Sir, – One of National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI)’s fears in relation to electric vehicles was realised in Paris recently, when a pedestrian was knocked down by an electric car, which she did not hear approaching. Thankfully the woman was not seriously hurt.
NCBI recognises the environmental benefits of electric vehicles, but we are concerned that these cars will have safety implications for people who are blind or vision impaired, as well as for the general public. People with impaired vision rely heavily on their sense of hearing when crossing roads, listening for the sound of a vehicle’s engine to establish its movement and speed.
Traditional engines have a distinct sound, familiar to all pedestrians, who have acquired the ability to know its proximity and speed, and to take the necessary actions in respect to preserving their own safety.
While some electric cars on the road in Ireland have the facility to emit a generated sound, it can be turned on or off and drivers are not aware of the importance of activating the sound.
The Government has set a target for 10 per cent of Ireland’s vehicles to be electric by 2020, so perhaps we need to emulate the Japanese and US governments, which are drawing up legislation to ensure that electric cars emit a sound and that there is a minimum standard for that sound, which will occur automatically. – Yours, etc,