Hybrid cars are safer because they are heavier claim

Passengers in hybrid-powered cars are about 25% less likely to be injured in a crash than those in their conventional-powered counterparts, according to research released by the Highway Loss Data Institute, which claims that the additional weight of the hybrid engine adds an extra layer of safety over similar, non-hybrid cars. Cars with hybrid engines typically weigh about 10% more than their conventionally-powered twins.
May 14, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSSPassengers in hybrid-powered cars are about 25% less likely to be injured in a crash than those in their conventional-powered counterparts, according to research released by the 5523 Highway Loss Data Institute (HDLI), which claims that the additional weight of the hybrid engine adds an extra layer of safety over similar, non-hybrid cars. Cars with hybrid engines typically weigh about 10% more than their conventionally-powered twins.

“This new research shows that hybrid engines not only save fuel, but they may save lives,” claimed Candysse Miller, executive director of the 5524 Insurance Information Network of California. “Choosing a car that saves gas doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on safety.”

The research compared 25 hybrid cars and their petrol-powered versions of the same vehicles, including the 2728 Toyota Camry, 3423 Ford Fusion and the 2288 Honda Accord. The Toyota Prius and Honda Insight, which are not available with petrol-power only, were not included in the study. However the findings make no mention of any analysis into the types of people who choose to buy hybrid cars and does not reveal any evaluation of their driving styles, which may show a somewhat different perspective on the research. Experience would suggest that owners of hybrid cars are less likely to be people who drive at speed or who are attracted by high performance, details that the research seems to have overlooked.

A separate analysis by the HLDI found that hybrids may be as much as 20% more likely to be involved in collisions with pedestrians than their petrol-powered counterparts, likely due to their quiet engines. The US 2467 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently developing policy to equip electric and hybrid cars with sounds to alert unsuspecting pedestrians.

Related Content

  • Smart road test facility in Virginia
    July 28, 2015
    A test stretch of road in the US is playing a valuable role in developing technology and boosting traffic safety -*Tom Gibson writes Located a short distance from the Virginia Tech campus in the mountains of rural southwest Virginia in the mid-Atlantic region of United States, the Virginia Smart Road looks like a conventional road. But venturing to either end of the 3.5km-long thoroughfare reveals that it actually goes nowhere, at least for now. The result of a plan conceived back in the 1980s, the Vi
    Read More
  • Caterpillar’s hybrid excavator uses evolutionary technology
    September 27, 2013
    Caterpillar’s hybrid excavator represents evolutionary rather than revolutionary technology - Mike Woof reports One of the key things to understand about Caterpillar’s hybrid excavator is that its fuel savings come not from a single technology, but from a range of features that have been integrated together. The sophisticated engine works hand in hand with the advanced hydraulics, with electronics governing the whole operation and optimising efficiency. And while none of these technologies is new in it
    Read More
  • Motorway madness
    September 24, 2019
    A cyclist was recently spotted on the UK’s busy M25 motorway pedalling along the hard shoulder in the wrong direction. Police were alerted by a CCTV operator who saw the rider as he rode past a camera. Officers quickly responded and escorted the cyclist to a place of safety after providing a few words on safety. Cycling is banned on the UK’s motorways.
    Read More
  • Young Driver Risk
    April 16, 2018
    Police in the US state of Ohio recently found themselves in a high-speed pursuit involving a vehicle taken without its owner’s consent. The chase lasted for around one hour and the vehicle hit speeds of up to 160km/h during the pursuit, which covered a distance of around 72km in all between Cleveland and Milan. Officers managed to box the car in and bring it to a halt, without anyone being injured. The driver was a 10-year-old boy who took his mother’s car, the second time that the lad had done this in just
    Read More

Highlighted Content