Car culture
EXCERPT: There are No ‘Accidents’ — We Have Been Fooled into Thinking There Are
This excerpt from the new book, "There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster — Who Profits and Who Pays the Price" will make you rethink crashes, capitalism and culpability.
February 15, 2022
STUDY: What A Lifetime of Car Ownership Costs — And Who Pays
The average motorist will pay a whopping $650,000 on the low end to own a car over his or her lifetime, and society will pick up over 40 percent of the tab, a new study finds.
February 9, 2022
STUDY: 20 Is Plenty — But Signs Alone Don’t Always Get Drivers to Slow Down
Drivers did not slow really down after Portland lowered the speed limit in residential neighborhoods, but a new study suggests that the reason is more about road design than driver behavior.
February 2, 2022
The Best EV Charging Solution that No One is Talking About
(Hint: it's not curbside charging in dense cities that already have too many cars.)
January 26, 2022
Viral Video of W. Va. Reporter Struck by Pick-Up Driver on Live TV Should be a Watershed Moment
A horrifying car crash that aired during a live TV news broadcast in West Virginia is sparking a conversation about roadway and workplace safety — and the many ways that U.S. media normalizes traffic violence, even as it happens in real time.
January 20, 2022
That Viral Dodge Ad Isn’t the First Time Automakers Compared Drivers to ‘Predators’
A new viral Dodge seems like a new low for the notoriously toxic automaker — but it’s just the latest chapter in the company's promotion of the deadliest driving behaviors.
January 13, 2022
France Forces Auto Advertisers to Encourage Less Driving
A new law will require car advertisers to promote walking, cycling, and transit.
January 5, 2022
We Watched ‘American Auto’ So You Don’t Have To
Many Americans would love to watch a competent satire about the sheer absurdity and cruelty of the auto industry. Alas, "American Auto" is not that show.
January 4, 2022
Yes, Even Walmart Wants to Build Smaller Parking Lots
At the peak of its parking investment, Walmart was building six parking spaces per thousand square feet of store. But that's changed.
December 30, 2021
Op-Ed: We’re Using The Wrong Tools To Educate Drivers About Vehicle Automation
A recent J.D. Power study claimed that drivers had trouble differentiating between a “fully automated self driving vehicle” and advanced driver assistance technology. The only problem is that "self-driving vehicles" don't exist – and the terminology we most often use to talk about automated vehicle features is confusing to say the least.
An AV expert weighs in on what to do about it.
December 20, 2021