A new year brings a new legislative table. One proposal was announced earlier this week as being open for deliberation regarding the noise levels of cars and the safety features to help alert pedestrians and bicyclists when quiet cars are around or approaching. So many car accidents in Tennessee and elsewhere involve pedestrians and they can be much more dangerous to someone who isn’t in an enclosed vehicle with a seatbelt or airbags.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced this proposal in hopes that it would be able to prevent many such unwanted accidents. The noise levels of such vehicles as hybrids or electronic ones are much quieter that those of vehicles that run on fuel-based engines, making it more difficult for a pedestrian to be aware of their presence. The initiative states that all automobiles would have to acquiesce to the mandated noise levels laid out by the proposal when going under 18 miles per hour. The report mentions that the 18mph cap is due to the fact that after that speed, vehicles make enough noise on their own to be detectable.
While the proposal continues on through deliberation, some other industry automakers are already noted as having been producing similar devices to warn pedestrians. The devices make certain noises while the vehicle is operating at low speeds – similar to the directions of the proposal – however, they reportedly would be an added on feature that a consumer could purchase.
Tennessee residents may be interested in watching what becomes of this proposal and how it could affect their communities. For those who have been in an accident as a pedestrian and suffered injuries from it, working with an attorney could help in receiving some compensation for the injuries sustained or any work missed.
Source: truckinginfo.com, “NHTSA proposes new minimum sound requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles,” Jan. 9, 2013