Edam, you're missing my point entirely. Why target 4x4s when a whole raft of smaller cars score the same as they do in pedestrian safety tests? In fact, most cars score pretty badly in pedestrian safety tests when you compare those results with the scores for passenger safety. As far as pedestrian safety goes, the problem is not 4x4s at all but all car manufacturers. For example, I think Vauxhall seems to score consistently badly (1*) across all categories. A far better campaign would be to lobby manufacturers to make cars safer for pedestrians (without compromising passenger safety).
Making melodramtic statements about 4x4 drivers not giving a flying fig about killing children if they hit them etc etc is just plain silly when you consider that most cars score just as badly. IIRC, very few scpre 3/4 available stars. Most come in at 2*s or 1 with the few notable exceptions who score 0. Not all cars are covered by the list but it still makes scarey reading IMO.
I guess 4x4s are more energy/pollution heavy ("guess" because I can't be ar$ed to research it ) but to condemn them on safety is misleading when other cars are, quite frankly, just as bad.
And to condemn their drivers as being inconsiderate for not thinking about whether their vehicle choice is more dangerous to pedestrians is ridiculous. How many of you checked your car's pedestrian safety score? I know I didn't.
The pedestrian issue isn't a problem soley for 4x4s at all.
"Those two models don't give you some kind of free pass into '4x4s are no different to any other car' heaven. They clearly are - look at the results. If you've got eight green fish, and two blue fish, the average fish is still green."
The average fish might be green but you can't comdemn all blue fish because they are in a minority, especially when a large proportion of, say, the octopii are green too. And you need to look at the results too. Only 2 of the Large Offroaders listed scored 0 stars. 10 scored 1 and 2 scored 2. There are a good number of cars in all the other categories who score only 1 star and many more who manage 2. Very few manage 3 and I don't think any mananage 4/4. Most cars are bloody dangerous for pedestrian, Individually the 4x4s do not appear to be hugely worse than individual other cars.