Hybrid Cars in accidents
Interesting link from
Dangerousmeta regarding the problems with Hybrid (Gas/Electric) cars when they are involved in traffic accidents. The rescue people know how to deal with gasoline but there is a lot of energy stored in the batteries as well - hundreds of volts too so it's lethal.
As written at
CNN
bq.
Rescuers prep for hybrid car accidents
The growing popularity of hybrid vehicles poses a new danger for rescuers at accident scenes: a network of high-voltage circuitry that may require some precise cutting to save a trapped victim.
bq. "You don't want to go crushing anything with hydraulic tools," said Samuel Caroluzzi, an assistant chief with the Norristown Fire Department outside Philadelphia. "It's enough to kill you from what they're telling us in training."
bq. Hybrids draw power from two sources, typically a gas or diesel engine combined with an electric motor. The battery powering the electric motor carries as much as 500 volts, more than 40 times the strength of a standard battery.
bq. That worries those who must cut into cars to rescue people inside.
Very interesting -- had not thought about this.
Posted by DaveH at May 4, 2004 10:20 AM