Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Vehicle Design

Are Blinding SUV Headlights Making US Roads Less Safe?

By Kea Wilson | Mar 8, 2023 | No Comments

Blindspots the size of a pre-school classroom. Hulking curb weights. Tall, aggressive hoods that can easily strike a fully-grown adult at the level of the neck. Those are just a few of the design features common on American SUVs and pick-up trucks that experts suspect are driving the U.S. roadway death crisis.

Japan’s ‘Old Enough!’ Sparks Questions About Car-Dependent US Childhoods

By Kea Wilson | Apr 19, 2022 | No Comments

A long-running Japanese TV show challenges young children to navigate their cities without adult supervision, making us wonder why American cities are so comparatively hostile to kids.

Study: Megacar Drivers Up to 4x More Likely to Hit Walkers While Turning

By Kea Wilson | Mar 17, 2022 | No Comments

And researchers think it's because federal regulators aren't scrutinizing the common design features that make it impossible for megacar drivers to see walkers passing right in front of them.

Op-Ed: We’re Using The Wrong Tools To Educate Drivers About Vehicle Automation

By Phil Koopman | Dec 20, 2021 | No Comments

A recent J.D. Power study claimed that drivers had trouble differentiating between a “fully automated self driving vehicle” and advanced driver assistance technology. The only problem is that "self-driving vehicles" don't exist – and the terminology we most often use to talk about automated vehicle features is confusing to say the least. An AV expert weighs in on what to do about it.

Crash test dummies usually stand in for drivers and car passengers during safety trials — and are rarely used to test how safe vehicles are for pedestrians *outside* cars. Could a new audit help change that? Source: Peterson Airforce Base via Creative Commons.

Watchdog to Audit Flawed U.S. Motor Vehicle Safety Program

By Kea Wilson | Aug 20, 2020 | No Comments

Our rising pedestrian death toll isn't what prompted the investigation — but could it inadvertently help end it?