National Federation of the Blind outlines dangers of hybrid cars

A slient danger?(Credit: CNET Networks)

The benefits of hybrid cars have been outlined and debated exhaustively. But one drawback of gasoline-electric vehicles will be raised next week when the National Federation of the Blind is due to testify at a hearing in Maryland on the dangers that hybrid vehicles in silent mode pose to the blind and other pedestrians. So called "full hybrid" cars such as the Toyota Prius and the Lexus GS450h cut their combustion engines and rely on propulsion from quiet electric motors under certain low-speed driving conditions. According to the NFB, " hybrid vehicles are virtually silent when accelerating and decelerating, making it impossible for blind individuals to detect their presence". To address the issue, Maryland State Senator Norman Stone is proposing a bill aimed at requiring all vehicles sold and licensed in Maryland to emit a minimum sound level at all times.