As Pedestrian Fatalities Continue to Rise, Americans Want Lifesaving Technology

A new nationally representative survey conducted by CR shows that two-thirds of Americans would support requiring pedestrian detection technology on all new vehicles

Keith Barry, Consumer Reports Senior Autos Reporter.

By Keith Barry
Senior Autos Reporter

Published March 1, 2023·Updated June 22, 2023

Multiple people walking across the street with cars stopped at a light in NYC

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans say they or a family member has been hit by a car or has had a close call as a pedestrian in the past year, and more than half say that pedestrians are more likely to be hit by cars today compared with five years ago, according to a new nationally representative survey of 2,088 U.S. adults conducted by Consumer Reports (PDF) in January 2023.

Those concerns reflect some worrying real-world road-safety trends. Pedestrian fatalities have been on the rise in the U.S., increasing by 77 percent since 2010 and reaching a 40-year high of 7,508 deaths in 2022, according to the latest available data from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA).

“The combination of these lived experiences and real-world statistics highlights the pressing need for action in this area,” says Julia Friedberg, senior policy analyst at CR. (Learn about CR’s car advocacy work.)

A vast majority of Americans also think that pedestrian detection technology can reduce the number of people hit or killed by vehicles, a sentiment that’s consistent among survey respondents regardless of their income, race or ethnicity, or region of the country where they live. “While pedestrian detection technology is just one piece of the puzzle, it is clear consumers expect more from the government and automakers in this area,” Friedberg says.

Nearly three-quarters say that they would prefer to have pedestrian detection technology in their next vehicle, and about two-thirds also say that they would support a policy requiring it in all new vehicles. A recent rulemaking from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) could make it happen: NHTSA’s proposal would require all new cars to feature automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, which can automatically brake to avoid a collision or lessen the severity of impact if it detects a pedestrian ahead.

Consumer Reports feels so strongly that this technology can improve safety that we award points in a vehicle’s Overall Score if it has AEB with pedestrian detection. CR now requires cars to have this technology in order to be eligible for our annual 10 Top Picks, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) now only awards a Top Safety Pick + designation to cars that excel in the group’s pedestrian detection testing.

Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at CR’s auto test center, says she’s optimistic that these efforts will lead to improvements in pedestrian safety. “Historically, when safety test requirements get more difficult, automakers do a good job rising to the challenge and making their vehicles perform better,” she says. “For instance, now that IIHS is testing for pedestrian detection at night, manufacturers will likely focus on making that technology work better.”

CR recommends that new- and used-car shoppers seek models equipped with this potentially lifesaving system. AEB is standard on all trims in about 83 percent of the new vehicles Consumer Reports rated for the 2022 model year. Of those vehicles, only about 2 percent don’t also include pedestrian detection systems.

Other survey findings include:

• 65 percent of Americans agree that pedestrian detection technology is inconvenient if it stops a vehicle when it shouldn’t.

• Two-thirds of Americans agree that they were worried that pedestrian detection technology would tempt drivers to take their eyes off the road while driving, and 55 percent agreed that they were concerned that drivers may be distracted by sounds and alerts from pedestrian detection technology.

• Younger Americans and those with an annual income of $30,000 or less are more likely to say they or someone in their family has been hit by or had a close call with a vehicle as a pedestrian than older Americans and those with higher incomes. “We know that pedestrian fatalities don’t affect the population equally and these responses reflect that,” Friedberg says.

Although technology can prevent some crashes, today’s AEB systems aren’t perfect, says Stockburger. “Studies conducted by the IIHS and the American Automobile Association [AAA] show that AEB can have trouble detecting pedestrians at night or in turns,” she says, “both situations where those on foot are most at risk.”

Concern over these limitations is reflected in the survey findings as well: 86 percent of Americans said that automakers should prioritize making pedestrian detection technology work better in the dark. According to the most recently available data from the Department of Transportation, 73 percent of crashes involving pedestrians take place between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Friedberg says technology is just one important piece of the puzzle when it comes to reducing pedestrian road deaths. “Heavier vehicles, speed limits that are too high, and roads and neighborhoods designed for vehicles rather than pedestrians and other vulnerable road users are also major challenges in improving pedestrian safety,” she says.

Keith Barry

Keith Barry has been an auto reporter at Consumer Reports since 2018. He focuses on safety, technology, and the environmental impact of cars. Previously, he led home and appliance coverage at Reviewed; reported on cars for USA Today, Wired, and Car & Driver; and wrote for other publications as well. Keith earned a master’s degree in public health from Tufts University. Follow him on BlueSky @itskeithbarry.bsky.social.