Oversized danger: pedestrian advocacy groups call for smaller trucks and SUVs
A coalition of 60 pedestrian and cycling safety advocacy groups is calling for government regulation and auto industry changes after data showed the dangers caused by large trucks and SUVs towards pedestrians.
“We have to take care of people who are vulnerable, road users on our streets and we're just not doing a good job on that,” said Lori Newton of Bike Windsor-Essex.
Representatives from the cycling shop on Walker Road are part of a coalition supporting new research dubbed: ‘Oversized Danger — the effect of front-end vehicle height on pedestrian death risk.’
According to data published in a recent report authored by the Coalition to Reduce Auto Size Hazards (C.R.A.S.H.), (HYPERLINK: https://windsorlawcities.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Oversized-Report.pdf ) about 50 per cent of adults and 80 per cent of children die when they're truck by pick-up trucks and large SUVs.
“They are so high that they hit a pedestrian right in their face,” said Newton, noting during a collision, smaller cars usually strike pedestrians in the waist, where they have a better chance for survival.
The coalition believes it’s time to regulate the industry to effectively lower vehicle heights and slope their front-ends, so drivers can see better and cause less traumatic impact during a collision.
“They're a danger to pedestrians, they are a danger to cyclists and they're a danger to people driving normal sized cars,” said Newton. “So that that would save hundreds of lives a year.”
The Centre for Cities hosted a webinar highlighting the research Wednesday.
Newton believes the government should create a policy which holds automakers accountable. She also believes municipalities can create cost-barriers and disincentives for drivers of larger vehicles, such as charging more for a parking spot.
“Let's go after the perpetrators of the violence on our streets, because we all, at some point, are pedestrians,” she said.
Newton and others are calling on the public to contact their member of parliament and use the research as a tool for policy change around vehicle sizes.
“I do think that there is a change in the air and I do think we have a very powerful group of people who will raise their voices against this and demand policy change,” Newton said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.