Pedestrians must be protected too

U.S. vehicle imports represent approximately three-quarters of the new vehicle market in Canada¹, making the issue of U.S. vehicle safety a concern not only in the USA but also in our country, across all Canadian streets and roads.

The new proposed standard for vehicle safety is therefore likely to induce positive changes in the way manufacturers design their vehicles, such as lowering the height of the hood, thus contributing to smaller vehicles being produced and increasing safety for all vulnerable road users. By supporting the proposed rule, our goal is also to share with Canadian law-makers that we support updating vehicle design safety standards in Canada to at least be comparable to U.S. standards.

The safety of pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users is at stake.

These comments were submitted by Équiterre and 30 other Canadian organizations in response to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) regarding Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 228, Pedestrian head protection (FMVSS), on November 5, 2024.