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National Federation of the Blind

Committee on Automobile and Pedestrian Safety⁄Quiet Cars

Articles on the Web:

YOU ARE HERE! Photo of people crossing the street; one of them is our own Committee member Barbara Pierce

the next set of links will take you away from this page to other articles on the subject of "Quiet Cars".

  • Quiet cars feared as Potential Killers tial killers By JEFF MARTIN Argus, Story Updated: Oct 11, 2009, at 7:52 EDT, sioux Falls, S.D., AP
  • Quiet-running hybrids and electrics need audible backup alerts Consumer Reports on Safety September 23, 2009 from consumer Reports
  • the Deadly silence of the Electric Car -- Washington Post.com By Peter WhoriskeyWashington Post Staff Writer , Wednesday, September 23, 2009
  • Hybrid Vehicles,silence seen as posing Peril --going Green--MSNBC
  • Nissan Adds ‘Beautiful’ Noise to Make Silent Electric Cars Safe From Blumeberg .com, By Makiko Kitamura and Yuki Hagiwara, September 18, 2009
  • The sound of silence, Economist - UK Print Edition May 7, 2009,
  • Group wants law requiring hybrid cars to be louder January 28, 2009, By John Hollenhorst, from: KSL Television & Radio, Salt Lake City UT A Division of Bonneville International
  • the Environment Report News Story - Producer Rebecca Williams -- Released date: January 19, 2009
  • Hybrid cars too quiet for pedestrian safety? Add engine noise, say human factors researchers, Posted by barakn 11/17/08 14:59, (blog posting)
  • Download Resolutions passed at the 2008 World Blind Union in Word format
  • Are Hybrid Cars Too Quiet to Be Safe for Pedestrians? Pedestrians, used to loud engine noise, have less warning when a car powered by a hybrid or electric motor approaches, By Sarah Simpson, From: Scientific american
  • Making a noise for electric and hybrid vehicles 25 September 2008, Research from TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk
  • NPR, (Interview) Here and Now Aired on 9/24/2008, "Sounds Like Silence" (Requires RealPlayer or compatible)
  • Hybrids vs. Pedestrians Up to Speed From Los Angeles Times, by Martin Zimmerman, Aug 20 2008
  • Hearing the Hybrids - Inside Bay Area MediaNews editorial, Article Launched: 08/27/2008 11:02:03 PM PDT,
  • Making Hybrids Go Vroom, by Written by Peg Fong , Monday, 11 August 2008 , From: Ecogeek.com
  • Introducing the hybrid you can hear (so it won't run you over) bBy Michael Savage, Thursday, 7 August 2008 , independent.co.uk
    Play sample clip Requires flash player
  • A silent threat? By ANGELA CAVE, July 17, 2008, Herald Community, townnews.com
  • Hybrid cars may pose silent threat to the blind By Rick Rojas, July 8, 2008; courier-journal
  • Advocates for blind seek street safety, want louder hybrids By Ken Thomas, The Associated Press; Article Last Updated: 06/23/2008 09:47:40 PM PDT
  • Amplifying Safety in Hybrid Cars From: NPR All Things Considered, aired: June 21, 2008

    • The next four links were provided by: DisabilityNation, an Audio Magazine by and for People with Disabilities. Listen at Disability Nation

    Quiet Cars and the Pedestrian Problem Part I

         Dial-up:

  • Part 1
  • Part 2

    • Quiet Cars and the Pedestrian Problem Part II

         Broadband links:

  • P art 1
  • P art 2

  • Quiet hybrids may be danger to visually impaired Advocates want sound requirements for cars in order to prevent injuries. by David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau, Friday, June 20, 2008
  • Standford Pair Makes Electric Car Noisier--to help the blind - Inside Bay AreaBy Kristina Peterson Palo Alto Daily News Article Created: 06/02/2008 09:00:02 PM PDT
  • COMMENTARY: Hybrids may be too quiet By DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer | Sunday, May 18, 2008 7:09 PM PDT
  • Oregon guide dogs trained to detect the silent danger of hybrid cars From: Oregonlive.com, Sunday, May 11, 2008, by WHITNEY MALKIN regonian Staff Ea
  • Un obtrusive hybrid car 'noise' being developed By Lawrence Rosenblum, From: The Journal Gazette, Published: May 8, 2008
  • Boy hit by hybrid car; mom says he didn't hear it coming From: kare11.com :: KARE 11 TV
  • Video clip from CNN - interview related to previous link
  • Are Hybrids Too Quiet?Wheels - Autos - New York Times BLOGUCR: Hybrid Cars Are Harder to Hear (March 29, 2008)/
  • Blind pedestrians may not hear hybrid carsBy Martin Zimmerman, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer March 29, 2008
  • Pedestrian Safety: Hear it now? SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD; February 29, 2008 4:24 p.m. PT
  • Toot, toot: Hybrid cars might be a bit too quiet By MARGIE BOULE, Newhouse News Service; February 13, 2008
  • Are hybrids a silent danger? by COLLEEN FLANAGAN THE TRI-CITY NEWS, January 11, 2008
  • Blind walkers fear quiet hybrids by Edward L. Cardenas / The Detroit News; Monday, November 12, 2007
  • Listen to a presentation from the 2007 NFB of California Convention on "Quiet Cars" this is an audio file. To download and listen to the program on your computer, right click the link and select Save As.
  • Blind Protest Noiseless Hybrid Peggy Lee, Reporting; Oct 3, 2007 5:46 pm US/Eastern
  • Blind People say Hybrid Cars, Nearly Silent at Slower Speeds, Pose Safety RiskNews Outlet: The Associated Press; Wednesday October 3, 6:47 am ET ; By Ben Nuckols, Associated Press Writer
  • Electric Cars and People who are Blind From: KCBS; (This is an audio file)
  • News Release: CASE: 07.00726, Serious Injury Collision: Vehicle vs. Pedestrian From: Chief of Police; January 5, 2007
    Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, get it here
  • Quieter hybrid cars raise worries for blind. By VERA OVANIN, SUN MEDIA; London Free Press - Canada; Wed, August 8, 2007.
  • the Modesto Bee - Traffic changes challenge the Blind Hybrid vehicles and roundabouts make street crossings risky By ROSALIO AHUMADA; August 01, 2007 ; From: The Modesto Bee
  • THESTAR.COM - Living - Hybrids too Quiet for Blind Pedestrians by Helen Henderson; July 16, 2007
  • Silent threat From: the Columbian; Friday, May 25, 2007; BY BRETT OPPEGAARD, Columbian staff writer
  • Hybrid cars silent, deadly, advocates for blind warn By Peter Rice, Wednesday, May 23, 2007 from The Albuquerque Tribune
  • The Trouble with Clean Cars - top Story; By PAMELA WOOD, Staff Writer; Published February 07, 2007, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
  • Quieter Cars Put Blind Pedestrians At Risk by Sue Turner; from: MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc.


    • E-mail: Deborah Kent Stein, committee Chair

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    Updated: Monday, October 12, 2009
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