'Supersize' SUV cars much more likely to cause fatal injury to cyclists and pedestrians, say researchers

Children at risk: SUVs account for 60 per cent of new vehicles bought in the UK - (Crispin Hughes)

Cyclists and pedestrians who are hit by “supersized” cars known as sports utility vehicles (SUV) are 44 per cent more likely to be killed than if they were run over by a conventional car, London researchers have revealed.

The risk is even greater for children, who are 82 per cent more likely to suffer fatal injuries in a SUV collision than one involving a car. In children under 10, the risk of death was 130 per cent higher.