"It's an appropriate time to recognize best practices that facilitate a safe response when [electric vehicles] are in an accident," says Todd Mackintosh, chair of the SAE Hybrid Technical Committee that developed the standard.
Recommended practices in the standard include:
- A procedure for vehicle labeling placed at standardized, consistent locations on the vehicle to identify that it contains high voltage systems.
- A quick reference guide for first responders, helping them identify high voltage components and safely disable them.
- Recommendation that manufacturers follow common standards for disabling high voltage circuits.
- Manufacturer guidelines for creating second responder (e.g., tow truck operator) safety instructions for handling damaged hybrid or electric vehicles.