Hybrid Vehicle Accident Safety Whitney Kizer and Dr. Frank B. Flanders Georgia CTAE Resource Network Curriculum Office – July 2008 Special Thanks to Mr. Tom Melito of Heyward Allen Toyota in Athens, Ga for his help in preparing this lesson written by Whitney Kizer.

CAUTION!!! These procedures are for GENERAL KNOWLEDGE ONLY! The following steps and procedures are only to be performed by qualified technicians or Emergency Responders.

What Happens When A Hybrid Vehicle Crashes? When a hybrid crashes the high voltage electricity running through the vehicle can pose a threat to both the driver and emergency medical personnel. It is very important for people responding to the scene of an accident to be aware of the dangers hybrids pose.

Actions That Need to Take Place at an Accident… Personnel need to wear insulated rubber gloves, goggles, and safety shoes. NEVER touch a bare cable that could possibly a high voltage cable. ABC FIRE EXTINGUISHERS should be used to put out flames since they are effective against oil and electrical flames.

Other Steps to be Taken… The HV (high voltage) battery should be checked for any electrolyte leakage. If there is a leak these highly alkaline liquids have to be neutralized before they are wiped up with a shop towel.

How Do I Know If It’s Highly Alkaline? RED LITMUS PAPER is used to determine the basic nature of the liquid. If the litmus paper turns BLUE when it put on the leaking liquid from the battery then the liquid must be NEUTRALIZED before it is wiped up.

Neutralizing Alkaline Electrolyte Liquid of a Hybrid Battery Saturated BORIC ACID should be applied to the liquid. Red litmus paper should be reapplied. If the litmus paper turns blue again, reapply boric acid. Once the litmus paper doesn’t turn blue, the liquid has been neutralized and can now be wiped up with a shop cloth.

What Happens If I Can’t Remove the Service Plug After an Accident? The car needs to be towed by a tow truck if the service plug can’t be removed or if one or more high voltage wires are damaged. It is very important that the FRONT WHEELS or FRONT AND BACK WHEELS be off the ground when loading the car onto the tow truck. Letting the cars wheels turn generates electricity and this could further damage a leak or cause a fire.

Let’s Review… Hybrid vehicles generate large amounts of high voltage electricity. When involved in an accident it is important to CHECK FOR BATTERY LEAKS and REMOVE SERVICE PLUG if possible. RED LITMUS PAPER is used to check the basic nature of the leaking battery liquid. SATURATED BORIC ACID is used to neutralize the battery liquid. Hybrids should be towed is the service plug cannot be removed or damage is done to one or more HV wires. Wheels should be OFF THE GROUND during the towing process to prevent the generation of electricity.