Feel like this will not be a popular take here, but hear me out: I blame safety regs. Crash test standards ensconce drivers deep within a dense cage of beefy reinforced pillars and crumple zones, while "driver assists" make them complacent and disengaged. Modern people movers have worse visibility than an old farm truck and massive touchscreens you have to use to operate the windshield wipers. Peak car was like a quarter century ago, bring back the 1994 Honda Civic. The hatch specifically, that thing was dope. At least you'd notice if you hit someone in one of those

The thing to address seem simple in theory: copy a model that works fine. It may mean to change some rules, and it may have an impact on the american way of life.

Also, neighbours such as Mexico, and far more Canada do far better on that point. So there should be a way to do better without even push too hard... But it would be very impressive if USA could find a way working really well.

Looks like it's just 2024 specifically that's unavailable for Germany and UK.

You do know that all the other countries have the same issues you just mentioned, and there, the numbers are going down rather than up.

Edit: I guess they've been going up in Europe after COVID as well.

I would attribute that delay at least in part to the "cash for clunkers" program, which took older vehicles off the road en masse in 2009 in the US specifically. Made number go up but life a little worse, like most things we do :(

e: in case the correlation isn't clear (or you just don't feel like clicking), the program offered government subsidized and highly inflated trade in values for vehicles over a certain age and under a certain fuel economy. This greatly benefited auto manufacturers and investors at the direct expense of taxpayers and used car buyers by using government funding to essentially purchase and destroy ~half of the used car market at the time, depending who you ask.

I wish financial hardhsip on you, then.

Only if you also wish death for yourself...