It's happened: Boy hit by hybrid, mom blames quiet running

It's happened: Boy hit by hybrid, mom blames quiet running

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Safety, Toyota

Click on the image above for our Toyota Prius gallery
When an eight-year-old boy on a bicycle gets hit by a car while riding in the middle of the street, the blame often points directly at the youth. However, if the car in question just happens to be a quiet hybrid-electric... there just may be reason to accuse the vehicle.
Last weekend, a youthful Owen Erickson was riding his two-wheeler with a friend when he was struck by a Toyota Prius and tossed onto the hood of the popular hybrid. Thankfully, he was unhurt. His mother, however, was quick to place some of the blame on the "totally silent" Prius, claiming her son never heard it coming. As a scapegoat, the hybrid-electric vehicle is taking more than its fair share of heat. Two years ago, we blogged about the silent danger of hybrids. Earlier this year, Maryland launched a study, and passed legislation aimed at vehicle noise levels (more specifically, the "lack of" audible decibels), citing a legitimate concern for the blind. Just last month, a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to study whether or not a "minimum sound level" needs to be established for these highly-efficient silent runners.
We obviously haven't "heard" the end of this hybrid-electric argument as it begins to gain momentum around the country. Whether future Prius models are equipped with blaring sirens or not, we do know that Moms will still need to teach their children to not play in the middle of the street. Thanks for the tip, Tyler!
Gallery: 2007 Toyota Prius Touring


[Source: KARE 11]

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how about blaming the kid riding in the middle of a street. i can understand something for the blind, but don't blame stupidity on someone else

Only in America

blame the stupid mother for not paying attention on the road.

Clarkson mentioned something like this on ToGear 3 yrs ago, LOL

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LmG05AtNVtM

lol i forgot about clarkson's comment. good memory

lol he even demonstrated all his boo boos

Both the driver and the kid are at fault. The kid is at fault for riding in the middle of the damn street and the driver is at fault for not paying attention and yielding to pedestrians and other vehicles. You're right. Only in America do they shift the blame all over the place.

stupid people.....blame yourself!! DAMMIT!!

i think they are too stupid to do that.

No not stupid. Just not responsible enough to take fault. They have to play to blame game to save face and make other people's lives a living hell.

or trying to get something from toyota.......

Driver's should be alert at all times. I remember watching those training videos for driver's ed way back when. They threw all sorts of obstacles at the driver, who is supposed to avoid everything. The kid of course takes most of the fault.

Flannigan doesn't blame the driver of the Prius for running into her son, since Owen biked out in front of his car but she does cut her son some slack. "We're conditioned to hear car noises," she says. "This is a big safety issue."

This is BS. Cuts her son some slack?! Why? Because she was an irresponsible parent who doesn't watch her own children and allows them to ride in the street?

my dad many years ago was in a bit of an accident. stopped at a red light and when the light turned green, he slowly accelerates. before he can get no more than 2 meters from where he had stopped, this mexican dude deliberately runs into my dad's car and slams into it hard enough to where the wide mirror breaks off and dents the front fender. then he falls and blames my dad for not looking. luckily there were many witnesses and even a cop witness so even though the mexican dude could only speak spanish and yelling the words " I sue" the police officer saw everything so he took care of everything. Unfortunately because the mexican dude was broke, we had to fix the mirror ourselves. but if it wasn't for the many witnesses who were willing to testify and the police officer, the whole thing woulda been faulted to us by default. which sucks.. oh well

lol only a mexican!!

haha. My friend accidental hit a Mexican on a bike too! LOL No one could decide who would cross the intersection first. What are the chances? But he was nice and didn't threaten to sue.

if you are in the street, and NOT within the confines of a crosswalk... YOU ARE JAYWALKING AND BREAKING THE LAW!

i played in the street everyday as a kid. my friends and i did everything from tackle football, to hockey, to seeing if we could run barefoot on the 150+ degree asphalt... and one thing we always ALWAYS ALWAYS!!!!! did was keep an eye out for vehicles.

i never, not once, recall only hearing a vehicle. and lets not forget that 75% of vehicles have more tire noise than engine noise nowadays.

stupid mom looking to blame anyone but her stupid kid.

To quiet... To loud.... Oh my I'm getting confused. :superconf

i'll tell the cops, "its to warn kids playing on the streets i'm coming" next time they pull me over for modified exhaust.

nice

oooooooooooohh so thats why ducati's are so noisy... Its a safety thing.

they say "pipes save lives"