Distracted Driving
Pitchfork-Wielding Consumers Hold Auto Industry Hostage!
It’s sad, really. Tremendous gains in vehicle fuel efficiency have been squandered, MIT’s Christopher Knittel demonstrates in a study published in the American Economic Review. Knittel’s analysis quantifies how, while automakers have applied meaningful fuel economy innovations over the past several decades, these have produced only modest gains in miles per gallon, because at the same time the companies inflated horsepower and vehicle size. As MIT’s press release put it:
January 18, 2012
Dislike? Mercedes-Benz Wants to Put Facebook in Your Dashboard
Earlier this week, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Mercedes-Benz USA unveiled “mbrace2,” an in-dashboard service that enables the use of Facebook, Yelp, and Google behind the wheel. The service will likely be available in all 2013 models.
January 13, 2012
Streetsies 2011: The Final Installment
Tomorrow is the last day of 2011, folks. I wish you a Happier New Year than this one was.
December 30, 2011
NTSB: States Should Ban Hands-Free Calls While Driving
In Missouri last year, a 19-year-old driving a pickup at 55 mph sent or received 11 texts in the 11 minutes immediately before he caused a deadly crash.
December 15, 2011
Ford, Verizon Support Distracted-Driver Law — And Its Loophole
Yesterday, Ford became the first automaker to endorse a bill, introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), to ban distracted driving. When a similar bill was introduced in the last session, Ford was the first to endorse it then, too.
July 13, 2011
LaHood Goes to Detroit to Talk to Automakers About Distracted Driving
A year ago, the Department of Transportation helped launch FocusDriven, an advocacy group for victims of motor vehicle crashes involving drivers using cell phones.
January 20, 2011
LaHood Takes Sides in Miss America Contest
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's latest blog post urges readers to support Loren Vaillancourt - Miss South Dakota - to become the next Miss America. After all, as her YouTube promo states, she can save lives.
January 10, 2011
Limbaugh: Distracted Driving Regs a Slippery Slope to Totalitarian Rule
Last March, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh made clear that he’s not the sort to shed tears when cyclists get doored. Indeed, cyclists, in his mind, belong on the sidewalks instead of the streets.
October 21, 2010