Electric cars creep me out for 1 reason - (vehicle, 2012, hybrid)
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I read an article that if a person gets into an accident with either a hybrid gas/electric car or an electric car, if the person would get into an accident where they have to be rescued, if the rescuers dont know how to rescue someone properly, the people in the car could be electrocuted, especially if the jaws of life have to rescue the people. I think it has to do with an electric cable or something that goes along the length of the car, and rescuers need to know how to go around it.
I thought the new light bulbs were bad, (if you break them they give off a toxic gas).. but this has me creeped out. its supposed to be good for the environment to have an electric car, but I would not buy one knowing this.
I read an article that if a person gets into an accident with either a hybrid gas/electric car or an electric car, if the person would get into an accident where they have to be rescued, if the rescuers dont know how to rescue someone properly, the people in the car could be electrocuted, especially if the jaws of life have to rescue the people. I think it has to do with an electric cable or something that goes along the length of the car, and rescuers need to know how to go around it.
I thought the new light bulbs were bad, (if you break them they give off a toxic gas).. but this has me creeped out. its supposed to be good for the environment to have an electric car, but I would not buy one knowing this.
Emergency response personnel receive training with regards to electric vehicle. This isn't something that would keep me from buying an electric vehicle especially when you consider that a gasoline powered car is far more likely to catch fire following a serious accident and burn you alive while you're unconscious or immobile. I'll take the risk of electric shock over the risk of being burned any day of the week
Last edited by iTsLiKeAnEgG; 04-26-2013 at 12:59 PM..
The risk is not to the passengers in the car as much as it is to the first responders themselves. The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) issued a position paper on it not that long ago that called for some standardization in badging and safety protocols, things the manufacturers were already doing. The risk is almost non-existent in a hybrid, but is more of a concern in an electric car if the various automatic safety functions fail. One of the primary recommendations was a "disconnect switch" placed in the same location in all electric cars that would kill the power. The issue is related to high voltage cables that run through the frame. If they were live and cut into, they would deliver a large shock to the person cutting into them.
To date many hybrids and electric cars have been in accidents, none of them have caused a death to an occupant or first responder from electrocution. The SAE report was based on a potential problem that they felt should be addressed now as more and more electric vehicles are put on the road. Within that same report they also state that the risk of electrocution is far less than the risk of conventional fuels combusting post-accident. Their estimation was that electric cars should ultimately turn out to be safer than conventionally powered cars.
This is why first responders of all types (law enforcement, fire, medics) train constantly for all new hazards facing their daily missions as technologies emerge.
I'm not a gigantic electric car proponent (I don't really care either way), but I wonder if someone wrote a similar letter into a newspaper back in the early 1900's when most houses were being wired for electricity - worried about the danger to the firefighters of the time?
If you're really concerned with being electrocuted, just replace the front airbags with a projectile. You'll never have to worry again about being electrocuted in a bad accident.
This isn't something that would keep me from buying an electric vehicle especially when you considering that a gasoline powered car is far more likely to catch fire following a serious accident and burn you alive while you're unconscious or immobile. I'll take the risk of electric shock over the risk of being burned any day of the week
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJGOAT
To date many hybrids and electric cars have been in accidents, none of them have caused a death to an occupant or first responder from electrocution. The SAE report was based on a potential problem that they felt should be addressed now as more and more electric vehicles are put on the road. Within that same report they also state that the risk of electrocution is far less than the risk of conventional fuels combusting post-accident. Their estimation was that electric cars should ultimately turn out to be safer than conventionally powered cars.
As someone who nearly lost my life when a car I was a passenger in exploded and burned down due to a faulty fuel line, I have no qualms about buying an electric car (and did).
Anyway those lines are run along the floor or under the floor. To extract someone they would be cutting off the roof or door.
Yes, because nobody ever has to be extracted from a car that comes to rest on its top in a ditch.
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