Crackdown on big utes and SUVs coming as Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500 catch attention of United States safety bodies 

Ever bigger pick-up trucks and SUVs have caught the attention of the United States’ peak safety body, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

It comes after pedestrian road fatalities increased by an alarming 57 per cent between 2013 and 2022. While NHTSA stops short of naming names, it does address ‘multipurpose passenger vehicles’ — defined as pick-ups, SUVs and vans under 4.5 tonnes — as a major factor.

Unlike Europe and Australia’s new car safety assessment programs, the United States does not have strict requirements for pedestrian impact protection — the NHTSA is proposing a change. 

Pedestrian safety tests have been conducted by Euro NCAP since 1997, with pedestrian auto emergency braking and threshold of protection both mandatory to receive a maximum five-star rating in current Euro NCAP and ANCAP protocols.

Euro NCAP and ANCAP also include car-to-car compatibility in safety testing, deducting points from safety ratings if the tested vehicles deal out too much damage to a dummy-rig that simulates an average car. 

The NHTSA’s 238-page document outlines (in excruciating detail) the reasons for rolling out the new standard, as well as guidelines for manufacturers suggesting how to meet requirements. 

2024 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series GR Sport

The proposed test is very similar to the European and Australian standards with two pedestrians, one modelled on a six year-old child and another of a 50th percentile adult male, used to evaluate safety protection. 

Much of the proposal is about bonnet design and how a vehicle’s bodywork may cushion the impact of a pedestrian's head from the engine and other hardpoints, though there's little mention of tall, vertical grille designs common across the large pick-up segment. 

The NHTSA also notes that ‘multipurpose passenger vehicles’ are more commonly involved in this type of incident, with a rate of 49 per cent compared to 37 per cent for passenger cars in 2022. 

2024 Ford F-150

“We have a crisis of roadway deaths, and it’s even worse among vulnerable road users like pedestrians,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman.

“This proposed rule will ensure that vehicles will be designed to protect those inside and outside from serious injury or death. We will continue to work to make our roads safer for everyone and help protect vulnerable road users,” Shulman added. 

The new rule has the potential to save 67 lives each years, according to NHTSA estimates. It would also benefit other markets, including Australia, which has shown a growing appetite for American-sized pick-up trucks and SUVs in recent years. 

2024 Ford F-150

With Ford F-150s, Ram 1500s and Chevrolet Silverados all being converted to right-hand-drive locally for our market, ANCAP previously expressed an interest in conducting a safety campaign around these vehicles. 

Rather than full star rating evaluation, the large pick-up tests are more likely to follow the safety body’s commercial van template with ‘Bronze’, ‘Silver’ or ‘Gold’ ratings based on performance, rather than stars out of five. 

CarsGuide has contacted ANCAP to hear about the latest developments in this program and will provide more information when it is available.