Safety implications of electric vehicle adoption

Research indicates that the rise of electric mobility presents distinct safety challenges for vulnerable road users. A study by the Vias institute found that electric vehicles are significantly more likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians or cyclists, noting a 55% overrepresentation compared to the general vehicle fleet. This risk is primarily attributed to the silence of electric motors at low speeds, as Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) vary in intensity and may fail to alert pedestrians or visually impaired individuals in time.

Complementary research from Breda University of Applied Sciences suggests that while light electric vehicles (LEVs), such as e-scooters and fatbikes, can reduce car dependency, they introduce new safety concerns on cycling paths due to differences in speed and mass. While LEVs attract more visual attention than traditional bicycles, researchers noted that safety risks are often linked to user behavior and the availability of separated cycle paths rather than the vehicles themselves.