Given that higher bonnets increase the severity of collisions and reduce drivers' visibility, the Transport & Environment (T&E) think-tank is recommending that policymakers limit their height, in a report published on Wednesday 11 June.
For new registrations in the EU, the UK and Norway, the average bonnet height of new cars will increase by 0.5 centimetres per year, from 76.9 centimetres in 2010 to 83.8 centimetres in 2024. However, neither European nor national legislation limits the continuous increase in bonnet height.
However, in accidents, SUVs and pick-ups generally hit adult pedestrians above the centre of gravity, often first hitting the vital organs located in the centre of the body, with a higher risk of throwing them forward and downwards, and an increased risk of crushing them. On the other hand, low bonnets tend to hit pedestrians’ legs, increasing the risk of them falling towards the vehicle or being thrown. Similarly, drivers behind high bonnets may not see children in front of them.
Read the study: https://aeur.eu/f/han (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)