Pedestrian deaths and SUVs: What You Need To Know

Pedestrian deaths are more likely to result from people being struck by SUVs than cars. In fact, pedestrians are 2 to 3 times more likely to suffer fatal injuries in accidents involving SUVs. Children are 8 times more likely to die from being hit by an SUV than by a car.

The tragic connection between pedestrian accident deaths involving SUVs crashes reveals a little known but deadly public safety risk. This also comes at a time when fatal pedestrian accidents in Michigan and in the U.S. have increased significantly over the past 5 years, based on the most up-to-date statistics that are publicly available.

Pedestrian accident statistics in Michigan show that the number of people killed resulting from car accidents in Michigan in 2023 were 22.8% percent higher than 5 years prior in 2019. (Michigan Traffic Crash Facts, 2023, 2019)

Similarly, in the U.S. in 2022, the number of pedestrians who lost their lives by being struck by a car was 18% higher than the number of pedestrians who lost their lives in 2018. (NHTSA)

SUVs are more likely to cause pedestrian deaths and severe personal injuries than passenger cars

SUVs, along with pickup trucks and passenger vans, “are 2–3 times more likely to kill a pedestrian in a crash compared with smaller cars.” (IIHS; Accident Analysis & Prevention)

Research also shows that a pedestrian’s “risk of death” is “3.4 times higher” if he or she struck by a “light truck vehicle” as compared to being struck by a passenger vehicle. (Injury Prevention Journal)

Tragically, “children are eight times more likely to die when struck by a SUV compared to those struck by a passenger car.” (Journal of Safety Research)

Additionally, “SUVs caused more serious injuries than cars when impacts occurred at greater than 19 miles per hour,” according to an IIHS study of Michigan crashes involving SUVs and pedestrians.

Similarly, research has found that “SUVs remain disproportionately likely to injure and kill pedestrians compared with cars, but these differences emerged primarily at crashes of intermediate speed.” (Traffic Injury Prevention Journal)

SUV involvement in fatal pedestrian accidents increased

The involvement of SUVs in crashes that result in pedestrian deaths is also increasing faster than fatalities involving cars, vans, pickups and medium/heavy trucks.

The 82% increase “in the number of SUVs involved in fatal single-vehicle pedestrian crashes” over an 8-year period “was larger than the increases in the number of cars, vans, pickups, or medium/heavy trucks involved in these crashes.” (Journal of Safety Research)

Risk of child pedestrian deaths involving SUVs

Research shows that children are 8 times more likely to be killed when they are struck by an SUV as compared to when they are struck by a passenger car. (Journal of Safety Research)

Fatal pedestrian accidents involving SUVs at intersections

At intersections, “the odds that a crash that killed a crossing pedestrian involved a left turn by the vehicle versus no turn were about twice as high for SUVs, nearly 3 times as high for vans and minivans and nearly 4 times as high for pickups as they were for cars. The odds that a crash that killed a crossing pedestrian involved a right turn by the vehicle were also 89 percent higher for pickups and 63 percent higher for SUVs than for cars.” (IIHS)

SUVs are 23% “more likely than cars to hit pedestrians when turning left” or right at an intersection. (IIHS)

SUVs and pedestrian death accidents involving people walking or running along the road

When a pedestrian suffered a death while walking or running along the road, the odds are 25% greater that the vehicle that caused the fatal accident was an SUV rather than a car. (IIHS) However, for overall crashes where pedestrians are struck while walking or running along the road, SUVs are “61 percent more likely than cars” to be the striking vehicle. (IIHS)

Taller vehicles pose greater danger to pedestrians

Research shows that SUV’s and other tall vehicles “with a hood height greater than 40 inches are about 45 percent more likely to cause fatalities in pedestrian crashes than cars and other vehicles with a hood height of 30 inches or less and a sloping profile . . .” (IIHS)

Taller vehicles are “more dangerous to pedestrians than the shorter ones, mainly because they tended to cause more severe head injuries.” (IIHS)

Speed increases danger of taller vehicles

Pedestrians’ risk of being injured by taller vehicles such as SUVs increases as the speed of the striking vehicles increase. “For example, as crash speed increases from 15 mph to 35 mph, the risk of a serious injury goes from 9% to 52% when a median-height car is involved. With a median pickup, the risk shoots up from 11% to 91%.” (IIHS)

Have you been injured in a pedestrian versus SUV accident? Michigan Auto Law can help

If a loved one suffered a death in a pedestrian versus SUV accident and you have questions about your legal rights to sue for pain and suffering compensation and to receive No-Fault benefits to pay for your medical bills and lost wages, call Michigan Auto Law now (855) 977-0883 for a free consultation with an experienced pedestrian accident attorney near you. There is no cost or obligation. You can also visit our contact page or use the chat feature on our website.

Michigan Auto Law is Michigan’s largest and most successful law firm that specializes exclusively in helping people who have been injured in auto accidents.

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Unlike other law firms, our auto accident attorneys are never too busy to promptly return phone calls and answer questions. 

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More importantly, this client-focused approach leads to better and faster settlements for our clients. Michigan Auto Law has recovered more million-dollar settlements and trial verdicts for motor vehicle accidents than any other lawyer or law firm in Michigan. We’ve also recovered the highest ever reported truck accident and car accident settlement in the state.

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