Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative
State Farm warns of danger with hybrids
While many people have been trumpeting the virtues of hybrids, State Farm has stepped out on a ledge to remind everyone that there are unique dangers associated with hybrids that have been involved in accidents. Rescue workers are actually at the most risk because of high voltage lines inside hybrids that may become exposed in an accident or cut through during a rescue effort. These lines can be carrying anywhere from 144 to 650 volts, which apparently is more than enough juice to electrocute someone. The thought of a rescue worker cutting through a Prius and hitting a high-powered line is chilling, so we applaud State Farm Insurance for its education efforts with fire departments and EMS workers.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
LiquidZero 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
This isn't a danger solely with hybrids. 12 volts off of the car battery is enough to electrocute you too. I do understand the point though, there are dangers unique to hybrid cars. I think I might be more worried about having to cut through and hitting batteries.
In thinking about it, maybe hybrids should have a power kill mode, e.g. after an accident major enough to pop the airbags, it trips a switch to kill power to the entire car, and would stay that way until a breaker is flipped... Anyways, props to State Farm for helping protect people.
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BF 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
Never mind the saftey hazard of stalling out and losing power on the highway at 70 MPH. (Prius)
Of course, they are made (hybrids) by the smart and inovative Toyota and Honda, so that is not a problem that requires a recall...it's just a small problem.
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Bubba 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
Volts don't kill people, amps do.
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Joel A 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
"maybe hybrids should have a power kill mode,"
Interesting you mentioned that, LiquidZero. The new Lexus RX400h has that feature.
http://www.nctd.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=2006_Lexus_RX%20400h&ReviewID=1724
I wouldn't be surprised that Toyota quickly rolls it out in future hybrids and figures out a way to incorporate it in the present ones (after either a recall or quiet service maintenance call back.)
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tr 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
took the words right out of my mouth, Bubba.
people need to pay attention in physics class.
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Joe 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
Oh BF (Butt Fuck) you silly boy, you deserve a spanking
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Adam 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
In response to #3, that is an innacurate statement. The following website explains it pretty well in terms of computer repair, but the principles that he uses basically hold true for any electrical circuit.
http://www.dansdata.com/gz013.htm
Also, even if it were amps that killed you, and not volts, don't you think that it takes quite a few amps of power to get one of those hybrid assist motors going? I for one would be wary trying to cut apart a hybrid with a hacksaw, but maybe I'm just a wuss.
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rolliedemay 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
You are quite right Bubba, The human body can withstand thousands of volts, provided a very small ampere input. I think however, the ampere output of a hybrid would be sufficient to rock your socks, or perhaps knock you out of them. Education for emergencies should be the answer, but you still get "s..t"-heads who pop off the radiator cap on overheated cars, (boom,hot,duh) so stupidity will always overule education.
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Admiral Ackbar 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
Wow, no offense but people's understanding of electricity is awful. "Technically" amps kill you. Amps are just a measure of current; and its current that kills.
However current, voltage, and resistance are all related. V = IR; in other words Voltage = Current x Resistance. This means that voltage has to overcome resistance to create more current. Your body has a high resistance (greater than 5000 ohms); which means you need a voltage around 250 volts across your heart to be "electrocuted."
This is why put your hand on the positive and negative terminals of a car battery with no ill affect; the car battery's low voltage can't overcome you skin's high resistance.
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Joseph Willemssen 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
"The thought of a rescue worker cutting through a Prius and hitting a high-powered line is chilling"
Has it ever actually happened?
Add this to the pile of silly negative propaganda meant to slow the growth of hybrids.
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steven 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
To BF
Honda hasn't had any issues with their hybrids like Toyota is having currently.
Get your facts straight.
