National pedestrian advocacy organization America Walks reminds people that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a new rule on vehicle safety standards and that there is an opportunity right now to weigh in on it.
The proposed standard calls for vehicle manufacturers to redesign vehicle hoods to be less deadly for pedestrians.
"But unfortunately, that’s it," writes America Walks. "There’s no standards to address other dangerous design flaws, like overly tall front ends and limited visibility from the driver’s seat."
The proposed rule would establish new testing procedures "simulating head-to-hood impacts" - because when people get their feet knocked out from under them, their head injuries are what kill them? That tracks.
After pointing out that there were 7,522 pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. in 2022, the NHTSA adds that it estimates its new rule would save 67 lives a year.
"If NHTSA is serious about making streets safe for everyone on them, it also needs to make additional requirements that tackle vehicle size, visibility, and speed and include them in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that govern the design of all vehicles," writes America Walks.
Your support is key to convincing NHTSA to take more meaningful steps. For sure vehicle manufacturers are weighing in. It's important that NHTSA also hear from the people who are endangered by unsafe vehicles.
America Walks urges people to call or email the NHTSA before November 9 and "tell them to finalize the new hood standard without delay - and move on to new rules that address dangerous vehicle size, visibility, and speed."
