The design of vehicles, including their size, shape, and technological features, profoundly affects the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users, according to Jessica Cicchino, senior vice president of research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
One critical finding from IIHS research is that SUVs, pickups, and light vans pose a greater risk to pedestrians and cyclists compared to sedans. The prevalence of SUVs on U.S. roads has increased from 24 per cent of registered vehicles in 2013 to 36 per cent in 2023, she wrote in a piece entitled, Designers must make vehicles safe for everyone — not just drivers and passengers
IIHS studies reveal that the height and bluntness of these vehicles’ front ends contribute to their danger. Vehicles with front ends over 40 inches high, as well as those with blunt fronts between 30 and 40 inches, are more likely to be involved in fatal pedestrian crashes than vehicles with shorter, more sloping fronts. Despite these findings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) proposed pedestrian protection testing program does not fully address the disproportionate role of larger vehicles in pedestrian fatalities, Cicchino wrote.
Another concern is poor visibility from larger vehicles, which may contribute to their higher involvement in pedestrian crashes at intersections. Features like the A-pillar or large side mirrors can obscure drivers’ views of crossing pedestrians. IIHS is investigating whether poor visibility is a significant factor in these turning crashes, she wrote.
However, not all trends in vehicle design are negative. Since 2019, IIHS has rated pedestrian crash avoidance systems, which alert drivers to pedestrians and automatically apply brakes if necessary. These systems have been shown to reduce pedestrian crash rates by 27 per cent, and even when they do not prevent crashes, they can lower injury severity by reducing impact speed, Cicchino wrote.
Such technology is becoming standard in more vehicles, and NHTSA has mandated it for new vehicles starting in 2029. Although crash prevention systems for cyclists are less common, they hold promise for future safety improvements.
Additionally, the quality of vehicle headlights has improved, with the percentage receiving a good rating from IIHS rising from 1 per cent in 2016 to 42 per cent in 2023. Vehicles with high-rated headlights have 23 per cent lower nighttime pedestrian crash rates compared to those with poor-rated headlights.
While vehicle design and technology are crucial for improving safety, Cicchino noted that they are not a complete solution. It can take decades for new safety features to become widespread.
“Moreover, even advanced technology will not prevent every crash, which means that safe infrastructure will always be needed,” she wrote. “Setting and enforcing safe speed limits, designing roads to require drivers to choose safe speeds, modifying intersections and crosswalks to increase pedestrian visibility and driver awareness, and increasing the separation between pedestrians and cyclists from motor vehicle traffic are needed now to fill that gap.”
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