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1/18/2023
National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy is concerned about the potential for increased risk of injury and death for road users if electric vehicles continue to populate U.S. roads.
"Safety, especially when it comes to new transportation policies and new technologies, cannot be overlooked — ever," Homendy said during her keynote speech at the 2023 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting held Jan. 8-12. "We’re fighting for the 43,000 people who die annually on our roads and the millions more who are injured. Not just drivers, but all road users."
Homendy said she still supports phasing out carbon emissions, according to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' AASHTO Journal, which covered Homendy's speech. But during the push for more EVs on the road, the government should be careful not to create "unintended consequences," she said.
Some EVs weigh much more than their gas-powered counterparts, Homendy noted. For example, a GMC Hummer EV weighs more than 9,000 pounds; its battery pack alone weighs more than 2,900 pounds, the same weight as a Honda Civic.
"We must care about the safety of strangers — people we will never meet — because it’s the right thing to do. It’s what drives everyone at the NTSB," she said.