Hybrid and electric cars are more likely to hit pedestrians than gasoline or diesel cars, especially in towns and cities, according to research on road accidents in Britain.
The data showed that electric and hybrid cars were twice as likely to hit pedestrians as fossil fuel-powered cars.
It is unclear why eco-friendly cars are more dangerous, but the researchers think it is due to a number of factors.
Drivers of electric cars are generally younger and less experienced. Electric vehicles are also much quieter than combustion engine vehicles. This makes them harder to hear, especially in towns and cities.
Electric vehicles generally accelerate faster and have a greater capacity for sudden acceleration. This can make it difficult in some situations to react more quickly to the movements of pedestrians.
Professor Phil Edwards, first author of the study, said electric cars pose a danger to pedestrians because they are less likely to be heard than gasoline or diesel cars. "If the government is going to end the sale of gasoline and diesel cars, it needs to reduce these risks," Edwards said.
"If you are switching to an electric car, remember that it is a new type of vehicle," Professor Edwards added. "Drivers of these vehicles need to be more careful," he said, adding that new cars are much quieter than older models and pedestrians have learned to navigate the roads by listening to traffic.
ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE
Some studies have noted that the silence of electric vehicles poses a particular danger to visually impaired pedestrians.
The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has stated that electric and hybrid vehicles may have a higher risk of hitting pedestrians than internal combustion engine vehicles.
For this reason, regulations have been introduced, such as adding artificial engine noise to electric vehicles at low speeds.
