SUVs Kill Pedestrians—and They Have for a Long Time

While much focus is on the future of autonomous vehicles, the increase in pedestrian deaths related to SUVs remains a largely ignored issue.

2 minute read

July 15, 2019, 5:00 AM PDT

By Camille Fink


Sports Utility Vehicle

Lissandra Melo / Shutterstock

Recent debates about self-driving vehicles and public safety have overshadowed the long-standing issue of SUVs, writes Henry Grabar. The overall number of traffic fatalities decreased in 2018, but pedestrian and cyclist deaths are on the rise. More SUVs are on the road, and that is part of the problem, says Grabar:

In February, the Governors Highway Safety Association estimated that more than 6,200 pedestrians died in 2018—the highest number in a generation, and an increase of 50 percent from 2009. The GHSA says SUVs are partially responsible: Their involvement in fatal crashes is up 50 percent, compared with 30 percent for sedans.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has known for years that the weight, higher bumpers, and limited visibility of SUVs mean pedestrians are more likely to be killed when struck by the vehicles. "The regulators did nothing. If another product saw its nonuser death count spike by 50 percent in 10 years, consumers would revolt and Congress would make a big show of getting to the bottom of it. Automobiles are different," argues Grabar.

Regulation in Europe—where SUV sales are up, but pedestrian deaths decreased by over a third between 2007 and 2016— could provide some clues for the U.S., notes Grabar. Safety assessments of European vehicles include a "vulnerable road users" criterion. "In America, by contrast, NHTSA ratings have three primary categories: frontal crash, side crash, and rollover. What happens to the people you hit? Who knows."

Friday, July 5, 2019 in Slate

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

1 hour ago - Zachary Whalen

Overlapping highways

The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin

People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.

September 8, 2026 - Benjamin Schneider

The Hoover Dam blocking the Colorado River. The river's water level is noticeably low. The cliffs surrounding the blue water are brown and jagged.

US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico

A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.

September 11, 2026 - The Arizona Republic

One side of the image shows a Chicago bus stop without a bench, the second image shows the bus stop with a yellow and blue bench.

Guerilla urbanists are building DIY bus stop benches in Chicago

A before-and-after of one of the bus stops with a new bench. The new benches are not officially sanctioned or permitted, but the residents who placed them hope they will be the start of a network of DIY benches across the city.

15 minutes ago - Block Club Chicago

NYC Mayor Zohran Mandami speaks behind a blue podium.

Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals

The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.

1 hour ago - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

A New Jersey train approaches people waiting at the station.

Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds

A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.

September 15 - Mass Transit

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.