I think it's a vicious circle. People want to feel safe on the road, so they buy a SUV or a truck because it's less likely to get smashed and squashed in a car

I think it's a vicious circle. People want to feel safe on the road, so they buy a SUV or a truck because it's less likely to get smashed and squashed in a car crash. This is probably also why "sport futility vehicles" like the BMW X6 or the Mercedes GLW Coupe have appeared: they are cramped inside and their off road performance is utter crap (too heavy, built for the road).