Electromobility: New risks in road traffic

One According to Axa's mobility study almost half of the population is convinced that electrification will fundamentally change mobility. According to the survey, around one third of the population has already sat behind the wheel of an electric vehicle. According to Axa, 98 percent of the electromobilists surveyed could no longer imagine returning to a combustion engine.

Heavy duty lithium ion battery

However, a look at Axa's statistics also reveals a clear danger: Drivers of electric cars usually cause 50 percent more collisions and damage than those of conventional gasoline and diesel cars. Powerful models usually cause 30 percent more damage to third parties. One reason is the lithium-ion battery, which also affects more powerful e-vehicles in terms of weight and construction. In addition, the battery has a weighty influence on rescue and recovery operations.

Fast torque for e-vehicles

More than 50 percent of respondents in an Axa study also had to adjust their braking behavior. However, the greatest risks are not when reducing speed, but when accelerating. Many drivers underestimate the so-called overtapping effect: electric cars have a very high torque, which is immediately noticeable as soon as the electric pedal is tapped. This behavior was proven in a crash test. A Tesla driver who presses the power pedal only briefly and drives toward a traffic circle at excessive speed is generally no longer able to brake.

Overestimated dangers: Fire and salvage

However, the risk of fire in cars, regardless of whether they are gasoline- or electricity-powered, is generally very low and is greatly overestimated among the Swiss population. According to Axa, statistically, only five out of 10,000 cars fall victim to a fire, and marten damage is 38 times more common than a car fire. Passengers in electric cars are generally well protected. According to Axa, the dangers of rescuing a person from an electric vehicle are also overestimated.

"This fear is unfounded because there is hardly any danger of voltage still being applied to the vehicle," explains Michael Pfäffli, Head of Accident Research and Prevention at AXA. In the event of an accident, he says, the battery is automatically disconnected from other high-voltage components and cables within milliseconds. The electric circuit is thus interrupted.

Tips from Axa accident researchers: 

• Drivers of electric cars should be aware of unintended rapid acceleration (the so-called overtapping effect). The handling of this immediate force must be learned. If possible, drivers should manually downgrade the strength of the acceleration to achieve greater resistance when tapping the electric pedal.
• Drivers of electric vehicles should keep a close eye on the underbody. Driving over road islands, stones or traffic circles, for example, should be avoided if possible to prevent damage to the underbody.
• Drivers of heavy vehicles tend to have a higher level of personal safety. For this very reason, they should be aware of their responsibility towards other road users: lighter vehicles are at a disadvantage in the event of a crash.
• First aid is mandatory, even in the event of accidents involving electric cars. Fears of suffering an electric shock when rescuing a person are unfounded in most cases.

Source: Axa Switzerland/Editorial Office