AARP Pushes for Improved Auto Safety to Protect Pedestrians

Older pedestrians are more likely to die in traffic crashes

Susan Milligan,

AARP

Comments

Published November 26, 2024

pedestrians cross the street in front of a vehicle

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Pedestrian deaths from traffic crashes are on the rise and AARP is advocating for improved auto safety features to protect those traveling on foot.

Overall, motor vehicle deaths are dropping, but pedestrian deaths from auto accidents reached a 41-year high in 2022, the latest data available.

New federal rules proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would make vehicles safer for drivers and for those walking along the street. The NHTSA proposal would establish a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, requiring new passenger vehicles to be designed to reduce the risk of serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians.

AARP supports those proposals but is urging NHTSA to go further. In a Nov. 18 letter to the federal agency, we called attention to the risks to pedestrians, especially older adults who are more at risk of serious injury and death.

"Walking is a component of nearly every trip taken, whether it is the only mode of travel or part of a multimodal trip," David Certner, legislative counsel and legislative policy director at AARP, wrote to the NHTSA in public comments on the new rules. "Incorporating pedestrian safety needs into vehicle design is a critical step toward increasing safety for everyone, including older adults, who are most acutely at risk as pedestrians."

Older adults face higher risk

Adults 65 and older made up nearly a fifth of all pedestrian fatalities in 2022, Certner noted, and are more likely than younger people to die in crashes due to increased frailty. Further, the share of traffic deaths has shifted more toward those outside the vehicle, NHTSA reports, with pedestrian deaths going from 10 percent of traffic deaths in 1996 to a high of 36 percent in 2022.

Learn How AARP Is Fighting for You

AARP is your fierce defender on the issues that matter to people 50-plus. Read more about how we’re fighting for you every day in Congress and across the country.

The proposed standard would establish test procedures simulating a head-to-hood impact. Testers would need to include human-like models of heads, or headforms, to measure the impact, and make sure they are using headforms that represent a diverse range of pedestrians, from a small child to an adult. The rule would also establish performance requirements to minimize the risk of head injuries.

NHTSA estimates the new standard, if adopted, would save 67 lives a year.

Most Popular

“We have a crisis of roadway deaths, and it’s even worse among vulnerable road users like pedestrians," Sophie Shulman, NHTSA's deputy administrator, said in a statement. She noted that between 2013 and 2022, pedestrian fatalities increased 57 percent from 4,779 to 7,522. “This proposed rule will ensure that vehicles will be designed to protect those inside and outside from serious injury or death."

While AARP supports the proposed rule, it can be strengthened. More attention, for example, should be paid to the impact of SUVs, Certner wrote.

Overall traffic deaths dropped from 2021 to 2022 by 1.7 percent, but deaths from SUV crashes (including occupants of the vehicle as well as pedestrians) went up by 1.6 percent during that time, NHTSA reported earlier this year.

The proposed new safety rule was developed primarily in the context of smaller vehicles but should be expanded to take into account the specific parameters of SUVs, which are heavier, have higher front-end configurations and provide less visibility for the driver, Certner said. He recommended testing an SUV’s grille and leading edge of the hood, instead of just the hood of the vehicle.

Join Our Fight to Create Age-Friendly Communities

Sign up to become an AARP activist on safe and accessible transportation and other issues important to people 50 and older.

AARP promotes livable communities for people of all ages. That includes encouraging safe, walkable streets and varied transportation options.

"There is no single solution to addressing the safety crisis on our roadways; a multi-pronged approach is needed," Certner said. "Road elements such as sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, speed reduction, and other features that accommodate all modes of travel can significantly reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries and create more livable communities where older adults can age in place."

For more information, read our full letter to NHTSA. Get more information about walkability and traffic in your community or others using the AARP Livability Index, or take AARP’s Smart Driver Course to master techniques that help drivers stay safe on the road.

%{postComment}%

Susan Milligan is a contributing writer who has covered domestic policy, elections and foreign affairs for 40 years. She is a former foreign correspondent and White House correspondent for the Boston Globe. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including the NewYork Daily News, AARP Bulletin, US News & World Report and PRINT magazine.