A pedestrian-detecting system mounted on an automotive vehicle includes a touch sensor for detecting a first touch of an object at a collision, an acceleration sensor for detecting deceleration at a collision, a calculator to which outputs of sensors are fed, and an electronic control unit for activating a pedestrian-protecting device when the calculator determines that the vehicle collides with a pedestrian. A time period T from the first touch detected by the touch sensor to a time when deceleration detected by the acceleration sensor reaches its peak is compared with a threshold time period Tth. If the time period T is longer than the time period Tth, it is determined that the vehicle collided with a pedestrian.