Next time you take a walk around Buffalo, pay attention to the sound of the cars. While we have all complained at some point about cars and trucks roaring by and disturbing our peace and quiet, a recent study by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that this noise helps pedestrians and bicyclists avoid serious injury.
This government study involved research into accidents involving hybrid vehicles, which usually run on electric power at slower speeds and, as a result, emit little noise. While the percentage of hybrid vehicles on the roads today is still small, auto manufacturers are releasing a number of new hybrid and fully electric models in 2012, and the number of these vehicles on the roads in expected to grow significantly in the next few years. The NHTSA conducted this study based on concerns that this influx of quiet vehicles on the roads may ultimately prove hazardous.
The study found that hybrid cars were twice as likely to strike a pedestrian or bicyclist as vehicles with internal combustion engines. The primary reason for this dramatic difference would appear to be that pedestrians and bicyclists did not hear the hybrid vehicle approaching prior to being struck. While this finding should concern everyone, it is of specific significance to the blind and visually-impaired, who are at greater risk because they rely on their ability to hear vehicles when walking on or near roadways.
Because the number of quiet vehicles on the roads is expected to increase significantly, the NHTSA is proposing that hybrid and electric vehicles be required by law to make noise at slower speeds. In an effort to come up with a sound that would both protect pedestrians and bicyclists and work for drivers who want a nice, quiet car, the NHTSA has both consulted with professional sound studios and accepted proposals on Facebook.
If you have been injured by a car, please feel free to call us at 716-542-5444. We would be happy to explain your legal rights to you.
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