A new bill was introduced to the United States Congress on April 9, 2008. The bill is intended to protect pedestrians from the dangers of quiet vehicles.
The bill will require the Secretary of Transportation to establish safety requirements regarding the amount of noise vehicles, especially hybrids make during operation. This will include standardizing an audible alert for people that are nearby the vehicle in an attempt to prevent pedestrian related car wrecks.
The legislation was pushed by the National Federation of the Blind who campaigns to raise awareness of the danger of hybrid vehicles to people who rely on their hearing while crossing the street.
Although there has not been a particular instance of someone being hit by a quit car, the National Federation of the Blind relates that it is a danger. An ongoing study at the University of California, Riverside indicates that there is a risk associated with quit vehicles.
The study indicates that hybrid vehicles operating at slower speeds need to be at least 40 percent closer to pedestrians than combustion-engine vehicles in order for the car to make enough audible noise to be detected by pedestrians.
Car wreck attorneys are working on cases that involve serious injuries to pedestrians during a car wreck.