Car technology may not be as effective during certain times of day, report says
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Across the country, pedestrian deaths have risen 80% since 2009.
Many cars come with technology to help prevent pedestrian accidents.
At least 76 people have died on Clark County roads in 2022, and many victims were pedestrians hit and killed by cars.
The valley has a long history of these tragedies.
Car technology still has a ways to go to help keep everyone safe.
Many newer vehicles have automatic emergency braking.
Studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show these systems typically perform well in daylight.
However, that’s not the case when it gets dark.
Of the 23 vehicles tested at night, only four received a superior rating, according to David Harkey who is the president of The Insurance Institute for Highway Saftey (IIHS).
“The Ford Mustang Mach E, the Nissan Pathfinder, and then the Toyota Highlander, and the Toyota Camry. Those were the four vehicles that got our best rating,” he said.
He also said 15 other vehicles received an advanced or basic rating.
Four cars didn’t qualify for a rating because they failed to hit the brakes in a variety of scenarios.
Nationwide, more than 7,300 pedestrians were killed last year, three quarters died at night.
Harkey hopes automakers can quickly make improvements to pedestrian safety technology.
“They believe that they can do this with the existing technology, with some small tweaks to their systems,” he said.
While the cars tested struggled at night, the IIHS said most vehicles do perform well in daylight.
Gloss