National boom of SUVs and pickups kills pedestrians.
Lead news: These larger vehicles are “significantly more likely than cars to hit pedestrians when cornering,” according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released Thursday.
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 6,516 pedestrians were killed in the US in 2020, the latest official figures for the entire year.
- This was the highest rate since 1989.
- And SUVs, minivans and pickup trucks now account for about 4 out of 5 new car sales.
Mark: It’s not just that there are more pickups and SUVs on the roads than ever before. Statistically, SUVs and pickup trucks are involved in a higher percentage of “certain types” of pedestrian crashes than their share of total vehicles, according to the IIHS.
- IIHS researchers have suggested that the column separating the driver’s side window and the windshield of SUVs and pickup trucks may prevent drivers from seeing pedestrians when turning, especially when turning left.
- “The size and shape of the A-pillar can sometimes obscure the visibility of where pedestrians are when they start crossing,” Jessica Cicchino, IIHS research vice president, research co-author, told Axios.
Big picture: The IIHS study adds to the growing body of evidence that SUVs and pickup trucks are a major contributor to the nation’s pedestrian safety crisis.
- Studies have already shown that SUVs and pickup trucks are more likely than cars to kill pedestrians in a collision.
On the other hand: Automakers say they are investing in technology to improve pedestrian safety, including automotive emergency braking (AEB) systems. But they are not expected to support any measures that would jeopardize sales of SUVs and pickup trucks, their most profitable vehicles.
Big Question: Will regulators take action?
- On Thursday, the NHTSA did not comment immediately.
- Under the Biden administration, the NHTSA revived the Obama administration’s efforts to include AEB pedestrians in the agency’s vehicle safety ratings.
- John Bozzella, CEO of the Automotive Innovation Alliance, which represents automakers in Washington, told a congressional committee in 2021 that the group supports the inclusion of AEB pedestrians in the safety rating system.
But but but: Walking AEB is useful, but doesn’t work as well as at night, according to the IIHS.
- And “darkness is where the most pedestrian deaths occur,” Cicchino says. “Therefore, we also want to continually improve the technologies available so that they can prevent the deadliest crashes involving pedestrians.”