Extra Weight Appears to Give Hybrids Edge in Safety

NU Online News Service, Nov. 17, 12:52 p.m. EDT

Due in part to their heavier weight compared to their standard counterparts, hybrids have a safety edge over their conventional twins when it comes to crashes, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

In its study, HLDI analyzed more than 25 hybrid and conventional vehicle pairs made from 2003 to 2011, with at least one collision claim and at least one related injury claim filed under personal injury protection or medical payment (MedPay) coverage from 2002 to 2010.

HDLI finds that injury odds were 27 percent lower for hybrids for collision claims with a related PIP claim and 25 percent lower for collision claims with a related MedPay claim.

“Weight is a big factor,” says Matt Moore, author of the report and HLDI vice president. “Hybrids on average are 10 percent heavier than their standard counterparts. This extra mass gives them an advantage in crashes that their conventional twins don't have.”

Other factors Moore cites include how, when and by whom hybrids are typically driven, although HLDI notes that researchers included controls to reduce the impact of those factors on the study.

A separate HLDI analysis shows hybrids could be as much as 20 percent more likely to be involved in pedestrian crashes with injuries than their standard counterparts. Speaking to the possible reasons, Moore says, “When hybrids operate in electric-only mode, pedestrians can't hear them approaching, so they might step out into the roadway without checking first to see what's coming.”