The United States plans to introduce new pedestrian safety regulations, focusing on the vast SUV and pickup truck markets

Detroit, September 10, 2024. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the US government's road safety agency, said it hopes the automotive industry will consider pedestrian safety when designing new vehicles, especially increasingly large SUVs and pickups. On Monday, the agency proposed new rules for the first time, setting testing and performance requirements to reduce the risk of pedestrian head injuries.

This rule covers passenger vehicles weighing no more than 10,000 pounds and is mainly aimed at large SUVs and pickups with increasing size and hood height, which create blind spots for drivers. From 2013 to 2022, the number of pedestrian deaths increased by 57%. Data shows that nearly half of pedestrian deaths from being hit by the front of a vehicle often occur on SUVs and trucks. The proposed rule will set up a testing procedure and use a human-like head model to simulate head impacts with the hood and reduce the risk of head injuries.

The deputy administrator of the NHTSA said that facing a road death crisis, the situation for pedestrians is even worse. This rule will ensure that vehicle designs protect people inside and outside the vehicle. The large industry trade organization Alliance for Automotive Innovation pointed out that car companies have developed collision avoidance technologies and will review the proposal. The infrastructure bill requires the agency to align US regulations with global pedestrian safety rules.

Data shows that as of August, SUVs and trucks accounted for nearly 79% of new vehicle sales in the United States. A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety last year found that vehicles with high and vertical fronts increase the risk to pedestrians. Consumer Reports found in 2021 that raised hoods hinder drivers from seeing pedestrians. Since 2000, the hood height of pickups has increased, and the blind zone in front of some trucks is longer than that of cars and SUVs. Automakers and the public can comment on the proposal within 60 days. After that, the agency will draft the final regulations.