Hybrids Safer In Crashes — Except For Pedestrians 392
Hugh Pickens writes writes "Hybrid vehicles are safer than their conventional counterparts when it comes to shielding their occupants from injuries in crashes with the odds of being injured in a crash 25 percent lower for people in hybrids than people traveling in comparable non-hybrid vehicles. "Weight is a big factor," says Matt Moore, of the Highway Loss Data Institute. 'Hybrids on average are 10 percent heavier than their standard counterparts. This extra mass gives them an advantage in crashes that their conventional twins don't have.' The study's findings are good news for green-minded drivers who are also looking for safety in their cars, but it's worth noting that hybrid vehicles are much quieter than gas-powered cars, posing a risk to pedestrians. "When hybrids operate in electric-only mode, pedestrians can't hear them approaching," says Moore. Earlier this year, Congress gave the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration three years to come up with a requirement for equipping hybrids and electric models with sounds to alert unsuspecting pedestrians."
Hybrid Pedestrians? (Score:5, Funny)
So if your a hybrid pedestrian you are more likely to be injured?
mahna-mahna (Score:5, Funny)
If electric cars get customisable running sounds, I'll want the mahna-mahna song.
Yay! We can download engine-tones! (Score:1, Funny)
I want mine to be nyancat [youtube.com]!
Looking forward to reports of women crashing their cars and killing pedestrians and cyclists while downloading Adele as their idling noise.
Re:Hybrid Pedestrians? (Score:4, Funny)
Of course. If all the hybrids are killed, then we won't have a defense against the black oil.
Re:weight and safety (Score:5, Funny)
In that logic, to protect myself, is it ok to blow SUVs off the road using anti-vehicle weapons?
Easy fix (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Some Pedestrians Aren't Heling Themselves... (Score:5, Funny)
Whenever I run over a pedestrian, I quickly run out of the car and throw an iPod on the body.
Re:The heavier car wins (Score:3, Funny)
Hence in the Libertarian world, everybody drives larger and larger tanks, and shoots first, just in case.