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

  • The hanging Honda
    August 10, 2018
    Police in Toronto are still mystified as to how and why a stripped-out Honda was left dangling from a busy bridge. At first it was thought the car had been placed there as part of a movie shoot, but it was quickly realised that this was not the case and no request had been filed to carry out such a stunt. The car was stripped of any identification as well as many mechanical components, reducing its weight sufficiently for it to be suspended from a single cable. After a period left hanging, the vehicle was l
    Read More
  • Road safety improvement for the US
    December 11, 2012
    The US is seeing improvements in road safety overall, with a drop in road crash statistics for 2011. The data for 2011 is encouraging and the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a new analysis indicating that highway deaths fell to 32,367 in 2011. This marked the lowest level of road related fatalities since 1949, 1.9% decrease from the previous year. Furthermore, this updated 2011 data show the historic downward trend in recent years continu
    Read More
  • Micro-mobility transport solutions under development
    July 24, 2012
    A new report by research specialist Frost & Sullivan suggests that major vehicle producers are working on micro-mobility solutions. The development of these micro-mobility options is being carried out in parallel with that of more conventional four-wheeled vehicles. In all, the report suggests that 25 of the major vehicle manufacturers are working on a total of 150 micro-mobility projects aimed for launch by 2020. These international vehicle firms believe that micro-mobility solutions will suit commuter use
    Read More
  • The US needs to address its road safety problems
    November 8, 2019
    The US has serious road safety issues that need to be addressed. In 2018, close to 36,600 people were killed in road crashes, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The fatality rate for 2018 represents a 2.4% drop from 2017. In addition, the road death rate/160 million vehicle km traveled also decreased by 3.4%, from 1.17 in 2017 to 1.13 in 2018. And the NHTSA says it is the lowest fatality rate since 2014. Nearly 36,600 people died on US roadways last year, a
    Read More

Highlighted Content