road safety

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Laws Against Distracted Driving Aren't Working

Federal survey says 660K drivers are texting and talking at any given moment

(Newser) - Here's a happy statistic to keep in mind on your next drive: A new federal survey estimates that at any given moment, 660,000 drivers are looking at their phones instead of the road, reports the Los Angeles Times . What sounds like good news is that 39 states now...

Georgia Bill Outlaws Left-Lane Slowpokes

Legislator wants to fine them for not switching lanes

(Newser) - A state trooper-turned-lawmaker in Georgia intends to make it illegal for slow drivers to dawdle in the left lane, reports the Huffington Post . His proposed bill would require drivers to move to the right if they're going below the speed limit in the passing lane and cars are behind...

Traffic Deaths Spike for Teen Drivers

Fatalities for those ages 16, 17 rise 19%

(Newser) - An improving economy means more cars on the road, and traffic safety officials expected the number of deaths among young drivers to increase as a result. But not this much: The number of 16- and 17-year-old drivers killed in traffic accidents jumped 19% in the first six months of 2012,...

1 in 24 Admit Falling Asleep Behind Wheel

CDC survey suggests drowsy driving is a real problem

(Newser) - A big CDC survey finds that 1 in 24 Americans admit to nodding off while driving at least once, reports AP . What's worse, officials think the number is probably higher because people often don't remember doing so. Men are more likely to fall asleep, as are those ages...

36 Dead After China Bus Plows Into Methanol Tanker

Accident occurred in Shaanxi province

(Newser) - A double-decker sleeper bus rammed into a tanker loaded with highly-flammable methanol on a northern Chinese highway early today, causing both vehicles to burst into flames and killing 36 people, state media said. The official Xinhua News Agency said 39 people were on the long distance sleeper bus when it...

4th of July Deadliest Day on US Roads

Teens make up 10% of day's traffic deaths, AAA warns

(Newser) - Independence Day is no time to forget about road safety, AAA warns. Today is the deadliest day of the year for American drivers, with an average 140 fatalities, and teenage drivers and their passengers account for nearly a tenth of those deaths, reports the Los Angeles Times . Road deaths in...

Half of Teen Drivers Text Behind Wheel

 Half of Teen 
 Drivers Text 
 Behind Wheel 
CDC survey
Jun 8, 2012 5:35 PM CDT

Half of Teen Drivers Text Behind Wheel

Feds are renewing crackdown on distracted driving

(Newser) - More than half of high school seniors have texted while driving, according to a federal survey that collected the data for the first time ever. In the survey, 58% of 12th-graders admitted to texting or emailing while behind the wheel, while 43% of 11th-graders said they did also, reports AP...

Motorcycle Deaths Hold Steady

Even as overall road fatalities decrease

(Newser) - The number of motorcycle fatalities in 2011 did not budge compared to 2010, even though overall vehicle deaths dipped to the lowest level since 1949, says a new highway safety report. One theory: High gas prices might be encouraging more people to drive motorcycles instead of cars, reports the Los ...

NTSB Bid to Ban All Phone Use in Cars Is 'Overkill'

Why can't drivers use hand-free sets?

(Newser) - The NTSB's proposal for a nationwide ban on the use of cell phones while driving, even of the hands-free variety, "is impractical, it's overkill, and it doesn't make sense," writes Sascha Segan at PC Magazine . Authorities can and should come down hard on anyone caught...

NTSB: Ban Phones While Driving

Agency recommends much stricter rules across the nation

(Newser) - States should ban all driver use of cell phones and other portable electronic devices, except in emergencies, the National Transportation Safety Board said today. The recommendation, unanimously agreed to by the five-member board, applies to both hands-free and hand-held phones and significantly exceeds any existing state laws restricting texting and...

