California state representatives have been getting increased calls concerning pedestrians who have been involved in more and more hybrid car vs. pedestrian accidents. A bill was sent to Governor Arnold Swarzenegger for review that would that would require the California Energy Commission to set up a committee to study this issue. Los Angeles Pedestrian accident attorneys have been wondering when the State would see what the injury lawyers had been seeing all along.Hybrid cars are gaining in popularity and there will be many more added to the streets as years go by. One attractive feature of the hybrid cars is the fact that they are so quite. They are so quiet though that people simply do not hear them approaching and if you are deaf or blind, that makes matters worse. Even a hearing and seeing pedestrian can enter a crosswalk or roadway with out seeing an on coming silent vehicle.
Lobbyists for the California Council for the blind are trying to get legislators to do a study on this problem. Other groups are trying to push them to mandate technology to be included on these vehicles that would put an artificial sound on them.
Engineers at Toyota are working on trying to come up with a solution to meet the needs of persons who cannot see. In fact, loud speakers were put under the hood of a hybrid Toyota Prius near the radiator. It has a high pitch frequency effect to identify the distance and speed as it approaches objects. This is being done on a trial basis by Toyota and is not perfected yet. Another group of researchers from Stanford is doing work on developing an after market audio add on that would cause the hybrid vehicle to make a noise when in operation.
A new technology from Europe done by Lotus, has also been developed and can simulate the noise of a real engine. This would be beneficial to those who are deaf or blind and to cyclists also who do not see vehicles as they approach from behind. An executive from Lotus Group is hoping that a minimum noise requirement is legislated for vehicles to insure pedestrian safety. Opponents to this legislation state that it is the drivers responsibility to give the right away to pedestrians and to be fully aware of what is going on around them at all times.
All these studies, researches and inventions are being done in response to the growing concerns that quiet hybrid car accidents have been causing an increased number of accidents resulting in serious injuries. Just as in the need for seat belt laws, there appears to be a need for a minimum vehicle noise law for the protection of all.