Massachusetts to require warning plates for electric cars
The state of Massachusetts has announced a new traffic safety regulation that will require hybrid and electric vehicle operators to outfit their vehicles with special license plates warning emergency response rescue workers of safety issues related to electric and hybrid vehicles. Massachusetts is the second state in the country to adopt this safety regulation, after Hawaii. According to a representative from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, more than 17,500 plates have been produced and are available to owners of hybrid and electric vehicles at the states Registry of Motor Vehicles. Owners can trade their existing license plates for the new warning plates provided by the state at no additional cost. Newly registered vehicles will still be subject to the state’s standard registration fees, but hybrid and electric vehicles will automatically receive the new plates. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that electric and hybrid vehicles display special warning plates to let rescue workers know the vehicle contains an electric battery in the even of an automobile collision. The battery might pose an electrical shock to emergency response workers. The plate contains a graphic of a vehicle with an electrical cord protruding from it.
As a Roseville auto accident lawyer, I hope this new safety guideline is effective in increasing the safety of rescue workers on an accident scene. If you or someone you love has been injured by a defective or malfunctioning automobile, please consider contacting a personal injury lawyer in Roseville.
