Hybrid vehicles have higher pedestrian crashes

[AVANTI R5]

A recent report from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that hybrid electric vehicles have a higher incidence rate of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes than do conventional vehicles in certain situations.

NHTSA looked at state-level crash files to compare crash rates on these two types of vehicles. Out of 8,387 hybrids 77 (or .9 percent) were involved in crashes with pedestrains. Out of 559,703 conventional vehicles studied, 3,578 (or .6 percent) were involved in crashes with pedestrians. In crashes involving bicyclists, 48 (or almost .6 percent) were involved in crashes with a hybrid vehicle whereas conventional vehicles were implicated in 1,862 (or .3 percent) of crashes.

The study (pdf) found that these incidences were more likely to occur in areas with low speed limits. The hybrids had a higher incidence—two times more likely to have a pedestrian crash—when they were slowing or stopping, backing up, or going in or out of a parking space. Most hybrids employ their electrical motors only at these situations, making these cars eerily quiet.

In 2007, there were 70,000 pedestrians injured and 4,654 deaths due to crashes. A number of organizations, including the National Federation for the Blind, are pushing for legislation that would require all hybrid and electric vehicles to emit a sound. A number of car makers are looking into warning systems, as well.

In the meantime, hybrid drivers need to be aware of their stealthy approach and use extra vigilance and possibly look into installing a backup alert warning device or even a backup camera to be able to see pedestrians and bicyclists around their vehicle. Likewise, pedestrians need to be vigilant as electrified automobiles will become increasingly common.

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/car...n-crashes.html

[whoosh]

maybe if pedestrians and cyclist would watch where they're going it wouldn't be a problem
















.

[Mike Wevrick]

Putting backup beepers on them would make sense. Its very easy; you just replace one of the reverse light bulbs with a combination light/beeper.

[Chromer]

Originally Posted by Mike Wevrick

Putting backup beepers on them would make sense. Its very easy; you just replace one of the reverse light bulbs with a combination light/beeper.

The second-gen Prius has one, but for some unfathomable reason it's INSIDE the car. Fortunately you can turn it off fairly easily.

[AVANTI R5]

^^

I guess to make the driver More Focused, that is strange.

[sxotty]

It is annoying is what it is beep-beep If only it was outside it would make some sense. The rates are not too much higher though at least.

[bal00]

Originally Posted by whoosh

maybe if pedestrians and cyclist would watch where there going it wouldn't be a problem

Why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Now all we need to do is tell drivers to watch where they're going too and there will never be an accident again. Brilliant.

[Lantec]

Originally Posted by whoosh

maybe if pedestrians and cyclist would watch where there going it wouldn't be a problem

QFT. How can you not see a 1.5 ton piece of metal coming at you? Even hybrids can be heard coming, tire noise will always be there, especially in those squeeky parking lots, and there's always that high pitched electrical transistor whine. It's not hard to detect.

[neko]

Tire noise? aww, come on, i'd betcha most hypermiling, greenie, hybrid owners are running their super-skinny tires with 55psi in them to extend their mileage... :P
And no wonder they can't stop in time either to avoid the accident. when you've got virtually no contact patch because of those practices, its not suprising

I laugh every time i see some place recommending higher tire pressures to improve mileage.... Like there's no down side. The concept of proper tire inflation seems to be gone out the window.

[shikataganai]

so loud car pipes save lives?

[shikataganai]

Originally Posted by neko

Tire noise? aww, come on, i'd betcha most hypermiling, greenie, hybrid owners are running their super-skinny tires with 55psi in them to extend their mileage... :P
And no wonder they can't stop in time either to avoid the accident. when you've got virtually no contact patch because of those practices, its not suprising

I laugh every time i see some place recommending higher tire pressures to improve mileage.... Like there's no down side. The concept of proper tire inflation seems to be gone out the window.

recommending that tires be properly inflated, or at the upper end of acceptable, is different than recommending they be overinflated.

besides:

2008 Prius 60-0 stopping distance: 134 ft per edmunds.

2008 Tahoe 4WD 60-0 stopping distance: 173.7 ft per the Michigan State Police.

which one is the dangerous one again?

[sir_wagon]

I wonder if they took into consideration where the vehicles were driven before making the comparisons between hybrids and non-hybrids.

I would not be surprised if urban areas have a higher proportion of hybrids than rural areas.

[bal00]

Originally Posted by Lantec

QFT. How can you not see a 1.5 ton piece of metal coming at you? Even hybrids can be heard coming, tire noise will always be there, especially in those squeeky parking lots, and there's always that high pitched electrical transistor whine. It's not hard to detect.

How do you not see parked cars or trees? People drive into them all the time.

[WRXBob]

Around here, pedestrian steps into a vehicle path without even looking. Beside the slow parade across the intersection, they think it is only the driver that should look out for their safety. On the other hand, drivers of Hybrid vehicle are bathed in green eco glory and have less and less driving skill.

[owace]

i wonder how much of this has to do with jackass drivers who drive hybrids....

[CKxx]

Originally Posted by whoosh

maybe if pedestrians and cyclist would watch where there going it wouldn't be a problem

Sight is one of several senses apparently being employed by the average cyclist or ped...

[robertrinaustin]

Originally Posted by owace

i wonder how much of this has to do with jackass drivers who drive hybrids....

I bet most of the people hit by the hybrids were big SUV drivers.

[KC]

Any demographics on the drivers of the cars? I see more "older" drivers in hybrids than younger drivers...

Sure, these cars are quieter, and stupid people need to stop walking on the street (or know which side of the street is the proper one if not in a crosswalk) but all the blame can't rest on the pedestrians shoulders...

--kC

[under5]

Stupid people buy hybrids, stupid people can't drive, therefore hybrid drivers hit people.

[naimouasta]

+1 simple as that.

[Tim-H]

Originally Posted by Lantec

QFT. How can you not see a 1.5 ton piece of metal coming at you? Even hybrids can be heard coming, tire noise will always be there, especially in those squeeky parking lots, and there's always that high pitched electrical transistor whine. It's not hard to detect.

Absolutely agree with you. The reason the pedestrians and cyclists get hit more is because they don't look before crossing the street. The biggest reason has to be people with earbuds in listening to mp3 players. There are so many cyclists I see around here with them in and they cant hear anything around them.

[blkscooby]

Originally Posted by neko

Tire noise? aww, come on, i'd betcha most hypermiling, greenie, hybrid owners are running their super-skinny tires with 55psi in them to extend their mileage... :P
And no wonder they can't stop in time either to avoid the accident. when you've got virtually no contact patch because of those practices, its not suprising

I laugh every time i see some place recommending higher tire pressures to improve mileage.... Like there's no down side. The concept of proper tire inflation seems to be gone out the window.

Ha, most hybrid owners I see drive like bats outta hell. I got passed by a Prius today going 65 in a 45. I was doing 50.

[sxotty]

Originally Posted by sir_wagon

I wonder if they took into consideration where the vehicles were driven before making the comparisons between hybrids and non-hybrids.

I would not be surprised if urban areas have a higher proportion of hybrids than rural areas.

That is a good point. I had not thought of it.

[whoosh]

go to a walmart parking lot.

it doesn't matter how noisy your car is, the retarded fatties still walk in the middle of the aisles saving as many heart attack steps as they can to get to the 50 pack of donuts.

[whoosh]

Originally Posted by owace

i wonder how much of this has to do with jackass drivers who drive hybrids....

let me tell you about the abundance of non-hybrid jackass drivers that love to cut in front of prius's traveling in the right lane.