As the weather gets cooler and darkness falls earlier, it’s important for drivers to be extra vigilant on the road as wildlife activity near the road increases. Every year, traffic accidents are registered on the roads of Latvia, where people have been injured or even killed when a car collided with an animal. Although electric cars are much quieter on the road, experts agree that drivers should be vigilant on the road, as the car’s quiet operation increases the likelihood of a collision with an animal.
“Silent electric cars do not protect against the risk of collisions. Our statistics show that drivers of electric cars also get involved in serious traffic accidents – in this respect they are no different from cars with an internal combustion engine. Collisions with animals if certain components of the electric vehicle are damaged, such as the engine and the battery can cause serious losses. For example, a customer recently had an accident where the electric car that left the showroom just a month ago was beyond repair after a collision with a forest animal, with losses exceeding 50 thousand euros,” says Đirts Kubliņš, head of If Insurance’s vehicle claims group.
The European Commission has limited the silent operation of electric cars
More and more drivers are opting for electric cars, but the quiet operation of this vehicle brings additional hazards. If the electric car moves through the residential area, driving at a low speed (20-30 km/h), then its sound is practically not heard, if the car drives at a higher speed, then the noise caused by the tires is heard more. “For this reason, in July 2019, the European Commission Regulation* determined that all new electric cars must make noise so that they can be heard, even when driving at low speed. To achieve this, new electric and hybrid car models must be equipped with a special safety device – acoustic vehicle warning system,” states G. Kubliņš, adding that the sound alone will not protect against the risk of colliding with a wild animal.
Vigilant and smart decisions can protect you from a traffic accident
Before starting the car movement, it is useful to check whether the windows are clean and whether all the car lights are in working order. On the other hand, already on the road, drivers should pay attention to the warning road sign no. 125, which informs that you have entered a section of the road where there is a high chance of encountering wild animals.
G. Kubliņš urges: “When you see an animal and try to scare it away, you should not scare it by signaling with the near and far lights, because a frightened animal can become unpredictable. Wild animals can also be frightened by excessive puffing.”
The important thing is to spot the first animal
Animals do not run on the road just like that – they go to feeding places or return from them. If the road crosses their feeding and resting places, they cross that road and they don’t care what cars drive on it. Some animals see cars, understand that they are driving, and do not jump onto the road at that time. Others run down the road without even looking. The third ones follow their family members, so if the driver does not stop when passing one animal, there is a good chance that the next one will jump onto the road. For example, nothing will stop a herd of wild boars – they will run across the road regardless. On the other hand, deer sometimes stop, but if there are a lot of them, the deer do not stop running. The most important thing is for the driver to spot the first animal in time.
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“Tesla” electric car. Photo: Unisplash
2023-10-30 04:44:22
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