AAA's Research on Pedestrian Safety Technologies During the Holidays

Pedestrian Safety During the Holidays

• 🌃 With the holiday season, more people are out walking near busy roads, increasing the need for pedestrian safety.
• 💡 AAA has released new research on technologies designed to enhance safety for pedestrians, especially during nighttime.

Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking Systems

• 🚗 AAA tested pedestrian automatic emergency braking systems in several vehicles.
• 🎯 These systems are designed to detect people crossing the street and automatically apply the brakes.
• 📈 Nighttime performance of these systems has improved significantly, from 0% in 2019 to 60% this year.
• ⚠️ However, the technology is not perfect, with tests showing mixed results when pedestrians wore high-visibility clothing, sometimes leading to detection failures.

Driver and Pedestrian Recommendations

• ⚠️ Drivers must remain fully engaged, especially in limited visibility conditions after dark.
• 🚦 AAA Texas recommends drivers stay alert, slow down, and never rely solely on vehicle technology.
• 🚶 Pedestrians should use crosswalks, obey signals, and avoid distractions.
• 🌙 Everyone should use extra caution at night.

Rising Pedestrian Fatalities

• 📈 Pedestrian fatalities in the US have risen by more than 80% over the last 15 years.
• 🏙️ Most of these increases are occurring on urban arterial roads and primarily at night.