A new proposed safety standard aimed at improving pedestrian safety for large vehicles such as SUVs and trucks could potentially save 67 lives a year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency’s data shows a 57% increase in pedestrian deaths from 2013 to 2022, with 70% of collisions occurring at speeds of up to 25 mph.
In Indianapolis, pedestrian safety advocate Eric Holt has documented a rise in pedestrian accidents, with August being the worst month in years. So far in 2024, there have been 489 pedestrian accidents with 27 deaths. Holt welcomes any measures to lower these numbers.
One suggestion in the federal proposal is to expand automatic emergency-braking technologies to help prevent collisions with pedestrians. The safety tests include head-to-hood simulations on crash dummies to minimize the impact on pedestrians.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which includes major automakers like Ford and Toyota, stated that safety is a top priority and that they have already introduced many crash avoidance technologies to improve road safety. They will review the federal proposal and provide input during the public comment period.
The safety proposal, which is over 200 pages long, is still in its early stages, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be accepting public comments for the next two months. Measures such as reducing blind spots for drivers and redesigning vehicles to be safer for pedestrians are being considered as part of the new safety standard.
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