Hybrids more likely to hit pedestrians

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the USA has found that hybrid vehicles are more likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians and cyclists. The research was undertaken on state-wide data over 12 US states, comparing conventionally powered cars with hybrids. The findings reveal that 0.9% of hybrid vehicles were involved in impacts with pedestrians while 0.6% were involved in accidents with cyclists - conventionally powered cars having figures of 0.6% and 0.3% respectively.

The NHTSA report called 'Incidence of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Crashes by Hybrid Electric Passenger Vehicles' suggests that hybrids are twice as likely to be involved in such an accident as a conventionally powered car - when it's running on its electric motors alone, these vehicles running almost silently. Certain situations, like low speed limit areas, when the vehicle is slowing, stopping or parking demonstrate higher incidences of impacts than petrol or diesel engined cars in the same situations.

Preliminary findings and requiring further research, the NHTSA states that the data is useful in planning for future pedestrian and cyclist impact regulations. Whether that'll mean the warning beeping that you hear when lorries reverse remains to be seen, but with the growth of hybrid and electric cars it's possible some sort of sound generation may be implemented to reduce the likelihood of pedestrians and cyclists not hearing approaching vehicles.

Kyle Fortune