Baltimore, Maryland – Members of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) will testify before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee regarding the extreme danger silent hybrid cars pose to the blind, as well as other pedestrians, cyclists, and small children.  

Date:       February 19, 2008
Time:       1:00 p.m.
Location:  Miller Senate Office Building, Room 2 East 
               Annapolis, Maryland 21401 

When compared to vehicles using traditional combustion engines, hybrid vehicles are virtually silent when accelerating and decelerating, making it impossible for blind individuals to detect their presence.  To address this problem, Senator Norman Stone has introduced Senate Bill 276.  If passed, the bill will establish a task force to make recommendations regarding a minimum sound standard for all new vehicles sold and licensed in Maryland.