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8,387 were hybrids, of which 77 had struck a pedestrian — this works out to a 0.9 percent incidence rate 559,703 vehicles were traditional gas-burners, which s
by tumult 17y ago
8,387 were hybrids, of which 77 had struck a pedestrian — this works out to a 0.9 percent incidence rate
559,703 vehicles were traditional gas-burners, which struck 3,578 pedestrians, which works out to a 0.6 percent incidence rate
The article says "nearly twice as likely", which is not even really close at all. Also, the sample size is much smaller for the hybrids.
I understand that cars which are running on electricity are harder to hear coming. For the blind, I can see that as being troubling. That being said, I can hear a hybrid or a full electric fairly easily. I might have trouble hearing one coming if it were going over 20mph, since I'd have less time to react. The point is moot, though, since I actually look both ways when I'm crossing a street, like you are told when you're a child.
- thingie 17y agoI would also expect hybrid cars to be used more in cities and less outside them, which could also add to a chance to hit someone, because there are more pedestrians in the cities. And so on. The conclusion should rather say, that there is no significant difference in this matter, as it isn't. (0.6 to 0.9…)
- foulmouthboy 17y agoThere actually is a statistically significant difference between .6 and .9 with those sample sizes. So the conclusion should in fact say that there is a statistical significance.
- foulmouthboy 17y agoThey may have edited the article, but it reads, "up to twice as likely" and that observation is based on the incidents of bicyclists hit by hybrids vs standards (.6 to .3 percent respectively). Also, to say that one can avoid being hit by a car by simply looking both ways when crossing a street is a little crass. I'm sure the thousands of pedestrians actually injured and killed by cars every year never thought to "look both ways".
- tumult 17y agoI'm sure they are. But I suspect the difference between a gas engine and a hybrid one would not have made a difference in cases like those.
- foulmouthboy 17y agoWhy not? I don't think the initial hypothesis is so bad: If you can't hear something coming, you're more likely to get hit by it. A gas engine is significantly noisier than a hybrid one.
- tumult 17y agoIt's just a hypothesis. The burden of proof rests on gathering evidence. So far, I don't think there is any.