The Department of Transportation is proposing new regulations that would require hybrid and electric cars to make more noise when their engines are running.
The rules are designed to make it easier for pedestrians to hear the quiet automobiles when they are approaching.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the change would make it easier for hybrid and electric car drivers to share the road.
“Safety is our highest priority, and this proposal will help keep everyone using our nation’s streets and roadways safe, whether they are motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians, and especially the blind and visually impaired,” LaHood said in a statement released by the Transportation Department.
Under the requirement, cars would be required to be heard above typical street noises when they are traveling at speeds less than 18 miles per hour.
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