Hybrids Get Higher Pedestrian Crush Rates

A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows what common sense already warned us about: hybrid vehicles are more likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians and bicyclists while running quietly in the “electric mode”.

The NHTSA stated “that pedestrian and bicyclist crashes involving both HEVs (hybrid electric) and ICE (internal combustion) vehicles commonly occurred on roadways, in zones with low speed limits, during daytime and in clear weather, with higher incidence rates for HEVs when compared to ICE vehicles.”

After considering different scenarios where such crashed might occur, the NHTSA said that “for one group of scenarios, those in which a vehicle is slowing or stopping, backing up, or entering or leaving a parking space, a statistically significant effect was found due to engine type. The HEV was two times more likely to be involved in a pedestrian crash in these situations than was an ICE vehicle.” So watch out when you’re looking for your car in the mall parking lot, it might be more dangerous than you think.

“Similar to pedestrians, in crashes that occurred at very low speed, such as when a vehicle is making a turn, slowing or stopping, backing up, or entering or leaving a parking space, the incidence rate of bicyclist crashes involving HEVs was significantly higher when compared to ICE vehicles, and bicyclist crashes involving HEVs at intersections or interchanges were significantly higher when compared to ICE vehicles.”

The answer might be something like the Brabus Sound Package offered for the Tesla Roadster. Apparently it’s true: ”loud pipes save lives.”