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As cars and trucks get bigger and taller, lawmakers look to protect pedestrians

Cars and trucks have gotten bigger and taller, with deadly consequences for pedestrians. A bill being introduced today in Congress would create federal standards for hood height and visibility.

RUCKERSVILLE, Va. — In a cavernous white room full of bright lights, video cameras and microphones, a driverless cart hurtles at 37 miles per hour into the side of a large SUV. Now lawmakers in Congress are expected to introduce a bill on Friday that would require federal standards for hood height and visibility to protect pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. SUVs and pickup trucks now make up more than three-quarters of all vehicles on the road in the U.S., up from only 38% in 2009 — a phenomenon described as "car bloat" by David Zipper, a senior fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative.

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