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4h ago

Bigger Pickups and SUVs Are Increasing U.S. Pedestrian Deaths

Federal analysis links taller hoods and wider driver blind zones to roughly 200–400 preventable pedestrian deaths a year with no major new federal regulatory response.

Supersize SUVs aren’t just bad for public safety, but as energy drains, larger, heavier vehicles need more energy to move, costing consumers more at the pump, creating more air pollution and contributing more to our growing climate challenge.
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Overview

  • The New York Times analysis, published June 22, found that growing vehicle size explains about 10 percent of the recent rise in U.S. pedestrian deaths and estimated roughly 200 to 400 avoidable deaths per year.
  • Larger pickups and SUVs are deadlier because taller hoods strike pedestrians higher on the body and heavy front ends are more likely to push victims under the vehicle instead of to the side.
  • Expanded driver-side blind zones on many common trucks now extend more than 14 feet and make left-turn and low-speed conflicts with pedestrians far harder to see.
  • Federal researchers warned regulators in 2022 that larger vehicles endanger pedestrians, yet coverage shows no major new federal rules have followed that warning.
  • The U.S. trend toward bigger vehicles contrasts with other wealthy countries, and advocates point to city policies, buyer incentives, and design changes as the main levers to cut deaths and lower emissions.