Pedestrian accident deaths hit a record low in 2009. At the time, safety experts felt confident that attempts to protect pedestrians were working. Yet after that low, deaths began to climb again – and today, pedestrian death rates are at their highest rate in 40 years.
What’s happening? New research indicates that Americans’ trending preferences toward taller vehicles and vehicles with blunt front ends both increase the risk of death to pedestrians in a collision.
Pedestrian Death and Injuries are on the Rise
Since the 2009 low, pedestrian deaths on US roads have risen by eighty percent. Nearly 7,400 people died in 2021 after being hit by a vehicle. On average, twenty pedestrians a day die from their injuries after being hit by vehicles on US roads.
These numbers continue to rise even as the total number of pedestrians on US roads stays steady. In other words, the increase in deaths isn’t happening because more pedestrians are using the roads. Instead, the roads are becoming deadlier for pedestrians.
Faced with these changing statistics, researchers began looking into the circumstances of deadly pedestrian accidents. They discovered that the problem may lie in Americans’ choice of vehicles.
How Vehicle Styles Put Pedestrians at Risk
Since the late 1990s, US passenger vehicles have gotten larger and heavier. Today’s vehicles are about four inches wider, ten inches longer, eight inches taller, and a thousand pounds heavier, on average, than the cars, pickups, and SUVs we drove in the 1990s. Many vehicles are over 40 inches tall at the front edge of the hood, and some are nearly at eye level for adults.
These changes affect pedestrians in several ways. First, taller vehicles with higher hoods can make it tougher for drivers to see pedestrians in the road in front of them – especially if the pedestrians are children, smaller adults, or use devices like wheelchairs.
Second, taller vehicles are likelier to strike a pedestrian in a vital organ. The shorter vehicles of the 1990s were more likely to hit a pedestrian in the pelvis or legs. A pedestrian might suffer serious injuries to the legs, but they were likely to survive the crash, as their vital organs, spinal cord, and head were not struck.
When hood heights are 40 inches or taller, however, a vehicle can easily hit a pedestrian in the trunk of the body, spine, or head. Injuries to these areas risk causing death or catastrophic injuries like permanent paralysis.
The shape of a vehicle’s nose matters as well. Researchers found that when a vehicle has a flat front grill, pedestrians are more likely to suffer deadly injuries. Vehicles with tapered fronts, however, created less surface area to strike a pedestrian, increasing the chance the pedestrian would survive the crash.
Specifically, researchers found that when a hood was more than 40 inches tall and the grille sloped at 65 degrees or less, the vehicle was 45 percent more likely to cause a pedestrian death than if the hood height was 30 inches or less. A greater slope made the most difference among vehicles with hood heights between 30 and 40 inches.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident
As pedestrian accidents continue to cause serious injuries, it’s important to know what to do if you’re involved in a pedestrian crash or you witness an accident.
Safety first. Protect those in the immediate area. Do not move a critically injured pedestrian, but do use vehicle lights, brightly-colored objects, and other visible items to warn oncoming traffic about the crash. Move vehicles out of the way of traffic if possible.
Call 911. Emergency services can provide essential medical treatment, guide traffic, and collect evidence at the scene. Call 911 immediately if you witness a crash or are able to use a phone after experiencing a crash.
Gather information. An injured pedestrian may have little opportunity to gather information at the scene. If possible, take photos, draw a diagram, or jot down what you remember about the accident. Collecting contact information from those involved, if you can, may also help. Cooperate with law enforcement by providing your contact information and a factual account of what you saw, heard, or felt as the crash occurred.
Get medical attention. If you’re involved in a pedestrian accident, get medical attention immediately. Seeing a doctor can document your injuries and start you on a path to recovery.
Speak to an experienced lawyer. An experienced Arkansas pedestrian accident attorney can help you protect your legal rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.