Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) introduced the Pedestrian Protection Act to address the spike in pedestrian fatalities due to the growth in the size of SUVs and pickup trucks by requiring the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop vehicle safety standards to protect pedestrians, bicyclists, and vulnerable road users. The act would implement standards for hazardous features such as vehicle height and hood and bumper design, as well as a minimum visibility standard to reduce blind spots.

Pedestrian deaths in car crashes have increased by 80 percent in the past 15 years. During that time, many popular vehicle models in the United States have become larger, taller, heavier, and have more rugged features. A growing body of research links SUVs and pickups with these design features to increased risk to pedestrians, especially children. Larger vehicles have limited visibility for drivers, leading to more crashes involving pedestrians, including bicyclists and children.

More and more studies show a link between SUVs and pickups
due to these design features and the increased risk to pedestrians, especially children.
Research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that these features are
are more likely to cause pedestrian deaths, and SUVs and large pickup trucks are more deadly than
cars.

A study published by researchers from the University of Illinois at Springfield found that children
are eight times more likely to die after being hit by an SUV than after being hit by a car.
The study also found that accidents involving SUVs and pickup trucks were more likely to result in
pedestrian fatalities compared to car accident victims.

Additional research shows that reducing the front height of a vehicle, even by just four inches,
could significantly reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities.
Further vehicle safety research has shown that larger vehicles require less driver attention
visibility, leading to more accidents involving pedestrians, including cyclists and children.

IIHS research has shown that larger SUVs and pickups are more likely to hit pedestrians when turning at intersections because of limited visibility. Modern SUVs and pickups have larger front blind spots, and many popular models have front blind spots that prevent drivers from seeing children crossing in front of the vehicle.

The Pedestrian Protection Act would require the National Road Safety Service
Administration (NHTSA) to:

• Developing vehicle safety standards to protect pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users,
  including standards for hazardous elements such as vehicle height and bonnet and bumper design.
  Implementation of a minimum visibility standard for motor vehicles to reduce blind spots associated with
  with accidents involving pedestrians.
• Provide consumers with more information about vehicle safety by updating new NHTSA guidelines
  The vehicle assessment program will include an assessment of driver visibility.

  The Pedestrian Protection Act is supported by the Car Safety Center and the Ombudsmen
  and Car Safety and Child and Car Safety.

“As cars and pickups get bigger and heavier, pedestrian fatalities are reaching record highs, and newer vehicles often prevent drivers from seeing their surroundings fully, including pedestrians, children and cyclists.” said Congresswoman Scanlon. “As larger, heavier and taller vehicles become more popular in the United States, we cannot ignore the growing body of research that links these vehicles to increased risks to pedestrians. I am proud to introduce the Pedestrian Protection Act to advance vehicle safety and visibility standards to address these hazards and design flaws and prioritize the safety of our children and families.”

The bill is supported by the Center for Auto Safety, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, and Kids and Car Safety. Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) is an original co-sponsor.

“With the significant increase in the popularity of larger and heavier vehicles over the past decade, preventing avoidable pedestrian tragedies has become a top priority for Kids and Car Safety.” said Amber Rollins, Director of Child and Auto Safety. “Pedestrians are at risk not only on public roads but also off them, which is often underestimated. Non-traffic pedestrian crashes cause at least 777 deaths and 17,505 injuries each year. The Pedestrian Protection Act is a key step toward addressing this growing problem. We express our gratitude to Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon for her dedication to protecting children, vulnerable road users and others.”

“America’s roads are now filled with massive cars and trucks that significantly increase the risk of death or injury to pedestrians, bicyclists and anyone on the road, both inside and outside of their vehicles. The Pedestrian Protection Act encourages automakers to improve visibility that prevents accidents involving pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, and to design vehicles that cause less damage when such tragedies occur.” said Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety.

“Crossing the street shouldn’t be a life-threatening act. Yet pedestrian fatalities have reached record highs, with nearly 9,000 fatalities in 2022. As passenger vehicles have grown in size and weight, so have the risks to other road users. We support the Pedestrian Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), to address safety inequities by establishing new safety standards, ensuring drivers can see and respond to all road users, and improving consumer information.” said Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

The full text of the bill can be found here.