The study reveals that the trend towards increasingly larger cars could result in approximately 2,600 additional deaths among vulnerable road users across Europe by 2040. For SP National Councillor Brenda Tuosto, a member of the VCS Central Board, this trend is alarming: 'Large vehicles pose an increasing risk, particularly for children, pedestrians, and cyclists. Children can be overlooked in front of high vehicle fronts; wider cars mean that the overtaking distance becomes narrower for bicycles. We risk seeing even more serious injuries and fatalities on the roads.'
Reduction in parking spaces due to oversized cars
The study further finds that with the continuous growth in the average car length, more parking space is being consumed per vehicle. 'This is a paradox,' says Brenda Tuosto: 'Switzerland already has an SUV proportion comparable to that of the USA. But the larger the cars become, the less space they find.'
The VCS warns of a potential consequence of this trend: according to the T&E study, the loss of parking spaces could lead to other urban areas being converted into parking grounds. This would impact pedestrians and cyclists, as well as the proportion of natural and green areas.
For VCS Central Board member Brenda Tuosto, a clear limit has been reached: 'Public space must not be further sacrificed to car traffic – the continuous concreting needs to be stopped urgently.' Those wishing to use public space fairly must prevent cars from occupying more and more space. Therefore, T&E advocates reducing the average car size back to the 2015 level.
For further information, please contact:
Brenda Tuosto, Member of Central Board and SP National Councillor/VD, 079 509 58 37 Media contact VCS, 079 708 05 36, medien@verkehrsclub.ch
VCS Traffic Club of Switzerland
Aarbergergasse 61
PO Box
3001 Bern
Media contact 079 708 05 36
medien@verkehrsclub.ch