Higher car bonnets putting pedestrians at risk
Higher car bonnets are a threat to road safety, with tests finding that drivers of certain SUVs can’t see children as old as nine right in front of their cars.
Research carried out by Transport and Environment has found that the bonnet height of new cars in Europe is increasing by an average of half a centimetre a year, driven by the growth in SUV sales.
It found that new car bonnets were 83.8 cm high on average in 2024, up from 76.9 cm in 2010.
The coincides with the steady increase of SUV sales from 12% of the European market in 2010 to 56% last year.
Meanwhile, tests conducted for the T&E found that drivers in the highest fronted vehicles could not see children as old as nine standing in front of the car. High-fronted cars typically strike pedestrians above the centre of gravity, meaning they are more likely to be knocked under the car rather than to the side.
Another study, based on crashes involving 300,000 road users, found that rising the bonnet height from 80cm to 90cm could increase the risk of death by 20% for pedestrians and cyclists.
James Nix, vehicles policy manager at T&E, said:
“Higher bonnets are a danger to pedestrians, cyclists and people in regular cars. It’s impossible to see children standing in front of some of the highest fronts. The growing trend towards SUVs means this problem will only get worse unless we set limits.”
