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SUVs and pickup trucks are 2-3 times more lethal to pedestrians

A new study finds vehicle height plays a role in pedestrian deaths

 IIHS study finds 2-3 times more pedestrians killed in crashes involving tall SUVs and pickup trucks
  • The IIHS says vehicle height plays an important role in pedestrian safety.
  • At the same time, it acknowledges consumer preference for higher-priced vehicles.
  • The solution could include lowering speed limits in residential areas.

Road safety is a topic that countless people pay attention to every day. At the same time, there is no blanket set of rules that can be applied effectively worldwide. Cars, laws and roads are different in every country. A new IIHS study shows Americans face greater challenges than some other countries. In fact, this applies both literally and figuratively.

Accidents involving pedestrians are the focus of the new study. We’ve known for decades that there’s a link between speed and the dangers pedestrians face. Now, the IIHS has evidence that vehicle height also plays a huge role in pedestrian safety.

Read: Most drivers say they welcome anti-speeding technology, are you one of them?

The agency reviewed 202 crashes between 2015 and 2022. As with previous research, it found that pedestrians were at greater risk if the vehicle was traveling at higher speeds, regardless of vehicle height.

A person hit by a car traveling at 20 miles per hour has a 46% chance of sustaining moderate injuries. At 35 mph, that potential jumps to 86 percent. The chart below shows the likelihood of injury based on speed alone.

 IIHS study finds 2-3 times more pedestrians killed in crashes involving tall SUVs and pickup trucks

What’s new in this study is how much vehicle height affects safety. Below are direct quotes from the institute about the situation.

“In general, a taller vehicle front increases the likelihood of moderate and serious injuries to pedestrians. At 27 mph (the average speed across all 202 accidents), a moderately tall car had a 60% chance of being injured. Pedestrians had a 30% chance of causing moderate injuries and a 30% chance of causing serious injuries. A mid-height pickup truck (the front end is 13 inches taller than an average car) had an 83% chance of causing moderate injuries and serious injuries. The probability is 62%.

In other words, taller vehicles double the risk of serious injury to pedestrians, on average. “Small increases in crash speeds do increase the danger to pedestrians,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “In the United States, our fondness for tall SUVs and pickup trucks exacerbates this effect.”

 IIHS study finds 2-3 times more pedestrians killed in crashes involving tall SUVs and pickup trucks

Remarkably, the study directly addresses the fact that Americans are essentially doing this to themselves.

“U.S. consumers are increasingly choosing vehicles with characteristics associated with more severe pedestrian injuries. SUVs and pickup trucks cause a disproportionate number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities. It is estimated that these vehicles kill more people in collisions than small cars. Pedestrians are 2-3 times more likely to be killed than small cars (Lefler & Gabler, 2004; Roudsari et al., 2004).

“This study vividly illustrates how multiple factors, in this case speed and vehicle height, can come together to produce negative outcomes on the road,” Harkey said. “Similarly, different corners of the transportation world are also “Joint action will be taken to improve pedestrian safety.”

What are these actions? The study recommends lowering the speed limit in residential areas to 15 mph. At this speed, the chance of serious injury is only 10%. The risk of death is theoretically zero. Adding traffic calming infrastructure can also have the effect of slowing down cars.

 IIHS study finds 2-3 times more pedestrians killed in crashes involving tall SUVs and pickup trucks

At this point, there appear to be multiple forces pulling in very different directions. Many Americans want large, powerful, fast vehicles. They certainly don’t want these vehicles to be traveling at 15 mph or less. This raises the question: Should we prioritize pedestrian safety over the freedom to drive giant vehicles at dangerous speeds?

Image source: IIHS

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