Will stronger cars result in the continued uptick in pedestrian deaths? I’ve read that the uptick is strongly correlated with the curb weight increase from larger cars, and cars with battery drive trains. But I expect that impacts from “stronger” materials will also hurt pedestrian/cyclist safety, no?
The uptick is largely a function of car design not raw weight. The US has failed to adopt proper pedestrian safety rules and the kind of cars that are worst for pedestrians like SUVs or large trucks are far more popular in the US.
“Stronger” generally just means “stronger for a given weight”, so manufacturers would likely reduce the final vehicle weight while maintaining the same strength (~safety), or improve strength while keeping weight the same.
