A recent study published by the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found that drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids are twice as likely to hit pedestrians compared to those driving traditional gas-powered cars, potentially leading to more fatal accidents. This conclusion came from a review of British road accidents. The study examined 32 billion miles of EV travel and 3 trillion miles of combustion-engine car trips.
The findings align with earlier studies conducted by U.S. federal agencies. In 2017, the Department of Transportation reported that EVs and hybrids pose a 20% greater risk to pedestrians. This risk increases to 50% during low-speed maneuvers such as turning, reversing and coming to a stop.
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Researchers partly attributed these elevated dangers posed by EVs and hybrids to the relative quietness of these vehicles. Unlike traditional combustion-engine cars, battery-powered automobiles produce little to no noise, sometimes leaving pedestrians unaware of an approaching vehicle.
Additionally, the heavier weight of EVs makes the problem worse. Electric cars often weigh 30% more than their gas-powered counterparts. This is because of their large batteries, which can add upwards of 2,000 pounds in some models. This added weight increases the likelihood of fatal outcomes in pedestrian accidents. Research indicates that being hit by a car with an additional 1,000 pounds of weight increases the chance of a fatality by nearly 50%.
[JACK AYLMER]
HITTING A PEDESTRIAN WHILE DRIVING IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST FEARS WE HAVE WHEN GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL.
AND A NEW STUDY SAYS IT’S ACTUALLY TWICE AS LIKELY TO HAPPEN TO DRIVERS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND HYBRIDS-
POTENTIALLY LEADING TO MORE FATAL ACCIDENTS.
THE CONCLUSION WAS REACHED AFTER A REVIEW OF BRITISH ROAD ACCIDENTS-
INCLUDING 32 BILLION MILES OF EV TRAVEL, AND THREE TRILLION MILES OF GAS POWERED CAR TRIPS.
THIS LATEST RESEARCH ADDS TO PREVIOUS REPORTING SUGGESTING ELECTRIC VEHICLES MIGHT BE MORE DANGEROUS.
IN 20-17, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOUND EVS AND HYBRIDS POSE A 20-PERCENT GREATER RISK TO PEDESTRIANS.
THIS JUMPED TO 50 PERCENT HIGHER DURING LOW-SPEED MOVES, SUCH AS TURNING, REVERSING, AND PULLING TO A STOP.
THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN PARTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE LACK OF NOISE THESE TYPES OF CARS MAKE-
LEAVING PEDESTRIANS UNAWARE OF AN APPROACHING VEHICLE.
[THE OFFICE]
“The Prius is silent if he keeps it under five miles per hour.”
[JACK AYLMER]
E-VS ALSO WEIGH A LOT MORE THAN TRADITIONAL CARS
-SOMETHING WE’VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.
THEIR BATTERIES ALONE SOMETIMES ADD UPWARDS OF 2,000 POUNDS-
ABOUT HALF THE WEIGHT OF AN AVERAGE COMBUSTION ENGINE CAR.
BEING HIT BY A VEHICLE WITH JUST 1,000 POUNDS OF ADDITIONAL WEIGHT INCREASES THE CHANCE OF A FATALITY BY ALMOST 50 PERCENT.
FOR MORE ABOUT HOW THE EV TRANSITION IS IMPACTING ROAD SAFETY-
DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME – JACK AYLMER.
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