Chevy recalls 27,000 Equinox EVs over pedestrian warning; NHTSA campaigns for pedestrian safety

A new Chevrolet Equinox EV recall doesn’t affect the driver’s vehicle, but the pedestrians near it — an issue reported during the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s Pedestrian Safety Month.

General Motors is recalling 23,700 model year 2024 Equinox EV vehicles due to an insufficient pedestrian alert sound system, according to the recall report.

The vehicles may not produce a sufficient change in volume when accelerating to low speeds from a stopped position. GM has determined that the recall population potentially doesn’t comply with Section S5.4 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 141, “Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.”

“The pedestrian alert sound system in these vehicles may have an incorrect software calibration and may not produce exterior sound at the required relative volume when the vehicle is travelling from stationary to 10 km/h (6.2 mph),” the report states. “Under some conditions, pedestrians may not be able to determine by sound whether an approaching vehicle is speeding up or slowing down, increasing the risk of injury to pedestrians.”

The recall is the result of a GM product investigation following notification from NHTSA that testing of a 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV failed to meet FMVSS 141 Section 5.4, which dictates the relative volume change when a vehicle travels from stationary to 10 km/h.

GM says a remedy to fix the issue is being developed. The report shows that forward collision avoidance components are involved in the recall.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Nov. 10. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 with recall number N252527170.

According to NHTSA, 7,314 pedestrians were killed and more than 68,000 pedestrians were injured nationwide in 2023. And over the past decade, pedestrian fatalities have continued to increase.

NHTSA has also shared eight crash types that commonly occur between pedestrians and cars:

1. 1. “Vehicle makes a turn at an intersection: A vehicle turns (right or left) or merges into the path of a pedestrian without yielding.
   2. “Pedestrian darts/steps out: A pedestrian runs or walks out into the roadway in an unmarked area in the middle of the block (not at a crosswalk or intersection).
   3. “Pedestrian walking or jogging along the road: A pedestrian walking or jogging in the road in the same direction as traffic cannot see a vehicle approaching them from behind.
   4. “Backing vehicle: A driver fails to look for or see traffic when backing from a driveway, private road, or parking lot.
   5. “Pedestrian crossing against signal: A pedestrian fails to obey the ‘Don’t Walk’ signal, or look for traffic before stepping off the curb.
   6. “Pedestrian trapped: A pedestrian is in the crosswalk when the traffic signals change, and a car fails to yield to the pedestrian already in the crosswalk.
   7. “Multiple threat: A car stops for a pedestrian in the crosswalk. A second car approaches, but the driver’s view of the pedestrian is obstructed by another vehicle.
   8. “Commercial bus-related: A pedestrian is crossing after exiting a commercial bus that is stopped at a marked bus stop.”

NHTSA traffic fatalities

In September, NHTSA released early estimates for motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the first half of 2025, projecting a substantial 8.2% decline in roadway deaths.

An estimated 17,140 people lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes from January through June 2025, down from 18,680 fatalities during the same period in 2024, according to a NHTSA press release.

“These preliminary figures are encouraging and reflect NHTSA’s close collaboration with state and local partners, especially law enforcement, to improve safety on our roads,” said NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser in the release. “But even as we see progress, these numbers are far too high, and we remain focused on reducing traffic fatalities even further.”

The decline in fatalities occurred as vehicle miles traveled increased by 12.1 billion miles during the first half of 2025. As a result, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled dropped to 1.06, down 8.6% from 1.16 in the same period last year. NHTSA says this represents the lowest mid-year fatality rate since 2014.

NHTSA also found that 38 states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, are projected to have experienced decreases in traffic deaths. Only 11 states (Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming) are projected to see increases, while Rhode Island remains unchanged.

The National Safety Council (NSC) reported a higher percentage decline in traffic deaths for the first half of the year (13% fewer lives lost) compared to NHTSA’s data. Still, it estimated nearly the same number of deaths, at 18,720.

NSC found that decreased fatality rates varied widely across states. Ten states and the District of Columbia saw fatality decreases of 20% or more, with D.C. leading at a 67% reduction. California was next, with a 43% decrease, followed by Connecticut and Mississippi (both down 34%); Alaska (down 31%); Delaware (down 25%); Alabama, Kentucky, and Vermont (all down 21%); and Maryland and Minnesota (both down 20%).

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