How SUVs Are Making Traffic Worse
As larger, taller sport utility vehicles took over US roads, they also aggravated highway congestion, according to a new study. It’s yet another ill effect of “car bloat.”
Some drivers may prefer bigger cars due to their roominess and perceived safety benefits, but their societal drawbacks are legion.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg
Across the US, traffic congestion keeps thickening. According to TomTom, a navigation company, drivers in 86 of 90 large and mid-sized American cities endured more slowdowns in 2024 than in 2023, continuing a trend that goes back decades (with a brief interregnum due to Covid).
Common explanations for worsening gridlock include sprawled development, growing populations, and degraded transit service. But new research proposes another culprit: The ascent of sport utility vehicles, or SUVs.