Summary:
A recent study highlighted by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveals that driver blind spots are worsening in some of the most popular vehicles. This potentially makes it harder to spot pedestrians and cyclists. The study, led by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe Center, utilized a new method to measure visibility using a portable camera rig and software that creates detailed blind-zone maps. As a result, this innovation enables more precise and scalable research into how vehicle design impacts crash risk.
Specifically, the study examined 17 redesigns of six top-selling vehicles — Chevrolet Suburban, Ford F-150, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Toyota Camry — between 1997 and 2023. Findings showed that forward visibility within a 10-metre radius dropped by up to 58% in SUVs and 17% in trucks. Even cars experienced reduced visibility, though less drastically, with decreases under 8%. For example, visibility in the Honda CR-V declined from 68% in 1997 to 28% in 2022. In the Suburban, it fell from 56% to 28%. These reductions were largely due to taller hoods, larger mirrors, and thicker A-pillars obstructing the driver’s view.
Meanwhile, this trend coincides with a 37% increase in U.S. pedestrian deaths and a 42% rise in cyclist fatalities over the same period. The study suggests that poor visibility caused by modern vehicle design may be a contributing factor to these tragic increases. Furthermore, IIHS engineer Becky Mueller emphasized that the growing prevalence of SUVs may be compounding the problem, particularly due to their bulkier builds.
In addition, IIHS president David Harkey criticized the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for not doing enough to address road safety. He called for stronger regulations, including mandated safety tech like anti-lock brakes for motorcycles, impaired driving prevention systems, and more oversight of vehicle automation to reduce rising crash fatalities.
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