You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that the larger vehicles get, the more they become a hazard to pedestrians. Get behind the wheel of any modern truck or SUV– let alone a 2500 or larger class vehicle– and it’s clear that those on foot don’t stand a chance against modern full-size vehicles. And it really is increasing pickup and SUV sales to blame for the rise in pedestrian fatalities; speculation is one thing, but numbers don’t lie.
Source: AutoGuide
The Pedestrian Protection Act was introduced in 2024 and is already making its point. U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania, Mike Thompson of California, and Laura Friedman of California thankfully put their efforts behind a bill that stand to protect the safety of those on foot, and the fruits of their labor are proving their worth already, if not in actuality then certainly statistically.
The research surrounding this legislation shows that pedestrian deaths associated with vehicle-related crashes have increased by ~80% since 2011. Accordingly, the car parc has changed with the times; people are buying more CUVs and SUVs while sedans and hatchbacks have dwindled in popularity.
Source: Chevrolet
And on the front of pedestrian deaths, let’s call a spade a spade: Bigger vehicles with larger front facias, grilles, and blind spots in turn make for worse forward visibility and as such a higher likelihood of striking a pedestrian at the bow of a given vehicle.
Michael Brooks, Executive Director at the Center for Auto Safety, corroborated the notion:
“America’s vehicles are getting larger and heavier every year, contributing to greater risk of death or injury for pedestrians, bicyclists, and everyone else on the road […] Congresswoman Scanlon’s Pedestrian Protection Act addresses this growing problem, requiring the development of safety standards to improve pedestrian crashworthiness, while incentivizing automakers to improve vehicle designs and visibility to prevent these crashes from occurring.”
All of this is to say, larger vehicles and taller, flatter front ends might look great in the buyer’s catalog and the comparative this-versus-the-newest-model-year aspect, but reality is that as passenger vehicles get bigger, the safety factor for people gets worse. To counter this, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is working to create new safety standards that will limit the height of a vehicle’s hood and bumper shape, and concurrently help to improve driver visibility.
While governance over automotive development is very much a disputed subject, this is something we can get behind; trucks and SUVs getting bigger and taller for the sake of nothing other than brands trying to outdo one another is causing needless detriment upon pedestrians, so it’s about time someone lays down the law. Turns out that will be the NHTSA, and not a moment too soon.