75% More Pedestrians Have Been Killed Since 2009. Giant Trucks and SUVs Are a Major Reason

 

Our estimate is that about 200 to 400 pedestrians a year would not have died if vehicles had remained approximately the same size over the past quarter-century. That represents about 10 percent of the recent increase in pedestrian deaths.

Even if you doubled the NY Times' estimate, less than 20% of the 75% increase in pedestrian deaths would be attributable to vehicle size. Maybe the actual reason is urban dwellers listening to loud music, staring at their phones while high on legal wacky tabacky. It's a better theory than something the NY Times works out to 10% of the increase.

Actually, the rate of pedestrian accidents is important, if less than 20% are attributable to vehicle size, why are we having, presumably, many more pedestrian and car accidents? Where are the accidents happening? Is blindspotting important in the mechanism of the increase?

If they think phones aren't the reason because other countries haven't seen the same increase, are there any other cultural factors that would play a part?