The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released new guidelines for electronic and hybrid cars weighing under 10,000 pounds. NHTSA guidelines will require these cars to make audible sounds while travelling at speeds up to 18.6 miles per hour. After reaching 18.6 miles per hour, vehicles produce sounds caused by tires and wind noise. At the moment, these vehicles may be too quiet for pedestrians and cyclists to hear. NHTSA expects its new rule will prevent 2,400 pedestrian accidents every year.
Will NHTSA’s New Electric Car Rules Prevent Pedestrian Accidents?
NHTSA statistics show electric and hybrid vehicles are 37 percent more likely to hit pedestrians and 66 percent more likely to hit cyclists at low speeds. Pedestrians and cyclists traversing intersections are most at risk, as they may not hear these vehicles backing up or moving forward.
Electric and hybrid vehicles may be more dangerous for pedestrians with certain disabilities. Advocates with the American Council of the Blind are concerned quiet vehicles are a safety threat to pedestrians with blindness or low vision.
Rules for making electric and hybrid vehicles noisier have been in development for more than six years. In 2010, Congress passed the Pedestrian Safety Act, which required NHTSA to begin the rulemaking process for improving the loudness of these vehicles. Now that the rules are complete, automakers will have until September 1st, 2019 to meet the conditions of the new regulations.
What do you think about NHTSA’s news rules? Do they go far enough, or should more regulations be created to keep pedestrians and cyclists safer? Let us know your thoughts by connecting with the Colorado and Wyoming accident attorneys at Metier Law Firm, LLC on Facebook.