Transcript Hybrid Vehicle Accident Safety

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.