A striking photo shared online is fueling debate about a growing safety issue on U.S. roads. The image shows a massive lifted pickup truck perched on top of a much smaller Pontiac in Las Vegas. The dramatic scene is intensifying conversations about oversized vehicles and the risks they pose to pedestrians, cyclists, and people in standard-sized cars.
Lifted trucks have become a popular customization trend, but this moment — captured after the truck reportedly drove over the sedan — is leading many to question whether such vehicles should even be street-legal. The Reddit post reads: “Massive lifted pickup truck runs over car in Las Vegas. Trucks like this are even more dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists.”
Transportation safety experts have long warned about oversized and heavily modified vehicles. High front grilles and elevated cabins can make it difficult or even impossible for drivers to see smaller cars, pedestrians, and cyclists around them. Many lifted trucks also weigh significantly more than regular vehicles, making them harder to stop and more likely to cause severe crashes.
Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that lifted vehicles are 45% more likely to cause fatal injuries in pedestrian crashes. Lift kits also raise a vehicle’s center of gravity, making it less stable during sharp turns or sudden lane changes. It’s no surprise that these heavily modified vehicles often lead to higher insurance premiums.
These “monster trucks” also impact the environment. Larger trucks burn more fuel, emit more tailpipe pollution, and require more materials to produce and maintain, which increases overall planet-warming emissions compared to standard-sized vehicles.
Online reactions to the viral image were intense.
“Make those f****** things illegal,” one commenter said.
“At minimum they should require a CDL to drive and own,” another wrote, referring to a commercial driver’s license.
A third person pointed out another issue: “These vehicles also cost society more than your average car by causing more wear and requiring larger and larger roads and parking. We shouldn’t have to subsidize these vehicles!”
Another user summed it up: “It’s hard to find a better illustration of the damage caused by SUVs that might actually make people think. Public roads, lives, the planet, whatever. But here we have an SUV damaging another person’s vehicle. An expensive one at that!”
This article has been carefully fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and eliminate any misleading information. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in our content.
Leave a Reply