Heavy electric cars could turn motorways into death traps because Britain’s crash barriers are dangerously outdated, experts have warned.
The Government has been pushed to conduct an urgent safety review as plug-in vehicles become more popular.
The Vehicle Restraint Manufacturers Association (VRMA) says the metal fences that line roads and bridges are designed to 1998 standards, and capable of stopping only traditional 1.5-ton petrol or diesel cars.
Electric cars can weigh up to twice as much due to their hefty batteries.
An electric VW travelling on the M6 motorway. The Vehicle Restraint Manufacturers Association (VRMA) says existing crash barriers are incapable of stopping heavy electric vehicles
Due to their heavy batteries, electric cars can weigh up to twice as much as their traditional counterparts (file photo)
The VRMA, which represents the crash barrier industry, warned in a letter to the Government: ‘The failure to address this issue could lead to preventable fatalities, more severe accidents and legal liabilities for governing authorities.’
Last year battery-powered cars and plug-in hybrids made up 28 per cent of new cars registered in the UK.
The Department for Transport said standards on high-speed roadside barriers are ‘continually under review’.
