WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (Askume) – U.S. regulators said on Monday they are proposing to require the redesign of some vehicles to reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries in future crashes involving pedestrians, as the number of such deaths rises.
NHTSA said the new rules are intended to reduce the number of pedestrian deaths caused by collisions with the hoods of vehicles, particularly pickup trucks and large SUVs that do not currently meet international pedestrian safety standards.
In 2022, pedestrian deaths in the United States increased by 0.7% to 7,522, the most since 1981, while the number of injuries increased by 11%. In 2022, the number of cyclists killed increased by 13% to 1,105, the highest level since at least 1980. NHTSA estimates that the new rule will reduce about 67 deaths per year.
Automakers must complete a new test that simulates a head-to-hood impact and reduces the risk of serious or fatal head injuries in collisions at speeds up to 25 mph (40 km/h).
The auto trade association, which represents General Motors Co (GM.N), Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) , Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) and others, did not immediately comment . The regulation will take effect at least two years from the date of publication of the final regulation.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it is starting to adopt global pedestrian safety technical rules. The agency first submitted its plan to adopt global rules to the White House for review in November.
NHTSA said that due to the widespread adoption of global regulations in other countries, most passenger vehicles sold in the United States using international platforms already include head protection designs.
NHTSA said, “This proposal would ensure that typical U.S. platforms, such as pickup trucks, provide the proposed levels of pedestrian head protection.”
The agency said in April that it was finalizing rules that would require automatic emergency braking systems on nearly all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the United States by September 2029. The rules require future vehicles to be equipped with automatic emergency braking systems designed to automatically stop a vehicle before a collision with a pedestrian or reduce its speed before a collision.
Automakers have asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reconsider the rule , saying it “would require more expensive systems that would not improve driver or pedestrian safety.”
