WASHINGTON – Not only are hybrid and electric vehicles good for combating air pollution, but their quiet engines unintentionally keep down the noise pollution as well.

However, a new proposal by federal government aims to make hybrid and electric vehicles a little louder in an effort to alert pedestrians, bicyclists and others of their approach, according to a press release issued Monday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Pedestrians are not able to detect the presence, direction or location of these silent sedans as they are especially quiet at low speeds, the report said.

“Pedestrian injuries and fatalities have been on the rise in recent years for many reasons, however, this is one way to help reduce the number of people involved in such crashes,” said Attorney West Seegmiller, a personal injury attorney in Newport Beach, California.

Under guidelines proposed by the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 (PSEA), the NHTSA says it has created a new set of minimum sound standards to help cut down on crashes resulting from them being undetected.

There could be as many as 2,800 fewer pedestrian and pedalcyclist injuries over the life of each model year of hybrid cars, trucks and vans and low speed vehicles, as compared to vehicles without sound, the NHTSA said.

“Our proposal would allow manufacturers the flexibility to design different sounds for different makes and models while still providing an opportunity for pedestrians, bicyclists and the visually impaired to detect and recognize a vehicle and make a decision about whether it is safe to cross the street,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland.

Unlike their gas-guzzling predecessors, electric and hybrid vehicles are so quiet at low speeds they are not detectible and ultimately this makes them especially dangerous to pedestrians and others sharing the roads that are not able to hear them coming.

This new proposed standard fulfills a mandate by Congress imposed under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 141 in the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act. The mandate requires that hybrid and electric vehicles meet minimum sound requirements.

“Safety is our highest priority, and this proposal will help keep everyone using our nation’s streets and roadways safe, whether they are motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians, and especially the blind and visually impaired,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Manufacturers will be required to make these vehicles detectable at speeds under 18 miles per hour as currently they are too quiet to be heard over street noises and other ambient background noises, the report said. While every manufacturer will be able to create its own sounds for its vehicles there are certain minimum standards required and specifically each vehicle of the same make and model are required to emit the same sound or set of sounds, the report said.

NHTSA estimates that if this proposal were implemented there would be 2,800 fewer pedestrian and pedalcyclist injuries over the life of each model year of hybrid cars, trucks and vans and low speed vehicles, as compared to vehicles without sound.

United States Pedestrian Accident Statistics (2010)  

• In 2010, 4,280 pedestrians were killed and an estimated 70,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States.
• On average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every eight minutes in traffic crashes.
•  In 2010, pedestrian deaths accounted for 13 percent of all traffic fatalities.
• Roughly 3 percent of all people injured in traffic accidents were pedestrians.
• Roughly three-fourths (73 percent) of pedestrian fatalities happened in an urban setting versus a rural setting.
• The majority of pedestrian deaths (79 percent) were at non-intersections.
• Most fatal pedestrian accidents (80 percent) took place under normal weather conditions.
• A majority of the pedestrian fatalities (68 percent) occurred during the nighttime.

Source: NHTSA

This article was prepared by the Seegmiller Law Firm. Our attorneys offer a free consultation for prospective clients who have been injured or have lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence. Call 1-855-ASK–WEST (1-855-275-9378) to speak with an attorney.

For over 30 years, the firm has been a staunch advocate for victims’ rights and has fought to win justice for clients involved in personal injury and wrongful death cases, including premises liability, product liability, auto accidents, dog bites, nursing home negligence, medical malpractice, at-work injuries, police brutality and more.  The firm has offices in Newport Beach, Orange County, Riverside, Los Angeles and San Bernardino, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

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