The height of hoods is at least in part because of pedestrian safety standards. I believe these originated in Europe, but I could be wrong.
Not this kind of higher. The EU stuff was about lifting the hood's sheet metal off the engine block so that there is more of a crumple zone instead of pedestrian's head kissing engine block
a lower hood will strike somewhere lower on the body like the legs, and bounce them off the hood (absorbing some impact)
a higher hood will strike somewhere closer to the head and torso, causing substantially more damage, and cause you to go under and get crushed by the wheels, so at a minimum level damage is much more severe.
and this is for adults. they're basically death sentences for shorter people and children.