Are hybrids really a silent killer? A study put together by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seems to think so. NHTSA's found a higher incidence of pedestrian/bike crashes with hybrid vehicles.
Results from the study show hybrid vehicles had a crash rate of 0.9% compared to just 0.6% for regular ICE vehicles. Because hybrids tend to use all-electric mode at lower speeds, the number of pedestrian/bike accidents are higher at under 35 MPH. The report itself uses limited data from only 12 states and doesn't draw direct conclusions as to why — though it's obvious — so this is being used to instruct local governments on how to deal with hybrids and non-car commuters.
Advertisement
[NHTSA (PDF) via Green Car Reports, Pure Green Cars]