This article was written by Paul A. Eisenstein for TheDetroitBureau.com
DETROIT, MI (03.18.22) – If you’re planning to cross an intersection you should be extra careful if a pickup or SUV is about to make a turn, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Drivers of big vehicles are more likely to hit pedestrians than those behind the wheel of a sedan or coupe, the new study found. With pickups and SUVs taking to the road in ever-increasing numbers, this may help explain why there has been a steady increase in pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
“The link between these vehicle types and certain common pedestrian crashes points to another way that the increase in SUVs on the roads might be changing the crash picture,” said Jessica Cicchino, the IIHS vice president who authored the new study.
Pedestrian fatalities on the rise
The number of pedestrians killed in motor vehicle incidents has risen by more than half during the past decade. Data released by the Governors Highway Association shows 6,700 fatalities in 2020, a 5% increase despite the sharp drop in traffic due to the COVID pandemic. Adjusted for vehicle miles traveled, pedestrian fatalities rose 21 percent.
Final figures for 2021 have yet to be released but preliminary numbers suggest there was another increase.
The recent spike appears linked to a noticeable increase in vehicle speeds during the pandemic, but that’s not the only factor, the new IIHS study would demonstrate, as it focuses on pedestrian fatalities that occurred when vehicles were turning at intersections.
Turning the corner
The IIHS looked at both federal crash data and North Carolina police reports. According to the Associated Press, “pickups were 42% more likely than cars to hit pedestrians while making left turns. SUVs were 23% more likely to hit people than cars. There was no significant difference in the odds of a right turn crash for the different types of vehicles, the study showed.”
But there was a disproportionate rise in vehicle/pedestrian crashes outside of intersections, as well. Pickups showed the biggest gap, IIHS reporting they were 80% more likely to strike a pedestrian than a passenger vehicle. SUVs were 61% more likely, while minivans had a 45% increase compared to passenger cars.
The question is why? The new study cites prior research pointing to the large blind spots created by vehicle A-pillars. Federal rollover and roof crush standards have been updated over the past few decades to make it more likely passengers will survive such crashes. But that has resulted in larger pillars, particularly those framing the windshield.
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