Overview
- This week a New York Times analysis published Monday found U.S. annual pedestrian deaths have climbed about 75% since 2009 and estimated roughly 3,000 fatalities were tied to taller hoods from 2016 through 2024.
- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that SUVs and vans with hoods over 40 inches are about 45% more likely to kill a pedestrian than cars with hoods under 30 inches, and a 2025 IIHS study found a large driver-side blind zone can raise left-turn strike risk by about 70%.
- New York Times 3D scans and vehicle-dimension data show common pickups’ driver-side blind zones have grown sharply, with the Silverado nearly doubling, the Sierra and Tacoma rising about 60%, and the F-150 growing roughly 25%.
- IIHS leaders have publicly urged automakers to rethink the height and shape of pickups and SUVs, but there is no major federal regulatory action reported and manufacturers continue to market taller models that consumers want.
- Analysts say larger vehicle size interacts with higher U.S. driving speeds and greater miles driven, which helps explain why other wealthy countries have not seen the same rise, and the shift toward bigger vehicles also raises CO2 emissions and policy questions to watch next.