Hybrid car safety vs pedestrian safety
As you all aware that the hybrid cars save the fuel and it also save your money. But most of you may not know that the hybrid cars also save you in an accident. You will be happy to hear that the drivers of the hybrid cars will be 25 percent less injured during an accident when compared to the drivers of a normal standard car.
Though hybrid cars are safe to the drivers, they are very dangerous to the pedestrians. The hybrid cars are 20 percent more likely to be involved in an accident with a pedestrian than a standard car.
Hybrid cars are heavier than the normal standard cars; hence they get more damaged during the accidents. The battery that powers a hybrid car adds more weight to the hybrid cars when compared to the internal combustion powered engine. The hybrid cars are 10 percent more heavier than normal standard cars, hence they are more likely to get in to the accidents. This is as per the latest report.
For example, the Hybrid Honda AccordSedanweighs 480 lbs. more than the normal standard Accord car. A hybrid Toyota Highlander weighs 330 lbs. more than the normalToyotacar.
After these incidents, smaller cars are sent backward with much more force than heavier vehicles, which made it more likely for the drivers of the smaller car to be injured.
Claims for the accident in which there was the fault of the driver were much lower among hybrid drivers. Collision claims, which pay to repair the hybrid cars if it is a mistake of the drivers, were 27 percent lower than the normal vehicles. Medical pay claims which covers the medical costs for both the passengers and the drivers were 25 percent less.
As per the latest reports, instead of improving the fuel efficiency cars by reducing the size of the car, the trend among car makers is turning to making more efficient engines and hybrids. Hence most of the car drivers choose safety rather than the fuel efficiency.
As per the latest report, if the cars are in electric mode, they do not make any sounds and the pedestrians cannot hear the sound of the cars coming. Pedestrians who have some kind of eye sights or the pedestrians who step into the street without taking a look for cars first are in much more danger than with louder, standard cars.
Congress gave a three years study to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to study and take measures to aid pedestrians in getting alert when the hybrid vehicle is coming.