Electric Vehicles are More Likely to be Involved in Accidents
Electric vehicles (EVs) are very similar to traditional gas and diesel-powered ones, but there are differences when driving one. EVs are more likely to be involved in crashes than other vehicles. The cause appears to be drivers making mistakes because they’re unfamiliar with those differences.
EV safety is a much bigger issue in California than in other states. An estimated 903,600 EVs were registered in the state in 2022. That’s more than a third of all the EVs registered in the US, according to the US Department of Energy.
Orange County car accident attorney Aaron Hicks helps his clients cope with the severe physical, psychological, and financial harm that vehicle accident victims suffer. He can be part of the team that puts your life back together.
Fill out our confidential contact form or call our office at (949) 541-9944 to schedule a free consultation regarding your auto accident with Mr. Hicks today.
Hertz Unloads 20,000 EVs from its Lots in Part Due to High Accident Rates
The rental car company Hertz recently announced it would sell 20,000 electric cars from its fleet and replace them with gasoline vehicles. One reason is high accident rates, according to CNN, which increases their costs. Other factors are that EVs can be very expensive to repair, and insurance rates are higher than those of gas-powered vehicles.
CNN reports that LexisNexis Risk Solutions found that vehicle owners switching from gas-powered cars to electric ones tend to crash more. Drivers switching from one gas-powered model to another also have a higher rate of accidents, but it’s not as high as those switching from gas to electric.
LexisNexis Risk Solutions reports that, compared to gas-powered cars, EVs’ frequency of insurance claims goes up by about 14.3% while the amount paid out increases by 14.5%. The increase is highest the first year or so after an EV is purchased, then decreases as drivers become familiar with operating their vehicles.
Crashes are even more common when households own gas-powered and electric vehicles, showing that going back and forth from one to the other may worsen the problem.
Is it a Tesla thing?
Teslas were 80% of Hertz’s EV fleet, and Tesla is the nation’s top-selling EV. LexisNexis found similar accident trends in China, where there are far more EVs, and Tesla doesn’t dominate the market as it does in the US. The Highway Loss Data Institute states Teslas don’t crash at higher rates than other EVs, but their high repair costs result in more expensive claims.
What Difference Is There?
Overall driving the two types of vehicles is very similar, but there are key differences. EVs accelerate much faster than gas-powered vehicles. The Tesla Model 3 Performance can go from zero to 60 miles an hour, two seconds faster than the BMW 330i sports car.
There’s a connection between power, speed, accidents, and insurance claims. Faster vehicles hit objects and people more often and harder, causing more crashes and increasing their severity. Because an EV is much quieter than a gas-powered vehicle, drivers may not realize how fast they’re going, and pedestrians may not hear them coming. EVs are also heavier than gas-powered vehicles due to their batteries, delivering more force into what they hit, worsening the damage and harm.
EVs are also controlled differently. They respond much quicker when a driver presses down the accelerator pedal. Forward movement from a stop is much faster, without the initial hesitation of a gas-powered vehicle, so an inexperienced EV driver may be more dangerous in parking lots and intersections.
An EV may also have “one-pedal driving,” where the vehicle rapidly slows when the driver’s foot eases off the accelerator instead of coasting. A driver used to slowing down with just one pedal may be confused in an emergency and may not hit the brake pedal to stop.
Orange County’s Aaron Hicks is a Car Accident Attorney You Can Trust
If you’re injured in an accident with an EV or another vehicle, Aaron Hicks and the Hicks Law Firm will help you in any way they can. He is an experienced car accident lawyer representing injured clients throughout Southern California and Orange County, including Costa Mesa, Irvine, Tustin, Newport Beach, and Huntington Beach.
Aaron Hicks has represented many accident victims in Orange County and looks forward to helping you, too. Call us at 949-541-9944 or complete our online contact form so our team of Southern California car accident lawyers can discuss your case.
Aaron Hicks is a civil trial attorney and founder of Hicks Law Firm, based in Orange County with offices in San Diego and Tennessee. His practice includes representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases including motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, dog bites and wrongful death. Mr. Hicks is and AV Rated attorney, Super Lawyer and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association where he serves as 1st Vice President.
