Theory that SUVs are safer holds no water, says study

"That SUVs (sport utility vehicles) make for safer riding of children than passenger cars is just a myth, according to a study.

"Dennis Durbin, a pediatric physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, sponsors of the study, said: 'We're not saying they're worse or that they're terrible vehicles. We're challenging the conventional wisdom that everyone assumed they were better.'

"They base this on the fact that there is doubled risk of rollovers in SUVs, which offsets the other safety factors they offer like larger size and weight.

"According to the researchers, the findings debunk the myth, which has in fact popularized SUVs among families. The number of SUV registrations grew by 250 percent in the years between 1995 and 2002.

"This study was published Tuesday in the journal Pediatrics."
EarthTimes

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