75% More Pedestrians Have Been Killed Since 2009. Giant Trucks and SUVs Are a Major Reason
www.thedrive.com
A new NYT analysis found that anyone shorter than 5-foot-6 — about half of American adults — would frequently be knocked to the ground in front of today's average vehicle.

Key Takeaways

  • Bigger cars, bigger danger. Pedestrian fatalities have surged 75% since 2009, linked to the rise of larger vehicles like SUVs and pickups.
  • Size matters in safety. Larger vehicle dimensions contribute to increased pedestrian deaths, with 200-400 lives potentially saved annually if cars hadn’t grown.
  • Regulations and repercussions. Changes in emissions and fuel economy rules inadvertently encouraged bigger cars, impacting pedestrian safety.
  • Physics of impact. Larger vehicles distribute force differently, but their height and mass increase the risk of deadly collisions.

Bottom line: The rise of larger vehicles has significantly increased pedestrian fatalities, highlighting the unintended consequences of regulatory changes and vehicle design trends.

  • evasive_chimpanzee@lemmy.worldEnglish
    11·
    2 days ago

    It’s actually pretty easy to tell that its the cars, not the phones. The fatality statistics all record the vehicle involved, so you can use the rates with smaller/older cars to adjust for any changes in infrastructure or phone usage.