Proposed NHTSA Rule Takes Aim at Dangerously Large Trucks and SUVs

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing a new rule that would require automakers to take pedestrian safety into account when designing cars. According to an Associated Press article by Tom Krisher, the proposed rule would include all passenger vehicles under 10,000 pounds but is particularly targeted at large SUVs and pickup trucks, which have grown larger in recent years, with accompanying larger blind spots. 

Almost half of pedestrian deaths when hit by the front of a vehicle are caused by trucks or SUVs, according to agency data. The NHTSA says the rule could save at least 67 lives per year. The rule would set regulations for vehicle testing to simulate ‘head-to-hood impact’ and reduce the risk of head injuries.

The agency recently changed its policy to begin requiring testing with crash test dummies that simulate female bodies after decades of safety tests only using dummies based on male bodies. The proposed rule would require testing with female and child simulations.