Giant Trucks and SUVs Are Killing People and Now the Federal Government Can Actually Do Something About It
Cars are safer than ever — at least for those inside the car. As long as you’re wearing a seat belt, you’ll be fine in a crash. Unfortunately, that’s not true for those outside the car. By design, large, heavy trucks and SUVs have high, flat hoods. extremely dangerous for pedestrians. For more than a decade, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration know that something needs to be done about pedestrian safetybut now Associated Press reported is actually in action.
NHTSA proposed a new rule on Monday that would require automakers to design their vehicles to minimize pedestrian head injuries in the event of a collision. If implemented, the rule would apply to all vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, although it’s no secret that the Escalades and F-150s of the world are prime targets. After all, trucks and SUVs are responsible for the majority of pedestrian deaths in the U.S.
According to NHTSA, pedestrian deaths increased from 4,779 in 2013 to 7,522 in 2022, an increase of about 57 percent. This makes us an outlier among other developed countries, where road deaths are decreasing rather than increasing. NHTSA believes that its new pedestrian safety regulations will save 67 lives each year.
The bipartisan Infrastructure Act forced NHTSA to propose this rule, which goes further than you might expect. Instead of focusing on crash avoidance technology and other distractions, NHTSA would develop a test protocol that simulates front-to-hood crashes using a human-like head dummy. That is, they’re actually doing something useful. Of course, this is DC we’re talking about, so there’s always a good chance the wording will be watered down before it goes into effect, but it’s still a big step in the right direction.
“We are facing a fatality crisis on our roads, and it is even worse for vulnerable road users like pedestrians,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said in a statement. “This proposed rule will ensure that vehicles are designed to protect occupants and occupants from serious injury or death.”
