Hybrid Car Noise Bill to Protect Pedestrians

[Bob Orts]

When the first all electric EV's came out, there were several serious car pedestrian/bicycle accidents due to the "quietness" of the EV's. I’m sure some were due to inattention of the pedestrians/bicycles who may have drifted into the EV's lane or they didn't use common sense and LOOK before they acted, but, there was enough incidents to raise the safety concern that EV's often were upon a person without them knowing the vehicle was there. Since the time GM cough up the money to a blind victim’s estate under a product liability case, some manufactures have incorporated some type of small audible devices in the cars. On some it's a mechanical air or drive-train driven thing that makes a slight variable whirring sound to alert people of the approach of a vehicle and on some it's an electronic sound generator tied to the movement of the vehicle. As noted in the bill, the blind are especially at risk.

The federal vehicle regulations do not mandate these devices. Some manufactures have already incorporated these devices to prevent further lawsuits and to address the issues raised by the blind and parent groups. The all electric quiet car was the catalyst but the popularity of hybrids like the Prius (which are audible next to the EV-1’s), have brought this issue forward. Accidents are happening based solely on a person not knowing the vehicle is present or that it’s accelerating, decelerating, stopped or moving. I think Hawaii may just be following what some other states are doing and that's asking the feds to mandate some sound device. Since many new alternative (all electric) powered vehicles are being approved for sales, some manufactures may omit the devices not realizing the safety concerns raised.