In Transit: Cars Are Getting Bigger and More Dangerous. What Can We Do About It?

Americans love big cars. But a new data analysis by the Economist finds the bigger the cars, the deadlier they are for pedestrians, for people driving smaller cars and for our roads and infrastructure. As the Economist’s Daniel Knowles writes, “for every life the heaviest 1% of SUVs or trucks saves in America, more than a dozen lives are lost in smaller vehicles.” Regulators are starting to consider ways car design could be safer for pedestrians and other drivers. But advocates say more needs to be done. As part of our In Transit series, we’ll take a closer look at the impact of big cars and hear from you: Do you love your big car? Why?

Guests:

Ethan Elkind, director of the Climate Program at the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment, UC Berkeley School of Law; host of the podcast, Climate Break

Daniel Knowles, Midwest correspondent, the Economist

Angie Schmitt, journalist, author of "RIGHT OF WAY: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America", founder at 3MPH Planning and Consulting, focused on pedestrian safety