Safety is the most important factor of any vehicle. After all, what good is having an eco-friendly vehicle if it’s not safe to drive?
Within the past decade, green/hybrid vehicles have been celebrated for their fuel efficiency and low emissions. But how much do consumers really know about the safety of these vehicles?
According to many car insurance tips, a vehicle with a good safety rating can save money on your insurance premiums. Here are some things that you should know about the safety of green/hybrid vehicles.
1. Advanced Safety Features
Image Source: Pxhere
Green/hybrid vehicles offer many of the advanced safety features that are in regular cars. Notable safety features include anti-lock braking systems (ABS), tire pressure monitoring systems and an engine immobilizer.
ABS is an important feature for any car including green/hybrid vehicles. Regardless of the terrain or weather conditions, ABS prevents the wheel from locking up. When your vehicle has ABS, it won’t skid into another vehicle as a result of locked brakes.
Tire pressure monitoring systems are essential for vehicle safety. To prevent accidents, your tires must be properly inflated at all times. These systems provide an instant alert when your tire pressure falls below the recommended level.
An engine immobilizer prevents your car from running without the presence of a remote device. If your vehicle has been stolen, the engine will automatically turn off shortly after the immobilizer doesn’t detect the remote.
2. Green/Hybrid Car Batteries
Image Source: Wikimedia
Cars that are fueled by gasoline can cause a fuel if they collide with another object. Green/Hybrid vehicles don’t have that problem because they are powered by batteries.
Although green/hybrid cars aren’t fuel by gasoline, the car batteries have the potential to be unsafe. In some instances in the past, green/hybrid car batteries were recalled because particles were trapped into the battery. This caused the vehicles to stop suddenly.
Green/hybrid car batteries can overheat. When this happens, the battery can catch fire. For that reason it’s important to have a fire extinguisher, can of soda or copper powder available at all times.
The batteries in green/hybrid vehicles are heavier than batteries in other cars. You could injure your back if you try to remove this battery from the vehicle.
Defective green/hybrid vehicles can emit dangerous gases into the environment. If your vehicle is kept in an enclosed space, the gases could harm you or your family members.
3. Other Potential Hazards
Image Source: Energy.gov
When you think about green/hybrid vehicles, a great deal of electricity is required to power these vehicles. That’s one of the reasons these vehicles must be handled with care.
The most dangerous part of the green/hybrid vehicle is located underneath its hood. Since it contains high voltages of electricity, you could be electrocuted if you come in contact with one of its components.
Another potential hazard is the huge concentration of electricity. This electrical accumulation could cause the engine to explode.
In terms of safety features, there are a lot of things for you to consider if you are planning to own a green/hybrid vehicle.