Study on traffic safety reveals rising hood heights - potential threat to young pedestrians
Cruising the Streets with Giants: The Risqué Rise of SUVs in Europe
Europe's automotive landscape has a sneaky, towering tendency — the upward trajectory of car hoods. This trend, driven primarily by the booming popularity of SUVs, poses significant safety concerns, particularly for the younger and more vulnerable road users.
According to a study by Transport & Environment (T&E), the average hood height in Europe has surged by half a centimeter per year since 2010, hitting 83.4 centimeters in 2024. This spike, T&E cautions, makes it challenging for drivers to spot children and smaller individuals directly in front of their vehicles.
A Dangerous Dash to 85 Centimeters
Crashes involving vehicles with elevated hoods can spell trouble, particularly for pedestrians. The high fronts of SUVs and off-road vehicles often result in them striking adult pedestrians in the body's vital center, causing them to be thrown forward and run over. Statistics from Belgium illustrate this hazard, as an increase in hood height from 80 to 90 centimeters significantly heightens the risk of death in an accident involving a pedestrian or cyclist by more than 25%.
The Unstoppable SUV Boom
Behind this trend is the continuous boom in SUVs and off-road vehicles, which accounted for over 40% of all new car registrations in Germany in 2021. The growing popularity of these larger, heavier vehicles has resulted in an increase in their average hood height.
As of January 2022, there were approximately 6.6 million SUVs registered in Germany, marking a 10% increase compared to the previous year. This means that over 13% of all vehicles registered in Germany belong to this vehicle class. For off-road vehicles, the figure was 3.3 million units, comprising 6.6% of the total, putting together nearly one-fifth of the entire fleet.
Not So Fast: Insurers Issue Warnings
Despite the growing awareness of the safety challenges associated with high-fronted cars, insurers advise against hastily judging these vehicles as inherently unsafe. Acknowledging the risks, insurers argue that factors such as the accident situation, including the length, angle, and distance to the windshield, also play a crucial role in determining the severity of injuries. Moreover, speed continues to be a major factor, with careful driving trumping the impact of a vehicle's hood height.
There are no statistics on injuries related to hood height, but data from the Federal Statistical Office only shows which vehicle classes cause how many accidents with injuries or fatalities. In 2023, SUVs accounted for almost every tenth accident with personal injury, consistent with their share of the total stock of passenger cars. Despite the higher number of accidents involving off-road vehicles, their share was significantly lower than one would expect.
A Question of Balance
Maintaining a balance between vehicle safety, efficiency, and congestion is a delicate dance. As European regulators consider legislation to cap hood heights, the debate continues, with insurers advocating for a nuanced approach, taking into account all factors contributing to the risk of accidents and injuries. Time will tell if the call for safety regulations will ultimately result in a cap on hood heights, but for now, it's clear that heightened awareness of this issue is crucial in keeping our roads safer for all road users.
- The surge in the popularity of the automotive industry, particularly SUVs and off-road vehicles, has led to a rise in health-and-wellness concerns, as higher hood heights make it challenging for drivers to spot children and smaller individuals.
- Financial institutions, while acknowledging the risks associated with high-fronted cars, argue that a nuanced approach is needed, considering factors such as accident situation, speed, and vehicle class, to accurately assess the safety of these vehicles.
- In the health-and-wellness and transportation sectors, attempts are underway to address safety concerns through legislation and increased awareness, with European regulators considering a cap on hood heights for vehicles, aiming to balance vehicle safety, efficiency, and congestion.
