Drivers of hybrid cars are significantly more likely to die in accidents than owners of cars with internal combustion engines. This may be due to the combination of gasoline engines with electric motors in hybrids, The Times newspaper reported.
The increased mortality is caused by a combination of gasoline engines, batteries and electric motors, which are more difficult to control, and they are more prone to fire, the publication noted.
The authors of the article pointed out that emergency services need to undergo special training and have special equipment to deal with hybrid car fires.
An additional risk is the higher weight of hybrid cars. Thus, the additional weight of batteries and electric motors changes the dynamics of the car and the distribution of energy during collisions.