Comment from Anonymous
Anonymous AnonymousSupportIndividual
Summary: A nurse supporting the New Car Assessment Program argues that rear-facing automatic braking systems are necessary to improve pedestrian safety. The commenter highlights the high number of pedestrian fatalities and suggests that automated braking is more effective than alarms alone in preventing accidents.
Docket No. NHTSA-2026-1156].
As a Nurse who contributes to public health and public safety, public safety is an overall priority. In the year 2024 alone, 7,080 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes, illustrating the continuous need for strategies and improvements that can help decrease fatalities (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], 2026). Considering this substantial number, any technology that would help vehicles prevent harm to pedestrians would be very beneficial. Since the latest models of vehicles already include alarms and an automatic braking system when encountering an object from the front, a rear-facing braking system would continue to promote safety. Alarms warning the driver are not always adequate to alert the driver of how close an object is, so an automatic braking system that applies the brakes and remains stopped until the driver overrides the feature can increase pedestrian safety. Moreover, the driver may overestimate the distance between the vehicle and objects, or, while reversing, a pedestrian might walk into the street unaware that the driver is reversing. These advancements will continue to promote safety and may reduce fatalities; thus, I fully support them and am thankful for the opportunity to comment.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2026). Pedestrians: 2024 data (Traffic Safety Facts, DOT HS 813 818). U.S. Department of Transportation. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813818