Should SUVs Get a Pedestrian Warning Label?
Targeting large pickup trucks and SUVs, a New York bill proposes a safety rating system that would rank vehicles on the dangers they pose to pedestrians and cyclists.
Pedestrian fatalities are up in the U.S., and larger SUVs and pickup trucks have been blamed for the rising toll.
Photographer: Nicolaus Czarnecki/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images
A bill in the New York State senate would establish a statewide pedestrian and cyclist vehicle safety rating system — the first of its kind in the U.S.
Senate Bill S4307 would require the New York Department of Motor Vehicles to create a database rating the safety of every vehicle model sold in the state, using a one-to-five-star scale similar to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s existing 5-Star Safety Ratings program. But unlike NHTSA’s assessment, the New York program would rank vehicles based on the rate and severity of collisions and injuries reported involving bicyclists and pedestrians for each model, compared to the total number of registrations in the state. Special vehicle safety features such as automatic collision warnings and braking systems would also be included. Auto dealerships would have to display the ratings on cars for sale.