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SUVs are popular, but they may pose an increased risk for pedestrians on the road
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Drivers of larger vehicles like pick-up trucks and SUVs are more likely to collide with pedestrians when making turns than drivers of regular — and smaller — cars, according to a study published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the US.
The popularity of large off-road vehicles has been increasing for years.
It is well known that accidents involving these vehicles have serious consequences for passers-by.
"The association between these vehicle types and certain common pedestrian accidents suggests another way the proliferation of SUVs on the road could change the accident landscape," said Jessica Cicchino, an author of the study.
The A-pillars are wider - and restrict the view
It is conceivable that the design of the large vehicles contributes to the increased number of accidents: the so-called A-pillars, i.e. the pillars that support the roof at the front of the car, are wider than in conventional cars off-road vehicle drivers and made it difficult to see people near the corners of the vehicle.
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According to US government data, 6,519 pedestrians were killed on US roads in 2020.
That figure is 59 percent higher than the 2009 figure. Compared to 2019, the number is up 4 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
During the same period, sales of SUVs and pick-ups skyrocketed.
Compact SUVs now accounted for most of the US market.
The research team analyzed these federal accident statistics that resulted in fatalities for pedestrians, as well as the recorded accidents involving pedestrians that were reported to the police in the state of North Carolina from 2010 to 2018.
The study found that the larger vehicles were more likely than smaller cars to be involved in accidents involving pedestrians standing, walking or running along the side of the road and away from intersections.
When turning left, pickups collided with pedestrians 42 percent more often, and SUV drivers were 23 percent more likely than cars to hit pedestrians. The scientists found no significant difference in the probability of a right-turn accident between the various vehicle types fixed.
Outside of intersections, the likelihood of hitting a pedestrian on the road is 80 percent higher for pickups, 61 percent higher for SUVs, and 45 percent higher for minivans than cars.
The bonnets are higher
The A-pillars are designed to protect the occupants in the vehicle compartment if the car rolls over after a crash.
Because they have to withstand a higher weight in larger vehicles, they are wider than in smaller cars.
Traffic engineer Wen Hu, also a co-author of the study, suggested using stronger metals to construct the A-pillars rather than widening the pillars.
However, the A-pillars are not the only factor limiting visibility from the driver's seats and creating blind spots.
The consumer organization Consumer Reports found out last year that high bonnets also obstruct the driver's view of pedestrians crossing in front of the vehicle.
The hood height of pick-up trucks has increased by 11 percent since 2000, according to the organization.
vki/AP
