The number of pedestrians killed in collisions with vehicles has been steadily increasing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports over 8,000 pedestrians were killed on U.S. roads in 2022. That's about one death every 64 minutes.
There were also an estimated 140,000 emergency department visits of pedestrians treated for non-fatal crash-related injuries in 2022.
New research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) points to a possible reason for the increase. There are more large SUVs and pickup trucks on American roadways. The IIHS study shows that the likelihood of serious injuries increases significantly with both the speed of the vehicle and its height, posing a greater threat to pedestrian safety in the United States compared to Europe.
IIHS researchers analyzed 202 pedestrian crashes involving individuals aged 16 and older, using data from accidents in Michigan, California, New Jersey, and Texas. They developed injury risk curves to illustrate how speed and vehicle height affect crash outcomes.
The findings indicate that even a small increase in speed can substantially elevate the danger to pedestrians, with taller vehicles exacerbating this risk.
Intensifies the impact
David Harkey, IIHS President, pointed out that the American preference for tall SUVs and pickups intensifies the impact of speed on pedestrian injuries. The study suggests that the standard 25 mph speed limit in U.S. residential areas may be too high for densely populated urban centers, where pedestrian traffic is heavy.
The research focused on the height of the vehicle's front end, as it determines the point of impact on a pedestrian's body, a crucial factor in injury severity. The study found that at 20 mph, pedestrians had a 46% chance of sustaining moderate injuries and an 18% chance of serious injuries.
These risks increased dramatically at higher speeds, with a 35 mph impact resulting in an 86% chance of moderate injuries and a 67% chance of serious injuries. Fatalities also rose sharply with speed, from a 1% risk at 20 mph to over 80% at 50 mph.
The height factor
Taller vehicles were found to significantly increase the likelihood of both moderate and serious injuries. At the average crash speed of 27 mph, a median-height car had a 60% chance of causing moderate injuries, while a median-height pickup had an 83% chance.
The study also compared U.S. data with European crash data, finding that American pedestrians are more likely to be injured at all speeds, likely due to the larger size of vehicles in the U.S.
IIHS Senior Statistician Sam Monfort emphasized the real-world consequences of vehicle choices on pedestrian safety, noting that the U.S. vehicle fleet is predominantly composed of SUVs and pickups, unlike Europe's car-dominated fleet. The study calls for a reevaluation of speed limits and vehicle design to enhance pedestrian safety.