South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog
Hybrids have a safety edge over the gas-guzzling vehicles on the roadways. In a recent study, conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), hybrids are better able to protect vehicle occupants in the event of an accident. As a matter of fact, you’re 25 percent less liked to be injured in a hybrid during a car accident in Deerfield Beach and elsewhere.
“Hybrids on average are 10 percent heavier than their standard counterparts. This extra mass gives them an advantage in crashes,” says Matt Moore, HLDI vice president.
As we recently reported on our Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Lawyers Blog, the type of car you choose is an important decision in your likelihood of staying safe in the event of a car accident. Drivers are urged to check out the safety ratings of vehicles before making a purchase. The new discoveries regarding hybrid vehicles are good news to energy-conscious consumers who aren’t willing to trade safety for fuel economy. Before this, green drivers had to choose between one or the other because the hybrids were typically smaller and lighter and more dangerous for occupants.
Hybrids now come with more safety options than every that can help save money at the pump and save lives in accidents.
In the recent study, crash results were the same for hybrid vehicles and their conventional versions were uplifting for hybrid owners. Hybrid passengers’ odds for injury were more than 25 percent lower than their standard counterparts, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Size and weight has always been associated with safety. Both the hybrid and its conventional counterpart share the same structure and footprint, but now the hybrid outweighs gas guzzlers because of the added weight of battery packs and a number of additional components used in dual-power systems. The additions on the hybrids add the extra weight needed for safety. The newer model hybrids oftentimes weigh more than their counterparts.
A downside discovered in the study regarded hybrid-pedestrian car accidents. All too often, the electric motor is too quiet for pedestrians to hear on our roadways. Study data concluded that hybrids were about 20 percent more likely to be involved in pedestrian accident that their convention versions.
This is a problem that has become so widely recognized that it’s even gaining attention from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as they work to correct the problem. In the beginning of this year, Congress allotted the NHTSA with three years to find a way to make these vehicles more noticeable by pedestrians.
As vehicle technology advances, we’ll continue to face safety issues. Consumers are urged to research potential purchases to help ensure the safety of vehicle occupants. Regardless of which vehicle you choose, it’s important to drive carefully and cautiously to help to preserve the safety of your fellow travelers.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident in Deerfield Beach, Lake Worth, Hollywood, Sunrise, St. Lucie or the surrounding areas, contact a personal injury lawyer at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC. Call 1-800-561-7777 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney today.
More Blog Entries:
Daylight Saving Time Brings Increased Risks of Car Accidents in Royal Palm Beach, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, November 21, 2011
Car Accidents in Port St. Lucie and Elsewhere Cost About $300 Billion Annually, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, November 5, 2011