Hybrid cars - the quiet dangers
Hybrid cars, which switch between a gasoline engine and an electric motor, offer better gas mileage and less pollution than traditional cars. However, because the vehicles use electric power when traveling at slow to moderate speeds, such as when leaving a red light or stop sign, or entering or exiting a parking lot or driveway, it is so quiet (generally quieter than a vacuum cleaner) that it is virtually undetectable to the visually impaired who rely on sound cues to travel safely.
Blind pedestrians using a guide dog or cane are largely dependent on the sounds of traffic to cross streets safely. It’s very important for a blind person to be able to gather auditory and tactile cues from the environment. Hybrid cars pose threats to the blind.
Debbie Stein, a leader of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, did her own experiment with a Toyota Prius. When a family friend arrived at her home driving a Prius, Debbie asked him to take the car for a short drive while she remained outside to see if she could hear the car. She heard her friend slam the door, then nothing, until minutes later, the car door opened, and her friend,returning from a drive around the block, asked if she had heard it. She asked him why he didn’t start the car. The hybrid is so quiet that even a trained ear, awaiting the noise, was unable to detect it.
As more hybrid vehicles take to the roads, a solution to this quiet problem must be found before visually impaired pedestrians end up seriously injured or dead. Currently, there is no way to track pedestrian injuries or deaths related to low-noise cars, as police reports often do not list the type of automobile involved in pedestrian-auto collisions, and the insurance industry does not collect those figures either. However, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pedestrian deaths have increased about 2% since 2000.
The National Federation of the Blind, an advocacy group, says all hybrid vehicles should emit a sound while turned on and is calling on the auto industry to make changes. The group says the sound should be loud enough to be heard over other ambient street noise.
Members of the NFB’s Committee on Automobile and Pedestrian Safety have discussed sound cues that hybrids could use to alert pedestrians, including a device built into the axle that could make a sound as the wheels rotate, or a sensor that blind travelers could carry that would indicate when a hybrid is in the vicinity. The committee has yet to have a formal meeting with auto industry representatives.
A bill intended to protect blind people and other pedestrians from the dangers posed by quiet cars will be introduced to Congress. The measure would require the Transportation Department to establish safety standards for hybrids and other vehicles that make little discernible noise, including an audible means for alerting people that cars are nearby.
