American roads continue to get safer after a spike in traffic deaths happened in 2020. However, while fewer people are dying, the decreases aren't affecting everyone equally. According to recent federal data, fatal crashes involving cyclists were up 8 percent through the first nine months of 2022. A new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study points to today's larger SUVs as more dangerous for cyclists than other types of cars.
According to IIHS Statistician Sam Monfort, the study's lead author, "SUVs tend to knock riders down," potentially running them over rather than a smaller vehicle sending the person onto the hood. Monfort added, "That's probably because the higher front end of an SUV strikes the cyclist above their center of gravity," toppling them to the ground where the wheels, undercarriage, or ground cause injuries.