Town Called Speed Gets New Name: Speedkills

Aussie town sick of unsafe drivers

(Newser) - The tiny Australian town of Speed has a new name—temporarily. Following a successful Facebook campaign, and plenty of encouragement from road safety officials concerned about the rising death rate on country roads, the Outback town will change its name to Speedkills for the month of March, Reuters reports.

10 Most Dangerous Cars Ever
 10 Most Dangerous Cars Ever 
Dec 5, 2010 8:02 PM CST

10 Most Dangerous Cars Ever

Smart car? Maybe not so smart

(Newser) - Some of us lovingly referred to our first car variously as "the jalopy," "the tin can on wheels," or "the death trap." And some of us were right. Here, as per Autoshippers, are the most dangerous cars of all time:
  • 1967-1971 Ford Pinto: Had
...

Bike Lane's Next Detour: Fast-Food Drive-Thru
 Bike Lane's Next Detour: 
 Fast-Food Drive-Thru 
NOT YANKING YOUR CHAINS
Dec 6, 2009 5:15 AM CST

Bike Lane's Next Detour: Fast-Food Drive-Thru

OK, McDonald's isn't on board, but there's a movement

(Newser) - With more cities making room for cyclists, advocates of the two-wheel lifestyle (no-emissions class) are taking aim at another preserve of the gas-powered set: the drive-thru window. One Oregon cyclist got local chain Burgerville to change its policy after being refused service, and a movement was born. “If it’...

Texting Boosts Driver Crash Risk 23 Times

Texting while driving found to be deadliest distraction

(Newser) - A first-of-its-kind study has found that sending and receiving text messages is the deadliest distraction for drivers by far, the New York Times reports. The study, which involved cameras in the cabs of long-haul trucks, found that texting raised a driver's risk of collision a whopping 23 times, putting it...

This Sign Is Wasting Your Money—and Killing People

(Newser) - The federal government has mandated that every road project funded by stimulus money proudly tout the association with road signs, and that really steams Tait Trussell. The signs, “designed to meticulous federally dictated standards,” go for about $1,000, Trussell writes on Front Page. “So, publicizing thousands...

Battle Over Big Rigs Pits Efficiency Against Safety

Measure would extended federal limits on big rigs

(Newser) - Bigger is not only better—it’s also safer and greener, say trucking-industry advocates who would like to see limits on the size and weight of big rigs on interstate highways lifted. One tells USA Today bigger trucks are more fuel-efficient and minimize pollution. But if truckers are successful, one...

Death Traps Vs. Gas Guzzlers Split Automakers

Are there any good choices for consumers in the car size debate?

(Newser) - In the push to curb America’s fuel intake, consumers must often make a choice between safety and fuel economy, Joseph White writes in the Wall Street Journal. The real problem, though, may be that small cars have to share the road with SUVs. “A much bigger issue is...

Salt Deficit May Make This Scary

States order massive amounts of salt, pinching other areas

(Newser) - City officials in the Midwest are struggling to prepare for another season of heavy snowfall as road salt supplies drop and prices surge, the Los Angeles Times reports. High demand and once-high gas charges have boosted salt prices, but the spike from $40 to $140 per ton seems exorbitant to...

Webcam on Board, Teen Drivers on Alert

Mom and Dad monitor kids' driving, hoping for more road safety

(Newser) - If a pilot program sees good results, teen drivers may soon find themselves under surveillance, reports the Washington Post. Parents in southern Maryland find the new webcam system, which records possible unsafe driving practices, a useful tool. Their offspring, however, aren't thrilled at the prospect of losing one of their...

Speed Limits Aren't Saving Lives, So Make Cars Slower

Government's priorities elsewhere, but cars that can't top 75 would save gas, too

(Newser) - Speeding contributes to 13,000 US road deaths each year, and, at 30% of traffic fatalities, places only slightly behind alcohol, at 39%, Kent A. Sepkowitz writes in the New York Times. While preventing drunk driving is a complex problem requiring cooperation of motorists, police, and educators, speeding can be...

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