Relevant vehicle front-end components for pedestrian laboratory testing to address real-world pedestrian injuries when struck by passenger vehicles with high hood heights

In the United States, pedestrian deaths account for 18% of roadway fatalities and have increased 78% since their lowest point in 2009. U.S. consumers are increasingly purchasing larger vehicles that are responsible for a disproportionate number of pedestrian injuries. This study examined a dataset of pedestrians struck by passenger vehicles in Michigan from 2015 to 2024 to identify the unique characteristics of the tallest vehicles, large SUVs and pickups, which are contributing to increased injury. Vehicle height was categorized as the hood leading edge (HLE) height compared with the estimated pedestrian hip and waist heights from anthropometric measures. Maximum abbreviated injury scale and injury sources by body region were tabulated for three vehicle height categories. Typical kinematic patterns were observed for each relative height category and the corresponding injury frequency and impact locations. For vehicles with high hood heights, head and torso injuries were commonly from the front of the vehicle —the grille, headlights, and HLE. In contrast, head injuries sustained when pedestrians were struck by medium-height and short vehicles were primarily from the vehicle hood and windshields. Even among the tallest vehicles where the bumper was much higher than the pedestrian’s knee, leg injuries from the vehicle bumper and valance were frequent, suggesting that evaluating these vehicle components is also necessary to address lower extremity injuries. This study identified the unique pedestrian impact locations associated with the tallest vehicles, which can help guide vehicle designers when considering impact attenuation strategies to reduce injury in crashes with pedestrians.