| The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | | | | If these proposals go into effect, The National Highway |
| reported that hybrid cars and vehicles have a much | | | | Traffic Safety Administration must begin writing |
| higher rate of pedestrian-involved accidents than other | | | | legislation within 18 months and finalize the law within |
| vehicles. At the SAE World Congress, David | | | | three years. The NHTSA would be responsible for |
| Strickland, chief of NHTSA, remarked, "Our analysis of | | | | setting the minimal noise level a vehicle would have to |
| limited data from 12 states shows that hybrid electric | | | | make at lower speeds. |
| vehicles do have a significantly higher incidence rate of | | | | These safety regulations would benefit all pedestrians, |
| pedestrian crashes than internal combustion engines | | | | not just the deaf and hard of hearing. Sighted |
| for certain maneuvers - like slowing or stopping, | | | | pedestrians such as small children and bike riders were |
| backing up, entering or leaving a parking space, and | | | | also targeted by this proposed law. |
| making a turn." | | | | Not everyone would be thrilled by such a law-one of |
| Two automobile manufacturer organizations, AAM and | | | | the many benefits of a hybrid electric car is its quiet |
| AIAM, have teamed up with two organizations for the | | | | performance, and the addition of artificial sounds would |
| blind, ACB and NFB, to send a letter to Congress | | | | be unappealing to some drivers. |
| today stating their support for legislation that requires | | | | Drivers aren't the only ones who wouldn't be thrilled. |
| future hybrid vehicles to create artificial sounds when | | | | The organization NoiseOFF writes on their website, |
| moving at low speeds. This proposal could become | | | | "The NFB (National Federation for the Blind) is using |
| part of the Motor Safety Act of 2010, a bill now | | | | money and political clout to increase noise pollution |
| moving through Congress. | | | | levels and adversely affect millions of people in the |
| Under this proposed law, the alert sounds cannot be | | | | name of pedestrian safety" and that an alternative |
| customized as if they were cell phone ring tones. | | | | solution would be to give receiver devices to the blind |
| Instead, the sound options would be provided by the | | | | that will alert them when a hybrid is near. The |
| vehicle manufacturers and activate automatically at | | | | downside to this alternative is that it does nothing to |
| lower speeds. The sounds will most likely mimic the | | | | protect sighted pedestrians and blind pedestrians must |
| engine noises of louder vehicles. Vehicles will not | | | | carry them around all the time. |
| require artificial sounds at higher speeds. | | | | |