We’ve been highlighting the alarming rise in pedestrian fatalities over the past few weeks and the news is largely bleak. Fatalities are up year after year, and the factors contributing to these deaths aren’t going away any time soon. But there’s good news, too. 

Transportation is a big issue in the United States, and as cities, states, and the whole nation tries to reduce carbon emissions, offering safe alternatives to driving are more important than ever. The seemingly most safe, and most accessible option, has become a dangerous one. Study after study confirms that pedestrians are being killed by motorists at a staggering rate, with over 6,000 killed last year alone. Drivers and pedestrians alike are distracted, roadways are dangerous by design, and so many metropolitan area populations have simply outgrown their city’s transportation infrastructure. 

There is good news, and technology might be the answer. Recently, an insurance industry group tested 11 production vehicles outfitted with Automated Emergency Brake systems, or AEBs. These systems use digital sensors to scan for other vehicles, pedestrians, or any dangerous objects and automatically trigger the braking system. 

As pointed out, the group’s decision to test SUVs was telling. Midsize SUVs and crossover vehicles account for a majority of new car purchases in the United States. After the spike in oil prices in the previous decade, the 2010s saw cars and trucks get bigger and bigger, and those are some of the most common types of vehicles on the road to today. That comes with added risk; the group also found that the tall, blunt front end of these vehicles are more deadly than traditional sedans. 

The types of vehicles on the roads is just another contributing factor in the stagginer 46% rise in pedestrian fatalities between 2009 and 2017. Roadway design, offering realistic transportation options to slow the rise in traffic, and even regulating the size and shape of SUVs and other vehicles are all vital efforts that need to be adopted at every level of government and even within the automotive industry itself. As this AEB technology improves, it may even become considered a  mandatory safety component in all new cars, just as mandatory seat belts became just a part of daily life. 

When it comes to safety on the roads for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, there isn’t a single answer. It’s going to take a combination of efforts to stem the tide of fatalities and reclaim travel as a safe, accessible staple of American life.