EVs posing safety issues

EVs are posing safety issues in the Netherlands.
By MJ Woof June 30, 2020 Read time: 1 min
Electric vehicles offer environmental benefits but there are safety concerns over their quiet operation

There is concern in the Netherlands over the safety issues posed by EVs. One body, Automotive Insiders, believes that by 2030 there could be an extra 1,400 deaths/year on the road network as EVs proliferate in the country.

The key problem is that EVs are quieter in operation. Pedestrians may step out into the road without looking, relying on listening for the sound of a vehicle approaching. This is a particular issue for those with vision problems who are more reliant on hearing.

Noise generators have been suggested as a solution to the problem. Electric vehicles would be required to make a sound, alerting pedestrians to their approach.

There were 661 road deaths in the Netherlands in 2019, compared with 644 in 2018. And as EVs become more common, it is possible the situation will worsen and unless measures are taken.

Highway & Network Management

Related Content

  • Priorotising road safety worldwide
    February 22, 2012
    Road safety is a crucial issue worldwide and on the busy roads of the 27 EU nations, action is being taken to reduce the annual death toll. As a way forward the EU nations have agreed a new safety target to reduce road deaths by 50% by 2020. This follows on from the target set in 2001 of halving road deaths by 2010 and which saw progress being achieved in most countries.
    Read More
  • Wrong time to end right turns?
    March 15, 2024
    Banning right-hand turns after stopping for a red light is gaining momentum in the US. But debate continues about whether it will result in fewer incidents between vehicles and alternative mobility users. David Arminas reports.
    Read More
  • Noise needed for quiet cars
    January 9, 2014
    Electric vehicles and hybrids should be fitted with noise emission equipment to reduce danger levels for the blind and partially sighted, according to the European Blind Union (EBU). The EBU is calling on the EU to make noise generators compulsory for all electric and hybrid vehicles due to the obvious risks these pose to blind and partially sighted people. Hybrid vehicles generally run in electric mode when operating at lower speeds in the urban cycle and generate very little engine noise, while electric v
    Read More
  • Shell’s John Read explains “adaptable bitumen” developments
    December 15, 2016
    Shell’s highly innovative bitumen and asphalt solutions are helping create future-ready urban road networks around the world to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. Shell’s general manager of bitumen technology, Professor John Read, takes a look at some of the company’s game-changing ideas. The next 30 or so years will see a significant transformation in the way we live. Whereas almost 75% of the world’s population lived in rural locations in 1950, around 75% will live in cities by 2050. The global popu
    Read More

Highlighted Content