Hybrid Drivers get more Tickets and Accidents

[SuperTrooper]

Hybrid Drivers More Ticket- and Accident-Prone - The Car Connection

Not surprising. I did an informal "poll" of Prius drivers I encountered during my commute last week. I usually drive with the flow in the center lane, about 70 MPH. I passed 4 Prius and was passed by 26.

[Daox]

Haha, yeah I'm not surprised either. I didn't read the article, but it does make sense. Most people bought hybrids to save money. In order for them to be cost effective, you have to travel a lot of miles. More miles means more chance for accidents and tickets.

[MazdaMatt]

They did say that "hybrid drivers drive more miles"... which is kinda like saying future cancer patients are apt to smoke...

but they also quantified some of the statistics in "per 100,000 miles driven". I did not like that they compared the crash cost against the average... I'd be willing to bet that the average write-off car is older and hense lower valued than the average prius on the road.

Interesting, though.

[bwilson4web]

Hi,

Because of the table, I'm not sure this reference would fit here. But the bottom line is this company's data disagrees with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ranking in "2009 Relative Collison Insurance Cost Information Booklet."

The NHTSA requires this booklet to be available at every car dealership and has for the past 18 years. Yet the insurance costs of the Honda Civic Hybrid is lower than the other Honda Civics. Even the Prius shows up as the second lowest insurance cost vehicle in the "Four-Door Models."

Of course the "Quality Planning" company may be much better than "CNW Marketing" who published the notorious "Dust-to-Dust" report. But there is a style of writing called "weasel words" that I see when I read their original report.

We are doing a quick, informal poll of the types of traffic stops in PriusChat and the raw numbers show:

1. Exceeding posted speed limit (10)
2. Failing to stop completely at a stop sign (4)
3. Lights or safety equipment problem (3)
4. Too slow or weaving, check for impairment; Making an illegal turn against a light or sign (2)

So I'm looking at these numbers and nothing jumps out as 'the signature of a hybrid driver' but then I don't have their data sources. Regardless, most of us are very happy with our hybrid insurance rates.

I replaced my wife's 2001 Echo with a 2010 Prius and our insurance rate went up $9/year. I also asked my independent agent to see if he could get a better rate from someone other than Traveller's and he said 'no, no one else came close.'

We have lots of speculation about "Quality Planning" and I may yet write them a letter and ask if they can explain why their report is different from the NHTSA report. But right now, the US Government agency charged with and having 18 years of experience in this field is reporting hybrid insurance costs are lower and some of the accident data I've seen for the Prius justifies the lower rate.

I've been looking at all Prius fatal accidents from 2001-2007 that correspond with the introduction of the Prius. Using very conservative estimates of the Prius fleet based upon sales and 15,000 miles per year that the EPA/NHTSA use for annual vehicle milage, we're finding the fatal accident rate per 100,000 miles is lower than the rate reported in 2007:


So we have a second data point that covers up to 2007 and overlaps with some of their data. Curious, two independent sources getting entirely different results. But of course, they are "Quality" and no one using that word could possibly be wrong.

Bob Wilson

ps. Do I drive more "pleasure" miles because of the Prius? Well they certainly are more pleasant! The low noise, little vibration, and getting 52 MPG while on cruise control certainly helps. Perhaps "Quality" would like all cars to have uncomfortable seats, failing A/C and heating, more noise, frequent failures and re-institute the past USA car manufacturer practices that would turn all cars into human endurance test cells.