Prius accident dangers

No, there are no reports of this. In the event of an accident, the HV is cut off at the battery.

You are much more likely to die from a gasoline fire.

Tom

 

From family and friends? From news reporters? From mechanics? From Firefighters? From articles on the internet (link please)? Where are you hearing this?

 

If I was underwater in my Prius I would be A LOT more worried about lack of oxygen, and getting the hell out and to the surface rather than getting a shock from the battery.

If your vehicle is so shredded that the wiring is that exposed to be a shock hazzard, chances are you are already dead!!! Sorry!!!

P.S. Spell check is a good thing!!

73 de Pat KK6PD

 

Electricity is not magic, it only follows the path of least resistance. To get shocked you have to be part of the circuit. Even if the car managed to become live from the HV battery (an extremely unlikely event) you would still have to complete the circuit with the other pole of the battery to get a shock. As for a water situation: the water would most likely short out the battery and that's it. The big fuse would blow and then the water could possible short out the individual cells if water gets into the battery case. This situation would not make the car live, nor would it shock you even if you were very close to the battery during the event.

 

Man, I feel like a "repeater".

First, IF you somehow managed to cut through the -steel- protecting the cables that go from the traction battery to the HSD, all you would have to do is have a tiny amount of current go to the chassis and the relay in the battery box would disconnect -both- battery lines, and we're talking of current from either the +ve or the -ve lead. It has a "ground fault breaker". Immersing the car in water -will- trip this circuit.

Second, IF you got in an accident that was violent enough to expose the electricals, the shock sensor would trip the above ground fault breaker or power breaker, so you wouldn't even have a chance to test the ground fault part.

This is the same relay that opens when you power off the car. It's -inside- the steel traction battery box.

Worry about the duplex outlets on the walls of your house. They are -MUCH- more dangerous!

 

Firefighters and EMTs do get special training for hybrids. Mostly it's because of the fear factor for something new. They routinely cut cables in cars, and it only makes sense that they would fear electrocution from the high voltage system. The training teaches them where the cables run, and helps squash all of the silly rumors.

Tom

 

I have a friend whos an EMT and he own a prius. He said the training was worthless.

 

Just pray we don't see Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles. There'll be mushroom clouds after every accident




























That was sarcasm. Really.

 

Hope you don't get into an accident. I personally do not worry about getitng zapped by my Prius. Even though I don't know a lot about the electrical characteristics of my car, I still trust that it will protect me from an accident.

Drive safely.

 

But can Billy Bob EMT actually read? I can't believe how little they pay them. Walmart probably hires away the bright ones.

 

That was uncalled for. You're right that EMTs aren't paid much. Most could go elsewhere but don't because they love the work.

To Moshe1436: Speaking as a fire service paramedic, I would say that if your EMT and firefighter friends came away from their training with these unfounded fears, something is woefully wrong with the training. Good information is out there and has been for years, starting with the material that Evan linked. Competent vehicle extrication instructors will use this information in their classes.

 

Having done in 2004 what is probably one of the first emergency responder programs in the Chicago area (with Toyota) the firemen can read and wanted to know about the car.

The only funny thing that happened was they wanted to cut my car apart.

The program stresses what NOT to cut when extracting people from a vehicle that has a supplementary restrains system. More emergency people are hurt by the airbags going off than any fire. The next most hazardous thing is the potassium hydroxide in the NiMh battery. That one got their attention, they did not know that you cannot depend on leather gloves to protect their hands from the corrosive material in the battery. The Toyota response was "You are more likely to be hurt by the acid in the unprotected 12 volt battery than you are the high voltage battery." Also the high voltage battery is internally fused. Any accident is likely to short out the battery blowing the internal fuse. Think of it this way - you cut the cable with the steel casing, instant short and blown fuse.

Buy the Bently service manual and see what they have to say about the systems involved.

Review:

The battery is cased in steel, there is a ground fault on the cables, the battery has an internal fuse.

If you are worried about water entry get an escape tool to break the glass. That is the real problem with a water landing. POWER windows do not open under water and the door is never going to open once the car settles in the mud underwater. Escape is the real issue here as it is with all cars under water. Oh and have a seat belt cutter handy as there is no one else that is going to cut you free.

Carry a belt tool with a knife, and a pliers to break the glass. I do.

 

How many firefighters/EMT's have been injured or killed during a Prius extraction? How many firefighters/EMT's have been injured or killed due to front/side/curtain airbags deploying on them?

http://www.airbagsystems.org/

http://www.airbagsystems.org/id26.html

I'd also like to voice my concerns, that others have raised, about the so-called "training" being given if a firefighter/EMT still has urban-legend sort of worries. Most likely, the airbag training was also completely worthless, and could get them killed at the scene of a real accident