Opinion
Look beyond tempting SUV tax loophole
LETTER — Posted Aug. 9, 2004
Regarding "A big SUV has tax benefits -- for now" (Column, June 21): Although a big sport utility vehicle may have some tax benefits, let us not forget the bigger liability they also pose.
Data clearly show that SUVs and other "light trucks" are more likely to be involved in an accident, and more likely to kill the occupants of a vehicle that is not in the light truck class. This is bad news for those inside the SUV and perhaps worse for any persons outside of the SUV.
The environmental impact is also heavy when one considers the poor fuel efficiency, and the contribution poor air quality makes toward hospital visits for asthma exacerbations -- if not many other diseases secondary to environmental toxins.
There are other ways to save a buck.
Brent Jaster, MD, Denver
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/08/09/edlt0809.htm.
