US seeks new pedestrian safety rules aimed at increasingly massive SUVs and pickup trucks

AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government’s road safety agency wants the auto industry to design new vehicles including SUVs and pickup trucks so they reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement Monday that it’s proposing a new rule setting performance requirements to minimize the risk of pedestrian head injuries. The rule is aimed largely at SUVs and pickup trucks, which have grown in size and hood height over the years, causing blind spots for drivers. The agency says the rule would save 67 lives per year. Data show that pedestrian deaths when hit by the front of a vehicle are most common for SUVs and trucks.