Drive a hybrid? Or recently been on the fence about buying one? Then a recent study may spark your interest. The Highway Loss Data (HLDI) found that drivers of hybrids are 25 percent less likely to acquire injuries when in an accident than the average car and truck.

The reason? The data obtained from the HLDI study accounts it to weight. The battery packs and other components make these fuel efficient vehicles 10 percent heavier than the average car.

The author of the report and vice president of the nonprofit research organization Matt Moore, concludes it is this "extra mass that gives them an advantage in crashes that their conventional twins don't have," (HLDI Study Shows Positive Safety Trend for Hybrid Vehicles, John Pirro, Online Auto Insurance,

http://news.onlineautoinsurance.com/consumer/hybrid-vehicle-crash-car-insurance-study-95564).

It all comes down to the calculation of force. In a collision between two different vehicles; the heavier, larger car will push the lighter upon impact. This means "less force on people in the heavier vehicle and more on the people in the lighter one. Greater force means greater risk, so people in the smaller, lighter vehicle are more likely to be injured,"(HLDI Study Shows Positive Safety Trend for Hybrid Vehicles, John Pirro, Online Auto Insurance).

To give you an idea of the difference in weight, one example from the study found that the hybrid Honda Accord midsize sedan weighs in at about 3,600 pounds, that's 480 pounds more than the conventional Accord model.

So what does this mean for hybrid owners and potential buyers? In years past eco-conscious drivers had to for-go safety for fuel economy, but after this study it appears that may no longer be the case, as Moore says "saving at the pump no longer means you have to skimp on crash protection," (HLDI Study Shows Positive Safety Trend for Hybrid Vehicles, John Pirro, Online Auto Insurance).

It is unclear if this will have an effect on hybrid owner's insurance policies. This specific study looked at the first-party coverage only, which is the policyholder's and their potential passengers in the event of an accident. If there were to be any reduction in insurance costs it would be limited to those coverages, the policyholder's own, (HLDI Study Shows Positive Safety Trend for Hybrid Vehicles, John Pirro, Online Auto Insurance). Although this study may attract the attention of insurers, it is fairly standard that rates are adjusted and calculated based on the insurance company's own internal data.