For years, automakers have cited studies contending that thousands of people die annually because fuel economy regulations force the companies to make cars that are not heavy enough.
Larger vehicles, the argument goes, may guzzle more gas but they offer more protection, whether one hits a tree or another car. The argument has been a central one when efforts emerge in Congress to raise fuel economy standards. And it is taken seriously by the Bush administration, which has started an effort to rewrite the fuel economy rules.
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