They are great for the environment, but are hybrid cars dangerous for pedestrians? It seems that the batteries in the vehicles are so quiet that pedestrians cannot hear them, resulting in deadly accidents. Some researchers call it the “hybrid creep.”
As seen at the huffingtonpost.com, a recent government report said that hybrid cars are twice as likely to be involved in a pedestrian crash at low speeds than a conventional vehicle is. This is really bad news for blind pedestrians who rely on sound and noise when crossing streets. And it appears the “hybrid creep” caught the attention of federal lawmakers as well. A recent auto safety bill contained a sound requirement provision for hybrid vehicles. Carmakers are already working on adding artificial sounds to make the hybrids a little louder.
On the flip side, hybrid advocates do not like the idea of adding sounds to their quiet cars. They say it only contributes to neighborhood noise pollution. Either way, there is no denying that the most recent numbers point out that over 4,300 pedestrians died in 2008 in pedestrian-car collisions.
Although hybrid cars account for only 2 percent of new car sale, signs seem to point to continued growth in the future as they become more affordable.
Does this change your mind about buying a hybrid vehicle?
Colson Hicks Eidson – Florida injury attorneys
