Kentucky Pedestrian Accidents Involving Large Trucks and SUVs
For decades, American roads were getting safer for pedestrians. Starting around 2009, the trend reversed. Since then, the number of people killed by vehicles while walking has risen by about 75%, a trend not copied in other developed countries. One of many factors is that we drive larger vehicles, which hit pedestrians harder, especially our SUVs and pickups, which have grown substantially over the years.
Satterley & Kelley, PLLC attorneys in Louisville get results for those injured in vehicle accidents and families whose members were killed in these crashes. We know how serious injuries and the death of a loved one can turn your life upside down, affecting your family and your finances. If you have questions about how you can obtain compensation for your injuries or the death of a family member, call us at (855) 385-9532 today.
Key Takeaway: Large pickups and SUVs can be especially dangerous to pedestrians because their taller hoods, heavier weight, and larger blind zones make crashes more likely to cause severe or fatal injuries. If a pedestrian is injured or killed by one of these vehicles in Kentucky, the driver and other responsible parties may be liable for compensation depending on the facts.
How Popular Are Large Trucks and SUVs?
Pickup trucks and SUVs now rule American roads. In 2025, three full-size pickup trucks (by Ford, Chevrolet, and Ram) were among the five best-selling new vehicles in the US, reports Car and Driver. They took the first, second, and fifth spots, with mid-sized SUVs ranked second and third. Those three pickups sold a total of 1.7 million units, or about 10% of all passenger vehicles and trucks sold in the country last year.
The top-selling vehicle in Kentucky in 2025, based on vehicle registrations, is the full-size pickup Chevrolet Silverado, which was second in nationwide sales. The full-sized Ford F-150 pickup is the top seller nationwide and in 29 other states.
Why Are They So Popular?
Full-size pickups were originally used mostly for business, whether for farming, construction, or landscaping. They’re now used far more often as personal vehicles. Many owners rarely use them to their full potential. Surveys show that F-150 owners use their trucks for the following:
- 87% shopping or errands
- 70% pleasure driving
- 52% commuting
Nearly two-thirds say they rarely or never tow anything with their pickups.
Many Americans buy large pickup trucks because they fit with the image they want to project. Automakers market large trucks and SUVs with words like “aggressive appearance” and “piercing glare,” reports the New York Times, which may make you feel like you’re the king of the road. Given the mass marketing, pickup trucks are as much about machismo as they are about function.
It’s not limited to men. Advertising for full-size SUVs portrays women as getting kids to soccer practices in massive, heavy vehicles perceived as more protective for occupants than mere minivans. The unspoken downside is that a safety-conscious Mom might be more likely to run over their child’s teammate in the parking lot because she didn’t see them.
Automakers earn far more money from full-size SUVs and pickups than from sedans, which drives this trend. While the cost of producing a full-sized pickup is not much more than that of a sedan, we’re paying far more for them. The average sticker price for a full-size pickup is $70,000, double the cost of a sedan. Ford went from selling more than one million sedans in 2017 to fewer than 100,000 in 2022.
How Have They Grown in Size?
Full-sized pickups and SUVs on Kentucky roads are much bigger than they were a generation ago. The average weight of pickup trucks rose by 32% from 1990 to 2021, while bed size and towing capacity are largely unchanged. A 2023 Ford F-150 weighs about 6,500 pounds.
With larger sizes come taller grills and higher hoods. The New York Times estimates the following percentage of vehicles on the road with the stated grill heights from 2002 to 2024:
- 30 inches or less went from about half of all vehicles to about 28%
- 31 to 40 inches went from about 29% to about 43%
- 41 to 50 inches went from about 19% to 29%
If you’re an average-sized person struck by a sedan, you’ll probably be hit at about knee level, then roll onto the hood and possibly onto the windshield. If a newer, full-sized pickup hits you, you’ll probably be struck from your knees to your chest. You won’t roll onto the hood. You’ll be knocked forward and potentially run over by the truck, possibly by one of its tires. Of the two scenarios, this one is more likely to kill you.
What Is an A Pillar?
