Hybrids Safer for Passengers but More Dangerous for Pedestrians

A study conducted by the HLDI (Highway Loss Data Institute), an affiliate of the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), shows that on average, hybrid drivers are 25% less likely to be injured in an accident than drivers of non-hybrid models.

"Weight is a big factor," says Matt Moore, HLDI vice president and an author of the report. "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."

Moore adds that other factors, such as how, when, and by whom hybrids are driven, may contribute to the result, but researchers have included controls to reduce the impact these factors may have had on the final results.

HLDI’s study included more than 25 pairs of hybrid and conventional-engined versions of the same vehicle.

On the other hand, a separate HLDI study including 17 hybrid and non-hybrid versions of the same vehicle shows that on average, hybrids are 20% more likely, to be involved in pedestrian accidents compared to their conventional versions.

Moore explains that this is the downside of zero emissions driving in city environment: “When hybrids operate in electric-only mode, pedestrians can’t hear them approaching, so they might step out into the roadway without checking first to see what’s coming.”

It’s an issue that has already been pointed out by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), which pushes for a law demanding that all hybrid or electric vehicles emit a standard warning noise in order to warn pedestrians of their presence.

Toyota and Lexus have announced that they will fit all of their EV and hybrid models with a synthetic motor sound alert that will emit a humming noise when the vehicle is operating on electric power alone.