Electric Cars Pose Higher Risk to Pedestrians: Study

British road traffic incidents show that hybrid and electric automobiles are more likely to hit pedestrians than petrol or diesel vehicles, especially in metropolitan areas.

Based on 32 billion miles of battery-powered auto travel and 3 trillion miles of gasoline and diesel car travel, electric and hybrid cars struck pedestrians twice as often as fossil fuel-powered cars. Urban regions have three times the risk, as reported by The Guardian.

While the additional risk posed by EVs is uncertain, researchers believe various elements are involved. Younger, less experienced drivers use electric cars, which are quieter than combustion engines and harder to hear in cities.

Road traffic incidents are the leading cause of death for children and young people in the UK, with pedestrians accounting for 25% of these deaths.

Edwards and colleagues examined 2013-2017 UK travel and traffic accident data. Data after 2018 is unavailable due to archiving issues. They examined 916,713 victims, 120,197 of whom were pedestrians. More than 96,000 cars and taxis hit people.

Electric Vehicles Pose More Risk Than Gas-Powered Cars

The majority of pedestrian accidents involved gasoline or diesel automobiles. However, electric vehicles were riskier for the same distance. The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found that electric and hybrid automobiles had 5.16 pedestrian casualties per 100 million kilometers traveled, compared to 2.4 for petrol and diesel cars.

The study noted that battery-powered cars were no more risky than petrol or diesel vehicles in rural areas, but they were three times more likely to hit people in cities.

Since July 2019, all new hybrid and electric cars sold in Europe must feature an acoustic vehicle warning system that sounds while slowing. However, hundreds of thousands of electric automobiles lack these devices. Edwards suggested that installing these systems in all-electric vehicles and retrofitting older models would be a good start. The Green Cross Code also "probably needs updating."

Nicola Christie, a UCL transport safety lecturer, said individuals use sound to estimate vehicle presence, speed, and position. Missing these indications can be difficult for busy urbanites. She added that adults with low visual acuity or children who have trouble judging vehicle speed and distance may be more affected.

CBS News reported a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicating that EVs perform well in simulated collisions as their batteries make them heavier, strengthening passenger protection. However, traffic safety experts worry about the harm to other drivers caused by eco-friendly but heavier automobiles.

The median vehicle weight in mid-2023 was 4,300 pounds, according to official data. Some new huge EVs are heavier. Crash experts feel this weight differential is essential.

IIHS Vehicle Research Center vice president Raul Arbelaez in Ruckersville, Virginia called the risk a "simple law of physics": the crash will be more severe for the lighter vehicle if it collides with a heavy one. Moreover, heavier electric cars have faster acceleration, increasing stopping distances.

In 2017, the U.S. Department of Transportation concluded that electric and hybrid automobiles were 20% more dangerous to pedestrians than petrol and diesel cars, and 50% more dangerous during low-speed movements such as turning, reversing, entering traffic, and halting.

Edwards warned if the government promotes a shift to electric automobiles, pedestrians will be at risk unless the issue gets addressed.

EV Sales Continue to Rise Despite Safety Risks

The International Energy Agency's (IEA) Global EV Outlook 2024 predicts that 17 million electric vehicles (EVs), or more than one in five cars sold worldwide in 2024.

Demand for clean, affordable EVs will alter the global car industry in the coming decade. According to Forbes, by 2035, the IEA predicts that 50% of automobiles sold worldwide will be EVs, reducing oil demand by 6-10 million barrels per day, comparable to US road traffic.

The upfront cost differential between EVs and internal combustion engine automobiles has diminished rapidly. Switching to electric vehicles saves drivers money by substituting fuel with cheaper power.