• 37% say there are too many SUVs on UK roads following research showing they are much more likely to cause pedestrian deaths
• 35% believe new regulations are needed that enforce safer SUV designs and 21% want to see them taxed higher
• However, 32% say people should be allowed to drive what they want, shows July’s Startline Used Car Tracker

July’s new Startline Used Car Tracker shows 35% believe new regulations are needed to enforce safer SUV designs and 18% that the motor industry should do more to promote non-SUV cars.

Also, 21% think SUVs should be taxed more because of their threat to safety, 19% that they should be restricted in pedestrian-heavy areas and 10% that they are driven more carelessly than other car types.

However, 32% believe that people should be allowed to drive what they want, including SUVs.

This question was included in the Startline Used Car Tracker following new research showing the likelihood of death is 44% higher for adults and 82% higher for children if they are hit by an SUV rather than a standard car.*

Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “SUVs have become the usual choice for most drivers in the UK who tend to like their higher seating position, adaptability for family life, and their go-anywhere image.

“However, our research shows there is a significant minority of people who are concerned about the increased safety risks that they bring, especially when it comes to pedestrians surviving impacts.

“It would probably be premature to say that there is a backlash against SUVs but there’s clearly a high degree of unease about how common they have become on our roads.”

The Startline Used Car Tracker is compiled monthly for Startline Motor Finance by APD Global Research, well-known in the motor industry for their business intelligence reporting and customer experience programs. This time, 300 consumers and 60 dealers were questioned.

* London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College London.