New cars sold in Europe have been steadily getting bigger for 25 years, with potential consequences for road safety, energy consumption and public space. According to an analysis by Transport & Environment, published exclusively by the Guardian, since 2000 new vehicles have grown on average each year by 1.2 cm in length, 0.5 cm in height and 0.5 cm in width — a trend the organisation describes as “carspreading”.
If this growth continues at the same rate until 2040, the study estimates that around 2,600 additional road deaths could be recorded each year in Europe, compared with a “right-sizing” scenario in which the average size of cars would return to 2015 levels. Of these, 79 deaths would involve children.
According to US research, if a car’s bonnet is 10 cm higher, the risk of death for children increases by 81%.
The increase in vehicle size is also linked to higher energy demand, both for conventional and electric vehicles, as well as the loss of urban space. The analysis predicts that, without measures, European cities could lose 8.5% to 14% of on-street parking spaces by 2040, with cities such as London and Berlin each losing 100,000 spaces. The authors of the study are calling for limits on vehicle width and bonnet height, tax disincentives for larger vehicles, and stricter standards for driver visibility.
Source: Guardian
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