Ignorant fool
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Glenn Arlt 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
State Farm is WAY behind on their facts. Toyota already has been educating the EMS population on the United States - and no doubt, the rest of the world where the Prius and other hybrids (not only Toyota hybrids) are sold. My 17 year old sold was involved as a volunteer in a youth program at our local volunteer fire hall and Toyota came along with a Prius and explained it all. He saw it. Furthermore, there IS a cut-off on the Prius to kill the juice in an accident, as well as other Toyota and Lexus hybrids (I cannot speak for the Honda hybrids but I suspect they have one too). It is not just electricity that is a danger - car manufacturers are putting fuel lines in enclosed areas of car bodies and when you use the jaws of life, you can cut fuel lines which is probably just as dangerous as cutting high voltage lines.
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GLENN 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
Hey ... I thought guns killed (or was that people).
Joking aside, the thing that worries me most about hybrids (like golf carts) is that batteries are really stuck in the dark ages (big and full of chemicals). They probably have gotten beyond being liquid based, but you always worry about the "cargo" aspect of batteries ... like carrying toxic waste in volume everywhere you go.
Maybe they have that all fixed up with these new systems. You people can clarify if so.
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Michael 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
More likely it's a way for State Farm to try and justify charging higher rates.
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Autoguy 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
I've been saying this on my blog. When the ambulance uses the jaws of life on the car, the EMS workers are risking electrocution.
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Motorin' 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
Thanks Bubba, I saw the brief and was about to whip out the education stick myself. Some blame falls on the R&T writer too.
It's the amount of amps (current) running through your body that actually kills you, so "high voltage" isn't the only factor. I guess no one remembers Van De Graaff generators...tens to hundreds of thousands of volts, but all you'll get is a Doc Brown hair cut when you touch it...only a few milliamps of constant current.
As long as the current is small enough, you'll be fine. Of course, the current running through a hybrids' cables is not small by any means. It would just be nice if articles were a little more accurate.
To touch on Joseph's conspiracy theory, it's not that crazy. For awhile, emergency response teams have been training concerning how to respond to car crashes involving hybrid vehicles.
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Glenn Arlt 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
I agree with Joseph Willemssen that "the powers that be" will do anything to "diss" the hybrid revolution - simply because they got caught with their engineers tinkering with SUVs instead of being ahead of the pack, as Toyota and Honda are. Remember, this company in question - which shall remain nameless - very probably engineered the demise of the Tucker in 1948, because it was way too far advanced for their comfort, and too much competition for their luxury makes. This same company had one of their high executives go to Washington DC in the 1950's as Secretary of Defense and - lo and behold - "coincidentally" Studebaker-Packard lost virtually all of their defense business while a certain large company gained it, helping to push Packard over the edge, then later, Studebaker too. This time, this company - which does have hybrid technology in busses but not all-important cars - may get a surprise since Toyota is a far stronger - and seemingly far more morally based - foe. Not just a pushover like Tucker, Packard & Stude. Plus I believe I read that Toyota has enough cash reserves to actually purchase General Motors, Ford and Daimler-Chrysler outright - but wouldn't be that stupid, I'm certain (not to mention the anti-trust implications) and also, don't need to be dragged down by these losers.
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Glenn Arlt 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
State Farm need to get their facts straight.
Toyota already has cut-offs of the electricity in case of accident, probably Honda do as well. I'm sure the Lexus (Toyota built) hybrids do as well, and probably the Ford hybrid for that matter (Ford licensed some Toyota hybrid technology).
As for the safety of EMS's, my 17 year old son volunteered at our local fire hall and Toyota brought a Prius to show them how to safely work on the car in case of accident. This is a rural volunteer fire department, mind you! So far, Honda has not picked up the tab in any of this education as yet, to my knowledge. Toyota is clearly "going the extra mile". Also Toyota has sent information to independent body shops to educate them, as well - my best pal is a body man.
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iQuack 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
This information is shocking, just shocking!
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Shawn 11:05PM (12/18/2005)
On impact, the power is cut off (much like the fuel pump), but the batteries are still charged. During serious impacts, the outside compartments are designed to crush. There is a chance that someone could be shocked. I'm more curious about hybrids in water.
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