Rescuers Prep for Hybrid Car Accidents

Posted by michael on Tuesday May 4, 2004 @08:10AM from the hair-raising-experiences dept.

mykepredko writes "I've driven a Toyota Prius for two years now and found this CNN article regarding the training required to rescue people trapped in hybrid cars to be slightly alarming. As an EE, I would expect that the electrical system is designed to be as well protected and fail-safe as possible in an accident, but if I'm ever in an accident, I'll make sure that any responders are wearing rubber gloves and boots and if any cutting is done, the roof is the only area they touch." Toyota has an accident guide indicating that if the airbags deploy, the hybrid battery pack should be automatically isolated.

2 of 620 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Racing cars.. by grub · 2004-05-04 08:17 · Score: 5, Insightful

Racing cars have a standard placed cut off for the motor/fuel line inside the drivers door for rescuers, why not something like that for the hybrids?

--
Trolling is a art,
Why the concern? by GuyinVA · 2004-05-04 08:19 · Score: 5, Insightful

My dad has a Civic Hybrid. All the necessary cabling runs under the car next to the frame rails. If rescuers are haveing to cut that deep, you're SOL anyways. Normally rescuers have to use the jaws of life on doors, and the associated A,B,C pillars. No electricals go thru there, other than side airbag sensors.

Sounds like another internet scare article put out by a 'reputible' source...