The A pillar is the strip of metal on each side of the windshield. It holds up the roof, keeps the windshield in place, and prevents the roof from collapsing if the vehicle rolls over. The heavier the vehicle, the bigger and stronger the A pillar must be to support the weight.
While this protects truck occupants, it puts pedestrians and bicyclists at greater danger, because they increase the driver’s blind spots. A full-sized pickup driver at an intersection taking a left turn may be blocked from seeing someone crossing the street until they’re directly in front of the truck, too late to stop.
How Do Larger Vehicles with Larger A Pillars Endanger Pedestrians and Cyclists?
Wider A pillars, along with high grills and hoods, block a large area from the driver’s view, making collisions harder to avoid. Higher front bumpers and grilles direct more force into most pedestrians or cyclists, sending them onto the pavement, where they may be run over.
A New York Times analysis compared the blind zones of today’s most popular pickups with those of older, smaller versions of the same models. They found the following:
- Chevrolet Silverado: blind zones have nearly doubled
- GMC Sierra: blind zones grew by about 60%
- Toyota Tacoma: blind zones increased by about 60%
- Ford F-150: blind zones grew by about 25%
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that vehicles with larger blind zones are much more likely to hit pedestrians when turning left. Given these vehicles’ weight, even impacts at low speeds can cause severe injuries as people not only hit the truck, but the pavement and/or other objects. They may also be run over by the truck.
New automatic braking systems that detect some pedestrians and prevent the vehicle from moving forward may help. But this is a relatively new technology that doesn’t need to be on vehicles until 2029. They don’t consistently prevent crashes. They may fail in bad weather, at high speeds, on uneven roads, or when a pedestrian is a child, is running, or is pushing a stroller.
How Many People May Have Been Killed Because of Larger Vehicles?
From 2018 to 2022, the number of pedestrians killed in US vehicle crashes jumped from about 6,300 to 7,500 annually. Researchers hired by the New York Times built a statistical model using federal vehicle crash data from 2016 to 2024 in which a single vehicle hit a pedestrian. They estimate that the shift towards heavier trucks and SUVs with taller hoods caused about 3,000 of the pedestrian deaths that occurred during this period.
They also estimate that about 200 to 400 pedestrians are killed annually because of the number of accidents with these vehicles, and how much larger and deadlier they’ve become. This represents about 10% of the increase in pedestrian deaths since 2009.
The actual number may be higher. These estimates don’t include pedestrian deaths in parking lots, driveways, or private roads, where hundreds more pedestrians die every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are large trucks and SUVs more dangerous to pedestrians than cars?
A: Research shows that taller hoods, larger weight, and greater blind zones make big trucks and SUVs more likely to seriously injure or kill a pedestrian.
Q: What is an A pillar, and why do they matter?
A: The A pillar is the post on each side of a windshield. They’re thicker to prevent roofs from collapsing if a heavier pickup or SUV rolls over. But they create larger blind spots, making it more likely for a driver to hit pedestrians.
Q: How much have blind zones grown in large trucks?
A: Compared to older, smaller versions of the same trucks, the blind zones in some popular models have grown by about 25% to almost 100%.
Q: How many pedestrians have died because of larger vehicles?
A: Researchers estimate the shift toward larger vehicles with bigger blind spots caused about 3,000 pedestrian deaths from 2016 to 2024, with about 200 to 400 pedestrians currently being killed annually.
Get the Help You Need from Attorneys You Can Trust
This research and statistics only cover these vehicles with drivers unable to see others. Add to this the damage they can do to motorcyclists, other vehicles, and their occupants when there are crashes, and when the driver is speeding, ignoring stop signs and red lights, distracted, fatigued, impaired, or intoxicated by alcohol and drugs. As satisfied as their owners may be, these vehicles pose a potential hazard to everyone else.
If you’re injured or a loved one is killed in a vehicle accident, call us at 855-385-9532 or locally at 502-589-5600, or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation with a Satterley & Kelley, PLLC attorney. We can discuss what happened, how Kentucky law may apply, and what we can do for you and your family.