio of 4.2-to-1. Lighter vehicles fatally colliding with commercial vehicles that weighed over 10,000 pounds suffered 96.6% of deaths (1,923 vs. 68), or 28 to 1. And during 969 crashes between passenger cars and large trucks, 1,045 passenger car occupants died compared with 33 truck occupants, a ratio of almost 32 to 1. (In 135 of these crashes, the car slid underneath the truck.) As vehicles grow in size and weight, the disparity between big and small widens, and occupants of smaller vehicles increasingly bear the consequences. A comparison of collision types further illustrates the issue. In head-on collisions between two cars, at least one person died in 58.2% of the involved vehicles. Yet when a car collided head-on with an SUV or pickup, this figure rose dramatically to 81.3%. When we look at side impacts, the issue is even more pronounced. When an SUV or pickup struck a car side-on, someone in the car died in 95.2% of cases (585 car occupants were killed in 546 T-bone crashes). In the reverse case, when a car struck the side of an SUV or pickup, someone inside died far less often (in 61.7% of cases). One of the reasons for this disparity is that vehicles with a taller, stiffer front end can collide with a point above a car’s bumper and door sills, and subsequently strike the passenger compartment where there’s much less of an impact buffer. The use of a seat belt made very little difference. Of the 2,438 car occupants killed in these collisions, 63% of those with known restraint status were wearing a seat belt (or other type of restraint). For many victims, the key factor wasn’t their own behavior: it was the vehicle that collided with them. For motorcyclists, the issue was further compounded. In crashes between a motorcycle and a pickup, 642 motorcyclists died compared with just 4 pickup occupants (a ratio of 160-to-1). In crashes involving SUVs and motorcycles, 1,187 of the latter were killed, compared with just 14 SUV occupants. And during crashes between passenger cars and motorcyclists, 990 motorcyclists were killed; for car occupants, the number was just 19. ## The Deadliest Time of Day for Crashes Contrary to some stereotypes, the deadliest time for collisions involving America’s supersized vehicles doesn’t involve late-night joyrides. Instead, in 2024, fatal SUV and pickup crashes peaked during the evening commute, with 23.5% of crashes (4,562) occurring between 4 p.m. and 7:59 p.m. The deadliest hours were 5 p.m. (1,210) and 6 p.m. (1,202). Fatal passenger car crashes peaked later in the day, between 8 p.m. and midnight; 9 p.m. was the deadliest hour. Overall, 42.4% of fatal SUV and pickup crashes happened between noon and 7:59 p.m., compared with 36.1% of car crashes. 54% of fatal SUV and pickup crashes happened during daylight hours as opposed to after dark. Saturday (3,266 crashes) and Friday (3,079) were the deadliest days of the week, while October was the deadliest month (1,799 fatal SUV and pickup crashes). SUV and pickup crashes also disproportionately involved fast, rural roads, with nearly half (49.5%) of fatal crashes occurring on roads featuring speed limits of at least 55 mph (compared with 44.8% of cars). Median speed limits were 50 mph for SUVs and pickups and 45 mph for cars. Rural roads accounted for 41.6% of deadly SUV and pickup crashes, compared with 34.1% of car crashes; 30% of fatal crashes took place at or near intersections. ### Pedestrian Vulnerabilities For pedestrians, turning and reversing SUVs and pickups were a significant danger. During 2024, of the 3,179 pedestrians killed by SUVs and pickups, 193 were hit by vehicles turning left (3.6 times the 54 killed by cars turning left). SUVs and pickups turning right killed 66 pedestrians, 3.9 times the 17 killed by cars turning right. Reversing SUVs and pickups killed 21, compared with five killed by reversing cars (a 4.2-to-1 ratio). Overall, 8.9% of pedestrians killed by SUVs and pickups were hit during a turn, or while the vehicle was reversing or making a U-turn, compared with 3.3% of car-related pedestrian deaths. The location of pedestrian deaths emphasizes the blind spots drivers of comparatively tall SUVs and pickups often struggle to negotiate. SUVs and pickups killed 607 pedestrians at intersections, 57% more than cars (386), and 482 on crosswalks, 62% more than cars (297). Nonetheless, most deaths occurred between intersections, with 70.6% of the pedestrians killed by SUVs and pickups (2,243) struck on the road between junctions. Even streets with speed restrictions saw a high number of fatal collisions, with SUVs and pickups killing 1,080 pedestrians on roads featuring speed limits of 35 mph or less, 40% more than cars (774). 