Re:Rural Americans are importing tiny Japanese pickup trucks
by cameronh90 on Thursday April 20, 2023 @08:02PM
(#35648190)
Yet the UK (and most other developed countries) have far fewer fatalities per vehicle or kilometre driven, as well as cars that output less pollution per kilometre.
Obviously there are many confounding factors, but the point is if the USA really cared, it'd federally mandate more effective measures like safety inspections and emissions testing. The import restrictions are protectionism.
The UK, for instance, allows pretty much anything with wheels to be registered (e.g. the Peel). Euro NCAP is merely advisory, you can still sell/buy a death trap. Pollution as well. Want an early 90s Figaro or S-Cargo or a late 00s Hijet? Those were sold without cats or fuel injection. Want something cheap and Euro? Cool. The cheap shit is often cheap because it pollute so much it can't be driven in city centers.
A lot of the bellyaching is over cars that the manufacturers couldn't justify fixing up to meet American standards.