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Arlington, VA – New research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveals that the height of a vehicle, in addition to its speed, significantly influences its potential danger to pedestrians. This discovery underscores the heightened risks posed by taller vehicles, such as SUVs and pickups, which have become increasingly popular.
“Multiple factors—in this case, speed and vehicle height—converge to create negative outcomes on the road,” said David Harkey, president of the IIHS. The study involved an analysis of 202 crashes involving people aged 16 and older in various U.S. cities between 2015 and 2022.
The findings indicate that higher vehicle front ends increase the likelihood of both moderate and serious pedestrian injuries. At an average crash speed of 27 mph, a median-height car had a 60% chance of causing moderate injuries to a pedestrian and a 30% chance of causing serious injuries. However, for a median-height pickup, which has a front end 13 inches higher than a median car, the chances of causing moderate injuries rose to 83%, and serious injuries to 62%.
This aligns with earlier IIHS research that showed taller vehicles are more likely to cause fatal injuries when involved in pedestrian crashes. Taller vehicles tend to inflict more severe injuries higher on the body, such as to the head, torso, and hips.
“Taller vehicles may be more likely to be involved in certain pedestrian crash configurations than shorter ones, potentially due to limitations in driver visibility,” the authors noted. Obstructed sight lines for drivers of taller vehicles could increase the likelihood of collisions, especially when pedestrians are at the vehicle’s front corner, leading to more severe injuries.
The findings highlight the need for redesigning vehicles and roadways to reduce speed and improve pedestrian safety in congested areas. “It will take a combination of actions from different corners of the transportation world to improve pedestrian safety,” Harkey said.
For more information, read the full report: Monfort, Samuel S., and Becky C. Mueller, A modern injury risk curve for pedestrian injury in the United States: the combined effects of impact speed and vehicle front-end height, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
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