National Federation of the Blind to Testify at Hearing on Hybrid Vehicles

BALTIMORE--Members of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) will testify before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee regarding the extreme danger silent hybrid cars pose to the blind, as well as other pedestrians, cyclists, and small children.

Date:		February 19, 2008
Time:		1:00 p.m.
Location:		Miller Senate Office Building, Room 2 East
		Annapolis, Maryland 21401

When compared to vehicles using traditional combustion engines, hybrid vehicles are virtually silent when accelerating and decelerating, making it impossible for blind individuals to detect their presence. To address this problem, Senator Norman Stone has introduced Senate Bill 276. If passed, the bill will establish a task force to make recommendations regarding a minimum sound standard for all new vehicles sold and licensed in Maryland.

About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.