SUV Drivers, Car Owners Want Auto Makers to Design Safer Sport-Utilities
17 March 1998
SUV Drivers, Car Owners Want Auto Makers to Design Safer Sport-Utilities, IIAA Poll Finds
WASHINGTON, March 17 -- A new national poll released today by
the Independent Insurance Agents of America (IIAA) confirms a majority of
Americans are aware of the dangers sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and light
trucks pose to car drivers and passengers when the two vehicles collide and
believe auto makers are responsible for correcting vehicle incompatibility.
The new poll shows it's not just insurance industry and consumer groups
pushing for changes, it's now the public itself -- including sport-utility
owners. This finding refutes auto maker claims that safety design changes
would hurt the vehicles' popularity among owners and potential buyers.
The poll found nearly 60 percent of both sport-utility/light truck owners
and non-sport-utility/light truck owners say auto makers should bear most of
the responsibility for increasing the safety of car occupants in light of the
increasing numbers of sport-utilities and light trucks on the roads. A larger
majority -- nearly 80 percent -- say they feel "very strongly" or "somewhat
strongly" that automobile manufacturers should make safety changes to sport-
utilities and light trucks that would reduce risk to car occupants.
"The recent frenetic round of give-and-take and blame trading among auto
and insurance industry executives, government officials and safety advocates
on sport-utility/car crash compatibility has largely ignored the most
important constituency of all -- the American public," says Paul A. Equale,
IIAA executive vice president of public affairs. "This poll finds that the
American public has a clear and resonant message: We are aware of and
understand the problem, and we want auto makers to lead the way in making
roadways safer for all drivers."
Conducted February 25 to March 1 by Media, Pa.-based ICR Survey Research
Group for IIAA, the poll questioned 1,011 car and sport-utility/light truck
owners.
Among the poll's other significant findings:
* Almost 35 percent of those polled say they own a sport-utility or light
truck, confirming the vehicles' recent popularity surge, but ownership is
largely defined by gender, income and age. The large vehicles are most
popular among middle- and upper-income men and least popular among women
and senior citizens.
* Only one in three sport-utility or light-truck owners report that
increased safety was a major factor in their decision to buy their
vehicle, but more than three-quarters of non-SUV or light-truck owners say
safety would be a major factor in their buying decision if they were to
purchase a sport-utility or light truck in the future.
* Although 60 percent of respondents say they are aware of the current
debate about the dangers posed by SUVs, women are significantly less
likely than men to understand the risks that sport-utility vehicles and
light trucks pose to car occupants in collisions.
* More than 35 percent of respondents report that they view sport-
utilities and light trucks as "very intimidating" or "somewhat
intimidating" on the nation's roads, and it's not just car drivers.
Nearly 28 percent of sport-utility owners acknowledge their vehicles
intimidate other drivers. Female drivers and senior citizens are most
likely to say the vehicles are intimidating.
* Nearly 70 percent of both owners and non-owners of SUVs and light trucks
think it is likely that SUV and light truck owners will pay more for their
car insurance because of recent reports of the extensive damage and harm
these vehicles can inflict on cars and car occupants.
* When asked who should bear the most responsibility for increasing the
safety of car occupants in light of the proliferation of sport-utilities
and light trucks on the roads, respondents -- both SUV and non-SUV owners
-- agree it is the auto makers (59.5 percent and 57 percent,
respectively). But the two groups differ on who comes next. SUV/light-
truck drivers rank highway safety regulators second (32.1 percent),
drivers of SUVs or light trucks third (27.1 percent) and drivers of
passenger cars last (32.2 percent). Non-SUV drivers said it's drivers of
SUVs or light trucks who are second on the responsibility ladder
(32.3 percent), highway safety regulators third (25.3 percent) and drivers
of passenger cars last (43.4 percent).
Complete poll results are available on IIAA's Web site:
http://www.independentagent.com.
SOURCE Independent Insurance Agents of America, Inc.