The Biden administration plans to require that all new cars and trucks come with pedestrian-collision avoidance systems that include automatic emergency braking technology by the end of the decade. In an interview, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the requirement is designed to reduce pedestrian deaths, which have been on the rise in the post-Covid 19 era. 'So many Americans losing their lives on our roadways,' Buttigieg said.
2 per billion vehicle miles traveled, is also higher than pre-pandemic levels, though it began to decline in the first half of 2023. Research has shown that since the coronavirus pandemic, speeding and other risky driving behaviors have increased, while public transit ridership has declined, causing an increase in road deaths. In addition, the pandemic delayed sales of newer vehicles, which tend to be safer and feature the latest accident-prevention technologies.