IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT POPULAR HYBRID CARS

June 28, 2006

From Hollywood stars, to your environmentally conscious neighbor, Americans are buying hybrid cars in record numbers, and auto manufacturers are scrambling to keep up with the trend. But there is a little-known safety concern that people need to know. In an accident, the high voltage lines inside hybrid vehicles pose deadly risks to rescue workers faced with cutting victims out of a crashed car. Rescue workers need to know how to approach these vehicles so everyone stays safe. The electrical lines in hybrids carry anywhere from 144 to 650 volts of power- an amount that's easily enough to electrocute someone.