<\/p>\n
\nHealth researchers have suggested a tax on utes.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Cole Eastham-Farrelly\n<\/p>\n
Health researchers at the University of Auckland have suggested a tax on utes in response to high emissions and more deadly accidents.<\/p>\n
They said traffic accidents involving utes were seven times more likely to be fatal, burdening the healthcare system.<\/p>\n
“There is a cost, we’ve got so much more air pollution and so much more injury associated with these things. Someone has to pay that cost,” senior researcher Dr Kirsty Wild said.<\/p>\n
“We have a particularly polluted and dangerous transport system at the moment and it’s putting particular pressure on our healthcare resources.”<\/p>\n
She noted a significant difference in emissions between utes and other cars.<\/p>\n
“There’s quite a big difference actually, New Zealand research shows [utes] contribute about seven times as much social harm when it comes to things like air pollution, particularly toxic exhaust with diesel vehicles,” she said.<\/p>\n
That was primarily an issue in cities, she said.<\/p>\n
“Utes are not as much of a problem in rural areas, but they’re not primarily being used in rural areas<\/a>, our research showed that about two thirds of ute trips are happening in cities,” she said.<\/p>\n “And they’re just particularly dangerous in cities, seven times more likely to kill you if they hit you, particularly dangerous to kids, and [cities are] where air pollution is a real problem, having 3000 early deaths every year due to our air pollution problems.”<\/p>\n The shape and size of a ute made them significantly more damaging in a crash, Wild said.<\/p>\n “The traditional bonnet of a car, it’s sloped and fairly soft, it’s designed to reduce some of the impact, you go up on the bonnet. With [utes] they’re very high, instead of hitting you in the legs they hit you in the chest and are more likely to drag you under the car,” she said.<\/p>\n Wild and her colleague Professor Alistair Woodward were spearheading calls for a tax to discourage people from buying utes if they did not need them.<\/p>\n “Thinking about whether there [should be] higher charges for things like congestion charges, and also asking councils not to do things like make parking spaces bigger<\/a> to accommodate these vehicles which just encourages it,” Wild continued.<\/p>\n That could extend to a ban on advertising.<\/p>\n