NHTSA Policies Blamed For Rising Number Of Pedestrian Deaths From Large Trucks And SUVs

Pedestrians are dying on American roads in greater numbers every year, and government regulators aren’t doing enough to stop it, according to a new report on pedestrian safety from the Government Accountability Office. Its chilling title is “NHTSA Needs to Decide Whether to Include Pedestrian Safety Tests in Its New Car Assessment Program.”

We’ve been covering the rise in pedestrian deaths due to the increasing size of America’s fleet for a while now. In 2018, 6,283 pedestrians were killed; a 3.4 percent increase from the previous year. It’s also the highest that number has been since 1990. Cyclist fatalities have increased by 6.3 percent.

MDarringer - 4/29/2020 12:07:49 PM

+1 Boost

Here we go with more nanny state bullshit. If you're a pedestrian, get off your damned phone and pay attention. Just watch around you and you will see people who cannot walk anywhere without being focused on their phones. I say if someone is not being responsible and proactively paying attention and they get killed, they got the logical outcome of their actions. Karma is a bitch. We don't need more laws. We need people to be more responsible.

scenicbyway12 - 4/29/2020 1:24:28 PM

+1 Boost

100% Correct its phones.

jtz7 - 4/30/2020 11:09:21 PM

+1 Boost

Um no offense but if the pedestrian paid attention to the road instead of acting like the driver is always going to give them the right away, we wouldnt have that many number of deaths.

mini22 - 5/1/2020 8:44:05 PM

+1 Boost

People should get off cell phones while walking outdoors period. I think if you talk on one while walking you deserve to get a fine. The next thing that needs to happen is get rid of SUV's period. They are big and take up too much room on the road and in parking spaces. Bring back "the car". Next vehicles in general are too big. Make it a law that every vehicle needs to be downsized by 3% in all dimensions. We don't need to driving around in rolling houses!