SUV Owners of America

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SUV Owners of America is a non-profit advocacy group dedicated to supporting the rights and serving the interests of SUV, Pickup and Van Owners. Founded in 1999, SUVOA claims to be "the voice of and advocate for SUV owners from unfounded attacks by special interest groups and unwarranted government regulation."^[1]

Although funded by the auto industry^[2], SUVOA claims to be a consumer organization.^[1]

[edit] Press

In July 2007, spokesman Ron DeFore discussed his organization with the Washington Post. In the interview, DeFore admits that he's joked about similarities between SUVOA and the loathed 'Mod Squad' (Merchants Of Death) of "spokesmen from the tobacco, alcohol and firearms industries" from the satirical film Thank You for Smoking, but denies "losing sleep" over his job, except when "policymakers are not looking at the big picture...There are 20 million things in this country that need to be towed." When asked about increased rates of death for accidents that involve SUVs and smaller cars, DeFore replied "Would we have fewer fatalities if everyone drove compact cars, or if everyone drove SUVs? The answer is SUVs." When asked about a testimonial on the group's website, in which an SUV owner writes that he is grateful for his SUV because when he fell asleep at the wheel and hit four other cars, [but] was able to walk away without a scratch," DeFore replies "I think there's a lot of human nature in that story."^[2]