The National Federation for the Blind brought to my attention an issue that I never even imagined could be a problem. Hybrid cars are very quiet. Visually impaired people use their hearing to avoid obstacles like cars. You can imagine the conundrum.
Source: Sheraz Sadiq
More quiet cars in the news
5/8/2008 1:31:00 PM
The dangers posed by silent vehicle technology continue to make headlines, and the general public is increasingly seeing the merits of the point of view of the National Federation of the Blind. Earlier this week, the Press-Enterprise published an excellent article about the problem. The article highlights continued scientific research about the perception of these vehicles by pedestrians, noting that a pedestrian may have as little as one second of warning in which to avoid an approaching hybrid car. Also this week, a Minnesota television station reported that a sighted eight-year-old cyclist had collided with a Toyota Prius that he did not hear. Thankfully, the child was not seriously injured. Jennifer Dunnam, the president of our Minnesota affiliate, was interviewed following this incident and explained the importance of vehicle sound to the blind and all other pedestrians. The television story has also been aired on CNN. In light of these developments, support for the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008 continues to grow, with twenty-five cosponsors having signed on to H.R. 5734 at the time of this writing. Representative Towns, the sponsor of the bill, has requested that Congressional hearings be held. The National Federation of the Blind is clearly requesting action that will benefit all pedestrians, and the logic of our argument is beyond dispute. VNB will continue to keep readers informed as support for safe vehicle technology continues to grow.
