There is no doubt we love our trucks, it is evident every day when we drive to work or for work. Be that for work or recreation. Trucks are very versatile in hauling people, cargo, and going places where other vehicles can’t.
Pickup trucks are getting larger and heavier, and in Phoenix, they’re exceedingly popular.
Why it matters: Road safety advocates say today’s massive trucks are a bigger hazard to pedestrians and other drivers given their size, weight and driver blind spots.
Plus, in the event of a collision, the tall front of a truck strikes pedestrians in the torso or head — home to vital organs — whereas the lower hood of a car typically strikes pedestrians in the legs.
🛻 Driving the news: Half of the 10 best-selling automobiles in Phoenix last year were pickups, according to vehicle registration data from January through November 2022 by S&P Global Mobility.
Chevrolet Silverados are most popular, followed by Ram 1500s and Ford F Series.
Only one sedan, the Toyota Camry, made the top 10. The others were vans or SUVs.
Graphic: Will Chase/Axios
The big picture: In the 1980s, about half of pickups were categorized as small or midsize.
But by the 2010s, small pickups nearly vanished as more Americans bought into the big truck lifestyle — and increasingly used them less for hauling and towing and more for errands and leisure drivers, per a new Axios Visuals special project.
Axios Phoenix By Jessica Boehm and Jeremy Duda · Feb 02, 2023
