WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- SUV Owners of America points out important news found in the latest highway fatality data just released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) -- a number of key safety indicators show that SUV safety has dramatically improved (page numbers from the report are indicated):

* The overall occupant fatality rate for SUVs showed the greatest decline of all vehicle types -- down 8.7% (page 61)

* SUVs had the largest decline of all vehicle types in occupant fatality rate in rollover crashes -- down 11% (page 91)

* Occupants killed and injured in two vehicle crashes involving a passenger car and an LTV (pickup, van, SUV): passenger car deaths down 4.9%; LTV deaths down 3.0% (page 95)

* Among all passenger vehicles, SUVs had the largest increase in registrations -- up 11% (page 56 of the report)

Contrary to popular myth, SUVs are extremely safe and the trend is getting better (the fatality rate for SUVs in the previous year, 2004, declined by 4.7%, which went widely unreported).

Link to full deck of FARS data: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/ncsa/ppt/2006/810639.pdf

SUVOA is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting the rights and serving the interests of owners of more than 100 utility vehicles including SUVs, pickups, vans, minivans and crossovers. For more information about SUVOA visit http://www.suvoa.com.