Home » Law and Legal Articles » A Quiet Danger: NHTSA to Issue Noise Emission Standards for Electric Cars
A Quiet Danger: NHTSA to Issue Noise Emission Standards for Electric Cars
Concerned that the silence of hybrid and electric cars may be dangerous to pedestrians, the government may require these vehicles to emit sound in certain situations.
November 18, 2011 /Law and Legal PR News/ -- A Quiet Danger: NHTSA to Issue Noise Emission Standards for Electric Cars
Concerned that the silence of hybrid and electric cars may be dangerous to pedestrians, the government has taken steps to set out regulations that will require these vehicles to emit sound in certain situations.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is in the process of proposing rules that will make it easier for pedestrians to hear when quieter vehicles are near. However, those regulations are still being discussed and will not go into effect for some time. The NHTSA has until July of 2012 to create specific standards to regulate sound in electric and hybrid cars, and the final rule is not required until January of 2014. The effective date would likely not occur for another year after a rule is published.
Some manufacturers have already added artificial sound to their electric vehicles, but currently there is no government requirement that they do so. In at least one of these vehicles, there is a switch that may be used to turn the sound off, something that could change when the regulations come into effect.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood points out that as cars that are cleaner and less detrimental to the environment become more prevalent, the safety of others on the road, especially pedestrians and bicyclists, should not be sacrificed.
A previous study by the NHTSA noted that in the 12 states where the NHTSA was able to differentiate between accidents involving hybrid or electric cars and gasoline-powered vehicles, hybrids were one-and-a-half times more likely to hit pedestrians. For pedestrian accidents, hybrids were involved 0.9 percent of the time, compared to 0.6 percent gas engine vehicles. Additionally, hybrids were twice as likely to hit bicyclists than regular vehicles.
Because of their silence, drivers in hybrid and electric cars must exercise caution when driving near pedestrians and bicyclists. Pedestrians with vision impairment are particularly vulnerable to these vehicles.
If you or a loved one has been struck by a vehicle, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your situation and to determine if it may be possible to recover expenses associated with the accident.
Article provided by Mason Thomas
Visit us at www.masonthomas.com/
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