National Crash Testing Standards Could Start Including Pedestrian Safety

The NHTSA is proposing new guidance that would, after years of demands from safety advocates, include pedestrian safety assessments in crash test requirements.

1 minute read

May 24, 2023, 10:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Child-sized pedestrian crash test dummy in front of car being tested

shootingtheworld / Pedestrian crash test dummy

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing an update to crash testing standards that would finally take pedestrian safety into account, reports Colin Woodard in Jalopnik. This would be a major step forward for an agency that, until now, only conducted tests to assess the safety of people inside vehicles.

Woodard writes that “In addition to testing how well vehicles protect pedestrians, the NHTSA’s proposal also includes a plan to set safety standards for automatic emergency braking, which includes pedestrian detection.”

For Woodard and many traffic safety advocates who have expressed concern about increasingly large trucks and SUVs that put pedestrians at higher risk, the actions are long overdue. “Hopefully, adding pedestrian safety tests will not only lead to safer cars but also add a stigma to driving oversized behemoths that are hard to see out of and are a danger to everyone.”

Woodard encourages readers to submit their comments to the NHTSA, which is receiving public comment on the issue for the next two months.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 in Jalopnik

portrait of professional woman

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 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 Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Adult holding hands of two children, all wearing winter coats, in crosswalk in New York City during holidays with trees decorated with lights in background.

Pedestrian Deaths Drop, Remain Twice as High as in 2009

Fatalities declined by 4 percent in 2024, but the U.S. is still nowhere close to ‘Vision Zero.’

30 minutes ago - Streetsblog USA

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine