*Pedestrian deaths in the United States have climbed 75 percent since 2009, and a new analysis suggests the vehicles on American roads are a major reason why.
A joint investigation by The New York Times and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that trucks and SUVs have grown significantly larger, taller and heavier over the past two decades. Those changes have made collisions far more dangerous for people on foot. Taller hoods and wider front ends strike pedestrians higher on the body, increasing the chance of fatal injuries.
Researchers estimate that between 200 and 400 pedestrian deaths per year could have been avoided if vehicle sizes had stayed closer to what was on the road 25 years ago. They also linked taller front-end designs to roughly 3,000 pedestrian deaths between 2016 and 2024.
Federal policy played a role in the shift. Emissions and fuel economy rules introduced in the late 2000s gave automakers room to build larger trucks and SUVs while meeting different standards than smaller cars. The federal Cash for Clunkers program accelerated the change by pulling older, compact vehicles off the road. Many consumers replaced them with trucks and SUVs.
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Crash testing data helps explain the danger. Heavier vehicles produce greater force on impact. Taller fronts also push pedestrians forward rather than under the vehicle, often placing victims in the driver’s blind spot before additional harm occurs.
“We see a lot of devastating collisions even at lower speeds because the pedestrian gets punted forward,” said Shawn Harrington, whose company conducted testing for the analysis.
Researchers say the findings raise urgent questions for regulators, automakers and safety advocates as the trend shows no signs of reversing.
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