Pedestrian Safety
U.S. pedestrian death rate keeps climbing, worst in decades
More distractions, walkers, SUVs — 'The alarm bells continue to sound'
Watch the BMW X1 clobber test dummies in IIHS pedestrian safety test
Out of 11 crossovers tested, one model flunked every simulation.
Jaguar I-Pace EV has a new pedestrian warning sound: Listen to it here
They tried a UFO sound, which had an unintended consequence.
Hit-and-run crash deaths hit record high in 2016, AAA finds
A new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds that hit-and-run crashes killed 2,049 people in the U.S. in 2016, a record high and a 60 percent increase since 2009. Unsurprisingly, most of the victims — nearly 65 percent — were pedestrians or bicyclists.
Motorcycle cop tickets a self-driving car in San Francisco
Now here's a genuine novelty: In San Francisco, a motorcycle cop pulled over an autonomous vehicle and issued it a ticket. The future has arrived.
Patent shows GM working on external airbags for protecting pedestrians
It'd be located behind a "discrete door" just underneath the hood and forward of the door jam.
Pokemon Go led to hundreds of traffic deaths, study suggests
The spike in car crashes went away when the Pokemon craze faded.
Waymo patents car that softens if it hits a pedestrian
When sensing it's about to hit a pedestrian, the car would change the rigidity of its body panels, bumpers and the hood using underlying cables, rods or springs.
NHTSA thinks quiet hybrids and electric cars are a bad thing
You'll finally be able to hear hybrids and electric cars coming.
This self-driving car smiles at pedestrians
Semcon's Smiling Car lets pedestrians know it sees them, and that it's safe to cross the street.
US will release final 'quiet car' rules in November
In a move to maker pedestrians safer, NHTSA finally intends to release its rules governing the sound from EVs and hybrids in November. They don't go into effect until 2018, though.
Volvo XC60 safety demonstration goes awry
A Volvo salesperson recently attempted to demonstrate the XC60 City Safety system to a group of prospective car buyers. What the dealer didn't understand was the safety system, which helps avoid or mitigate collisions, doesn't detect pedestrians.
Pedestrian roadway deaths flat in 2014, progress slow
The Governors Highway Safety Association has released an analysis of preliminary pedestrian fatality traffic data for the first six months of 2014. The study indicates deaths for the year are likely be be about the same as 2013, indicating slow progress with pedestrian safety efforts.
American Horror Story star's death spotlights pedestrian crashes
Ben Woolf, a star of American Horror Story: Freak Show, died this week in Los Angeles after being struck by an SUV. His death highlighted efforts by regulators and automakers to ramp up pedestrian safety efforts, though fatalities remain high.
Noise rules for EVs to help blind pedestrians pushed back to 2018
The NHTSA delays the final ruling of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, meaning it won't come into compliance until 2018. The move has upset the National Federation for the Blind, which has been lobbying for more than a decade for built-in automated alerts for EVs and hybrids moving at low speeds.
New York City's lowered speed limit cited as pedestrian deaths decline to record lows
Recently elected New York City mayor Bill de Blasio inaugurated his "Vision Zero" plan last year to reduce traffic deaths in The Big Apple to zero by 2024. The numbers for 2014 show the initiative is headed in the right direction: pedestrian deaths dropped to an all-time low of 132, down from 179 in 2013.
Orlando Named The Most Dangerous City In America For Pedestrians
A new report ranked the most dangerous cities in America for pedestrians, and things are not looking too bright in the Sunshine State.
Pedestrian Deaths Drop For First Time In Four Years
For the first time in four years, the number of pedestrians killed on American roads has fallen.