Pedestrian deaths in the United States have climbed dramatically over the past five years. A recent study in the UK showed that hybrids and EVs are twice as likely to strike pedestrians than vehicles with combustion engines and up to three times more likely to do so in urban areas.
They are quieter than gas cars, making it more difficult to hear one approaching, despite being required to generate a sound at lower speeds. They also tend to be driven by younger drivers with less experience. While this study took place in the UK, a 2017 study from the U.S. Department of Transportation showed that EVs and hybrids present a 20 percent than internal combustion-powered cars, a risk that rises to 50 percent during low-speed maneuvers.
