The conversation in Franco's vehicle carried on normally when he stopped his gold-colored car at the traffic light near Scottsdale Road and Cheney.

Whether Franco ever saw it coming is impossible to say. He likely heard the crunching of the truck as it crushed the rear of his car, pushing it forward. The black bumper of Jeffrey Glorioso's pickup shattered the car's rear window and continued straight through its passenger cabin.

While authorities could not prove Glorioso was intoxicated that night, there is no denying that his raised truck had been transformed into a lethal weapon. As Franco and his four passengers lay bleeding under Glorioso's 34-inch tires, Glorioso opened the door of his 1995 lifted Dodge Ram truck, jumped into a friend's passing car and fled the scene.

Three of the five occupants of the Ford died, including Franco.

Glorioso was later arrested at a bar where he had continued partying. After a plea bargain, he is currently serving a 15-year sentence.

While the Franco accident gives dramatic representation of just how lethal lifted trucks can be, they appear to be a growing threat.

Detective Paul Thompson, an accident re-constructionist with the Scottsdale Police Department, says Glorioso's raised suspension contributed to the severity of the wreck.

"The dynamics of that collision would have been completely different," Thompson says. "I can't say there would not have been any fatalities, but it would have been a different collision."

Despite the deadly potential raised and customized 4x4s possess in even slow-moving collisions, their popularity seems to be growing among Valley drivers. Experts say the Valley's highways will be home to another 2.1 million vehicles by 2025.

The Wild West

In New Jersey, tire sizes are restricted and can be no more than six inches larger than factory-issue tires. Extreme truck lifts are subjected to handling stability testing.

Like New Jersey, many states regulate the bumper height of street legal vehicles. Federal law limits only the weight of personal vehicles-not the height or tire size.

In Arizona, the sky literally is the limit for modified trucks. Like several other Western states, Arizona only requires mud flaps and, if necessary, lower placement of headlights at 54 inches, but does not require lowered bumpers.

Is it time that the Valley's prairie-day laws catch up with its metro-crowded population and its status as the nation's fifth largest city?

Pete Dufrenses thinks not.

Standing next to his chromed and customized 2003 Ford F350, Dufrenses says America is all about the individual right to express oneself, through word or through vehicle. His truck, standing nearly 10 feet high, is wrapped with painted American flags.

"It's a tribute to the 9/11 heroes," Dufrenses says, pointing to the twin towers on his tailgate, almost a foot above his head. Dufrenses says he drives his show-winning truck carefully and has never had a close call. He says his truck's upgraded brakes and video cameras demonstrate his concern for other motorists.

The Threat

While some high profile vehicle drivers go out of their way to be considerate, top-heavy SUV's weaving in and out of traffic are a fairly common sight on crowded Valley roadways. The increased tendency for these vehicles to roll makes them even more dangerous.

"I can tell you, being a re-constructionist, the higher the center of gravity, the more likely to roll over," Detective Thompson said.

The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators agrees, reporting that lifted trucks are unstable, take longer to brake and are more likely to roll.

"They certainly do take longer to brake," said Erin Drake, whose 2003 Ford F350 stands almost nine feet high. "You just need to be paying attention. I would highly recommend that guys put bigger brakes on them. The bigger they are, the harder they are to stop."

Because lifted vehicles take longer to stop, they are more likely to run red lights or rear-end other vehicles when traffic backs up. As in the Glorioso triple fatality, these fender-benders can become deadly when vehicles with raised bumpers are involved.

Bumping Heads

The average bumper height of a typical sedan is approximately 20 inches lower than the bumper of a moderately lifted truck.

Sitting in a mid-sized sedan, an average driver's head sits almost perfectly at eye level with the bumper of a moderately lifted truck. Law enforcement officials say this is just one reason for limiting their height.

"It is a public safety concern that bumpers don't have a uniform height," said Lt. Joe Ruet of the Gilbert Police.

Ruet added that passenger cars are becoming increasingly safer but that raised bumpers negate many of those advances. "With sidebar reinforcement, airbags and baby seats, we've had accidents where two cars were totaled but the mothers walked away with their babies," Ruet said. "If that same collision were to occur with a high bumper, that wouldn't be the case."

Frank Valenzuela, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, added, "On those extreme-lifted vehicles the biggest concern our troopers have is when they get in accidents. They can easily crawl up on other vehicles, and that bumper height is level with a lot of windows."

Safety Concerns

Despite the obvious dangers of these trucks, several owners justify raising the height, calling it their right and claiming it's a dangerous few giving the trucks a bad name. "You'll see kids who just have something hodge-podge. That's what's getting people hurt," says Drake, standing proudly next to his nine-foot truck. "If you're going to drive a big, lifted truck, then cover all the safety issues. Don't spoil it for everybody else."

Crashes involving modified-vehicles are 29 times more likely to result in fatalities, according to a Virginia police study recently cited in U.S. News & World Report. Even Drake cautions, "You have to have a competent driver in there so you don't hurt anybody."

Yvette Lopez, a spokeswoman for AAA of Arizona, said the national insurance company does consider raised trucks a greater threat to motorists. "When you raise your truck it is considered a higher risk for a rollover," Lopez said. "We do consider raised trucks to be a lot more dangerous. They can be a lot harder to control."

Regulating Rides

Many Valley residents have yet to consider the threat posed by higher than average bumpers. Others remain convinced the trucks are lethal and wonder if it will take more dramatic tragedies to gain the attention of lawmakers.

A Department of Public Safety spokesperson said the DPS does not yet consider the trucks a major threat. But Elisabeth, Andrez Franco's 21-year-old sister, does. She believes the law should better protect drivers like her now deceased brother. "I think there should be a law that protects the drivers," she says. "It's not fair when somebody's driving safe, and there's someone who's not driving carefully (who causes an accident)."

What do you think? Should the law prevent owners from raising their trucks to dangerous levels? Should there be a standard height that cannot be exceeded? Let us know what you think by calling our Sound Off line at 480-391-6519.