The appetite for large passenger vehicles over the years has fueled a safety crisis for pedestrians on Chicago roadways. The increase in the number, size, and weight of SUVs and pickup trucks has contributed to the higher pedestrian fatality rates in recent years. Crash data shows that these vehicles are overrepresented in pedestrian deaths relative to their proportion of involvement in all accidents.
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If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian accident in Illinois, don’t hesitate to contact the Chicago pedestrian accident lawyers at Ankin Law by dialing 312-600-0000.
Why SUV and Pickup Truck Crashes Are More Dangerous for Pedestrians
Pickup trucks and SUVs are safer for their drivers and passengers. Unfortunately, they pose a greater risk for everyone outside them, including occupants of smaller vehicles and pedestrians. Any experienced car accident lawyer will tell you that pedestrians are more likely to suffer catastrophic injuries or die when struck by these larger vehicles than smaller passenger cars. But, what makes these vehicles so dangerous?
Greater Crash Impact
The weight and size of large vehicles have been trending upward, with the biggest ones in the market weighing around 7,000 pounds, the equivalent of three compact cars. Pickup trucks have added nearly 1,300 pounds on average since 1990. Generally, SUVs are 55% heavier, and pickup trucks are 51% heavier than the average vehicle. Larger, heavier vehicles are harder to stop. They exert more force than smaller vehicles traveling at the same speed when they hit a pedestrian, causing more severe injuries.
For example, there’s an 83% chance of a moderate injury and 62% chance of a severe injury if a median-height pickup traveling at 27 mph hits a pedestrian compared to a 60% and 30% chance of a moderate and severe injury, respectively, if a median-height car is involved.
Large vehicles intensify the impact of speed on injuries in pedestrian crashes. For example, when the crash speed rises from 15 mph to 35 mph, the risk of severe injury increases from 11% to 91% when a median-height pickup is involved, compared to 9% to 52% when a median-height car is involved.
Higher Point of Impact
The difference in point of impact between pedestrian accidents involving large vehicles and smaller ones plays a role in the severity of a pedestrian’s injuries. Smaller cars first strike pedestrians in the legs. They may also roll the pedestrians onto the hood.
Many popular SUVs and trucks have a higher front, making the point of impact higher up on the pedestrian’s body. These vehicles are likely to inflict injuries on a person’s torso, where many vital organs are found, rather than the leg. The larger vehicles are also likely to throw the victim forward or pull him or her underneath them, causing severe head injuries in addition to injuring the person’s vital organs.
Huge Blind Spots
Accidents in which drivers are oblivious to hitting a road user lead to greater injuries. Larger, heavier vehicles sit up higher than sedans and compact cars, creating larger blind spots for drivers. It’s harder for drivers to spot vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians, and, as a result, the drivers are more likely to hit them when passing through intersections or turning than car drivers. One study found pickup trucks and SUVs to be 42% and 23% more likely to hit pedestrians when making left turns, respectively.
Several design features in bigger vehicles affect the driver’s ability to see pedestrians, contributing to pickup and SUV pedestrian crash risks. High hoods on pickup trucks and SUVs make people in front of these vehicles less visible to drivers, especially if the pedestrians are children or short adults. This helps in understanding “Why are children at risk for pedestrian accident injuries and death?” Children are harder to see from a bigger vehicle’s driver’s seat and are more likely to be struck in the head, chest, and abdominal area.
Full-size SUVs and pickups have 27% and 28% taller hoods than cars, respectively. Hood heights have been increasing in recent years. Consumer Reports found pickup truck hood heights have risen 11% since 2000. A 2017 Ford F-250’s hood is as tall as the roofs of many smaller cars, at 55 inches above the ground.
Pickup trucks, vans, and SUVs have sturdy, wider A-pillars to support the roof according to federal roof-strength standards and protect occupants from collapses during rollover accidents. These big pillars can easily obstruct a driver’s view of a pedestrian.
Chicago Pedestrian Fatalities: A Rising Concern in Urban Traffic
There has been a rise in pedestrian fatalities in recent years in Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s preliminary 2024 data, there was an increase in pedestrian accident fatalities in Chicago, its suburbs, and across the state. Fatal pedestrian accidents in the state totaled 219, representing an increase of 9.5% from 2023. In six northeastern Illinois counties, there were 144 pedestrian crash fatalities, a 6.7% increase from 2023.
According to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), traffic fatalities have been on the rise since 2014. The organization has described Northern Illinois as experiencing a traffic safety crisis. IDOT’s recent Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Safety Assessment identified High-Injury Network (HIN) locations. These are locations where there’s an overrepresentation of pedestrian and bicycle crashes. Some listed locations in Chicago include Milwaukee Avenue, Pulaski Road, and 87th Street.
The rising pedestrian fatalities in Illinois and across the nation have coincided with an increase in large vehicles on roadways. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), SUVs accounted for 24% of registered vehicles in 2013. They rose to 36% in 2023. In 2009, vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks accounted for 47% of new vehicle sales in the country. In 2021, they made up 78% of new vehicles sold or leased in the country.
Many safety advocates and studies have established a link between an increase in pedestrian deaths and the growing popularity of trucks and SUVs. For example, IIHS researchers recently identified a possible connection between rising pedestrian deaths nationwide and the exploding popularity of larger vehicles. An analysis of fatal vehicle crashes from 2000 to 2019 suggested that urban areas with higher growth of bigger vehicles experienced greater pedestrian fatality rates. In 2023, almost half of the pedestrian fatalities in Chicago were caused by larger vehicles like SUVs.
The rising pedestrian deaths have resulted in increasing calls for vehicle design regulations and several steps being taken to try to address the issue. Some members of the Chicago City Council have considered several ways of dissuading residents from larger vehicles, such as through fees or taxes on the vehicles. A bill was filed in Illinois in February 2025 to make it mandatory for Departments of Transportation to perform a traffic study anytime a pedestrian is killed at a municipal or federal highway intersection.
How a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Help After a Crash
If you or a loved one was injured in a pedestrian accident, you may have the right to recover compensation. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may recover compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company, the insurer of the driver’s employer, the vehicle’s manufacturer, or other liable parties. But what if the driver who struck you fled the scene and can’t be located? Do uninsured motorist policies cover pedestrians who are injured in a hit-and-run? You’re not out of options, as you may be covered under your uninsured motorist policy.
A pedestrian accident lawyer will help you understand your legal options and guide you throughout the claims process. Your lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation of your accident and gather evidence, such as medical records, witness statements, camera footage, and accident reconstruction analysis, to demonstrate liability and support your claim.
The damages you may be entitled to include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earnings
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
A pedestrian accident attorney will help you calculate the full extent of your damages. Your attorney will ensure your pedestrian accident claim is filed within the applicable statute of limitations.
Insurance companies are notorious for utilizing various tactics to minimize or deny claims. A pedestrian accident lawyer will know how to handle insurance adjusters and communications with them to protect you from their tactics. Your lawyer will negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company on your behalf. If a fair settlement can’t be reached, your lawyer will take your case to court to ensure you receive the appropriate compensation for your injuries and losses. As a result, it’s crucial to work with a lawyer with courtroom experience.
At Ankin Law, our Illinois pedestrian accident lawyers have a proven track record of success in both settlement negotiations and the courtroom. Let us put our combined experience of more than 100 years to work for you in your case. Contact us today for a free consultation.
