On April 25, senators passed a bill making penalties more severe for drivers who talk or text while behind the wheel. Distracted driving can cost you your life and, at least in California, it can cost serious money, too
Monthly Archive
for: ‘April, 2011’
Forbes unveils list of Worst-Made Cars on the Road
Earlier this month, Forbes and “Consumer Reports” teamed up to compile a list of “Worst-Made Cars on the Road.” Although the list didn’t specifically target the worst American vehicles, the implication is that the domestic automotive industry has fallen to the back of the pack.
NHTSA: Airbags dangerously absent in used cars
In many serious traffic accidents, airbags offer drivers the best chance of survival. But all too often, used car buyers are being robbed of this line of defense. A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2008 uncovered 51 accidents in which an airbag failed to protect a motorist because it simply was not there.
CicLAvia event creates surreal scene in downtown L.A.
Los Angelinos were treated to a surreal sight on April 10: a downtown L.A. occupied only by bicyclists. As part of the second CicLAvia event, organizers and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa limited traffic on city streets to two-wheeled vehicles to promote cycling and prevent environmentally friendly transportation.
Vehicle runs down crowd at Cleveland McDonalds on National Hiring Day
Many in line for an interview at a Cleveland McDonald’s whipped out their cell phones to record a fight between two girls. But the footage they captured shows what happened next, and quickly reached a viral level upon hitting the Internet.
Kansas law lets cyclists proceed on ‘dead reds’
Everybody knows that running a red light is illegal, but for some travelers in Kansas, it just got a little less illegal. On Wednesday, Governor Sam Brownback signed into law a bill that permits motorcyclists and bicyclists to enter an intersection against a red light when the way forward is clear and after waiting a brief period.
Ford developing first child digital crash test dummy
Physics knows no age. And in dangerous roadway situations, children are even more susceptible to its indiscriminate destructive power. This may explain why Ford Motor Company has begun developing the first digital crash-test dummy to simulate the experience of children in an accident.
Nevada air traffic controller suspended for sleeping on the job
On April 13, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suspended an air traffic controller at Reno-Tahoe International Airport after discovering that he fell asleep and out of communication for more than 15 minutes.
School start times linked to accidents among teen drivers
Research published in the April 15 edition of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine suggests that teens who begin school earlier face a greater risk of a traffic accidents. Lead author Robert Vorona of Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia, compared the experience of students at two high schools, one in Virginia Beach and one in Chesapeake, from September of 2007 to June of 2008.
