### America’s Pedestrian Safety Emergency: The Role of Vehicle Design in Escalating Deaths
The United States is increasingly grappling with a serious issue surrounding pedestrian safety. In the last ten years, pedestrian deaths have dramatically risen, experiencing a staggering 57% increase from 4,779 fatalities in 2013 to 7,522 in 2022. This troubling pattern can be attributed to multiple factors, such as urban development favoring vehicle flow, insufficient traffic law enforcement in numerous cities, and the growing dimensions and aesthetics of vehicles, particularly large trucks and SUVs.
A recent report published in January 2024 underscored one of the most troubling design developments: the elevating height of vehicle hoods. The research indicated that a mere four-inch (100 mm) rise in hood height resulted in a 28% increase in pedestrian fatalities. This occurs because elevated hoods limit the driver’s visibility of pedestrians, especially children, and exacerbate collision severity by amplifying the impact force on a person’s body.
In light of this escalating crisis, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has revealed new initiatives aimed at tackling the problem through alterations in vehicle design.
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### NHTSA’s Proposed Regulation: Progress Toward Safer Roadways
On September 2024, the NHTSA announced a notice of proposed rulemaking designed to decrease pedestrian deaths and injuries by revising vehicle design standards. The proposition is available for public feedback for 60 days and strives to align U.S. vehicle safety standards with existing global regulations utilized by numerous other nations.
Sophie Shulman, NHTSA’s deputy administrator, stressed the critical nature of the situation:
> “We are facing a surge in roadway fatalities, particularly among vulnerable road users such as pedestrians. This proposed regulation aims to ensure that vehicles are created to safeguard those both inside and outside from severe injuries or fatalities.”
The proposed rule is focused on vehicles weighing under 10,000 pounds (4,536 kg), which encompasses the majority of passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks. This weight category also includes vehicles like the Hummer EV, which can be operated without a commercial driver’s license but present considerable risks to pedestrians.
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### International Standards: Lessons for the U.S.
The NHTSA’s initiative is informed by **Global Technical Regulation 9 (GTR 9)**, a collection of global guidelines intended to enhance pedestrian safety. Numerous countries have already adopted GTR 9, resulting in most passenger vehicles available in the U.S. complying with these pedestrian head impact standards. However, due to the unique nature of the U.S. market for large trucks and SUVs, substantial redesigns will likely be necessary for these vehicles to meet the new requirements.
Moreover, the proposed rule would bolster the **New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)** by introducing a legal foundation for new pedestrian crash evaluations that NHTSA intends to incorporate into the program. This would ensure that vehicles are not only evaluated for occupant safety but also for their effects on pedestrians.
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### Details of the New Standards
The new regulations would require vehicles to undergo two distinct types of crash tests designed to examine pedestrian impact. These assessments would employ impactors (or crash test heads) representing two body types: a six-year-old child and a 50th-percentile adult male. The evaluations would inspect various sections of the vehicle’s hood at specific speeds and angles of impact, simulating real-life situations where a vehicle moving at 40 km/h (25 mph) collides with a pedestrian.
This emphasis on real-world contexts is vital, as numerous pedestrian fatalities transpire in urban settings where vehicles generally operate at relatively lower speeds. Nonetheless, even at these speeds, the vehicle’s design can crucially affect the extent of injuries incurred by pedestrians.
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### The Impact of Vehicle Design on Pedestrian Safety
The modern design of vehicles, especially within the U.S., has progressed in ways that often prioritize driver and passenger safety over pedestrian protection. Larger vehicles such as SUVs and pickup trucks pose particular challenges due to their heightened hoods and increased mass. These characteristics hinder drivers’ visibility of pedestrians, particularly children, and elevate the chances that a collision will lead to serious harm or fatalities.
For instance, a taller hood means that a pedestrian hit by the vehicle is more likely to be struck in the chest or head rather than the legs, raising the potential for life-threatening injuries. Additionally, the considerable mass of larger vehicles implies that the impact force is substantial, further raising the likelihood of fatal outcomes.
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### Looking Ahead: A Safer Tomorrow for Pedestrians?
The NHTSA’s proposed regulation represents a crucial advancement in tackling the pedestrian safety crisis in the United States. By synchronizing American vehicle design standards with international regulations, the agency aspires to lower the incidence of pedestrian deaths and severe injuries. However, this initiative is merely one component of a broader solution.