73.3% of pedestrians killed by SUVs and pickups were struck after dark, with 1,030 deaths between 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. Daylight hours offered less pedestrian protection from SUVs and pickups compared with cars: between 8 a.m. and 3:59 p.m., SUVs and pickups killed 461 pedestrians, more than double the 219 killed by cars. As daylight saving time ends and evening commutes become darker, pedestrians face elevated risks from the tallest vehicles on the road. October to December saw 965 pedestrian deaths that involved SUVs and pickups. That’s 30.4% of the annual total and 47% more than the June to August summer toll (658), with November the deadliest month (328 deaths). ## Far From Help After a crash, where it happened can be a key determining factor in whether or not timely help arrives. In 2024, rural areas accounted for 41% of U.S. crash deaths despite being where just 20% of Americans live. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests rural death rates were 54% higher than urban death rates (1.56 vs. 1.01 per 100 million miles), with SUVs and pickups heavily involved. The median emergency crew arrival following a fatal rural SUV/pickup crash was 13 minutes, which is 63% longer than the median urban wait (8 minutes). After being notified, the median crew response was 10 minutes in rural areas compared with 6 minutes in cities. In 26.4% of rural crashes that feature a recorded arrival time, EMS took at least 20 minutes, almost three times the urban rate (9.2%); in 12.3% of cases, EMS took at least 30 minutes. For transported rural victims, the median crash-to-hospital time was 53 minutes, compared with 34 minutes in cities. In 39.2% of cases, victims reached hospital at least an hour after the crash, compared with 11.1% of urban victims, while one in four rural journeys took at least 72 minutes. Of those killed in rural SUV/pickup crashes, 66.8% died at the scene, compared with 47.5% in urban crashes. On rural minor collector roads that link farms and small towns, median hospital arrival time was 53 minutes, whereas on rural interstates, the median arrival time was 13 minutes. In top-ranking rural states, the danger is compounded, with not only more crashes involving large vehicles but also greater distances from lifesaving care. ## Compromised Vision in Bigger Vehicles Earlier, we touched on the fact that higher vehicle builds can make it difficult to spot children in front of an SUV or pickup. A March 2025 IIHS study covering popular model redesigns found that front-end visibility within 10 meters (33 feet) declined for every model studied. For SUVs, the loss of close-range visibility was as high as 58%. Separate November 2025 IIHS measurements of 168 vehicles found that SUVs and pickups featured the largest average driver-side close-range blind zones for shorter drivers. Close-range visibility covers children stepping off curbs, pedestrians entering a crosswalk, and cyclists waiting at lights. Ideally, unsure drivers should walk around their SUV or pickup before they move, stop fully and lean forward to look around front pillars before they turn left, and use front and rear cameras to supplement (not replace) visual checks. ### Safety Rating Issues Safety ratings may mislead buyers about the potential for crashes involving vehicles of different sizes. According to the NHTSA, its 5-Star program’s frontal ratings “can only be compared to other vehicles in the same class” within 250 pounds either way. That’s because testing represents “a crash between two vehicles of the same weight.” Additionally, ratings measure protection levels for occupants inside the tested vehicle, not pedestrians, cyclists, or occupants of a smaller car. Instead of comparing stars across sedans, SUVs, and pickups, buyers are advised to compare vehicles within the same size and weight class; they should also factor in assessments that cover protection for those outside the vehicle. ## Large Vehicles are a Big Problem for Small Cars and People SUVs and pickups accounted for 53.6% of U.S. fatal crashes in 2024. The crashes killed 21,340 people (including 3,866 pedestrians, cyclists, and others outside the vehicles).  Additionally, nearly 48% of people who were killed in fatal SUV and pickup crashes were outside those vehicles, with occupants of passenger cars accounting for 81.2% of deaths when a pickup fatally collided with a car. When it comes to SUVs and pickups, their large size, heavier weight, and compromised visibility mean they represent a disproportionate risk to children, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and occupants of smaller cars. These dangers are compounded by rural roads, delayed emergency response times, and low night visibility, highlighting the need for safer vehicle designs, better driver awareness, and better levels of protection for vulnerable road users. If you were injured in a car accident, you may worry about paying your medical bills and how to cover other losses. Holding a negligent driver accountable and securing a fair settlement can be difficult. An experienced [car accident lawyer in Los Angeles](https://www.omegalaw.com/los-angeles/car-accident-lawyer/) can provide you with the client-focused legal care and guidance you need. At Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys, we help our clients every step of the way. We have**secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts**for our previous clients. Call us today for a free initial consultation. --- Source: https://www.omegalaw.com/research/tall-vehicles-and-crash-rates/