For years, vehicle manufacturers have focused on making cars safer for the people inside them. Unfortunately, recent research shows that many newer vehicles may be becoming more dangerous for everyone outside them.
A recent analysis performed by the New York Times in an article entitled “The Deadly Rise of Giant Trucks and SUVs” and reported by Car and Driver found that the increasing height of vehicle hoods and front ends has contributed to thousands of avoidable pedestrian deaths in the United States. Researchers estimated that between 2,624 and 3,077 pedestrian lives could have been saved between 2016 and 2024 if vehicle front-end designs had remained closer to those commonly seen in the early 2000s. The New York Times study found that every additional inch of hood height increased the risk of a fatal pedestrian crash by approximately 2.8%. (Car and Driver)
Other research has reached similar conclusions. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans with hood heights greater than 40 inches are approximately 45% more likely to cause pedestrian fatalities than lower-profile vehicles. (IIHS)
