Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: Michigan legislature pondering eco-friendly motoring tips in driving school]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/16/report-michigan-legislature-pondering-eco-friendly-motoring-tip/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/16/report-michigan-legislature-pondering-eco-friendly-motoring-tip/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/16/report-michigan-legislature-pondering-eco-friendly-motoring-tip/#commentsFiled under: ,



There's always a mouthful of teeth gnashing whenever lax US driver's ed standards are brought up. Yes, we need sixteen-year-olds on the road so they can get to their part time jobs at Taco Bell, but most are really lousy drivers. Or are they just uneducated drivers? Remember, even though 9 and 3 o'clock are the proper way to hold a steering wheel, kids in the US were taught 10 and 2 for generations (though in the mid-90s it was switched to 9 and 3 with the proliferation of airbags). Point is, in terms of car control and emergency handling, US drivers lag behind some other (*cough* Germany *cough*) countries.

However, rather than focusing what we think is most important while driving (avoiding accidents), a couple members of Michigan's legislature are looking to mandate environmentally friendly education into their state's drivers ed curriculum. The Detroit News' Manny Lopez nearly has a coronary attacking the proposed legislation -- "trust me, environmental activism is a religion" -- but we don't really see the big deal.

Especially as the three parts of the bill Lopez brings up are learning about the importance of car-pooling and public transportation, identifying a fuel-efficient vehicle, and recycling vehicle parts and fluids. With the exception of the public transportation aspect (that really has no place in drivers ed unless it's learning how to avoid hitting buses), all of the above is good stuff to know. A smart state legislator might even grab into this proposed legislature and help to pass it only if teaching emergency lane change and braking procedures gets added in.

[Source: Detroit News | Photo Source: Jim Gray/Getty Archives]

REPORT: Michigan legislature pondering eco-friendly motoring tips in driving school originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Drivers EdDrivers EducationDriversEdDriversEducationManny LopezMannyLopezMichiganMon, 16 Nov 2009 19:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Huh? Fewer 16-year olds are getting their licenses]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/29/huh-fewer-16-year-olds-are-getting-their-licenses/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/29/huh-fewer-16-year-olds-are-getting-their-licenses/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/29/huh-fewer-16-year-olds-are-getting-their-licenses/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Have teenagers gone nuts? The Federal Highway Administration is reporting that the percentage of teenagers with driver's licenses is going down. Yeah, decreasing! What is up with that?

When I was growing up, my teenage years focused on just one objective... driving. All I wanted was to get my driver's license. That little card with your picture on it was the golden ticket. You could borrow your parent's car, fill the tank (and grab a candy bar) for $20, and nobody could reach you until you returned. We didn't have cell phones, text messaging or GPS tracking. A driver's license represented freedom.

So, what happened? Experts aren't blaming unmotivated teenagers. Instead, they point the finger at the environment in which we are raising our kids. In today's world, parents are much more likely to chauffeur their teenagers from place to place. Tighter state laws govern when kids can drive, and in many cases legislation has pushed the driving age limit higher. Fewer high schools are offering driver's education classes, forcing parents to pay for more expensive private instruction, and steeper rates are making insurance cost-prohibitive for the high-risk teen-age category. Top it all off with gasoline at more than three-dollars per gallon, and maybe a driver's license just doesn't represent what it used to.

[Source: New York Times]

Huh? Fewer 16-year olds are getting their licenses originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DriversDrivers EducationDriversEducationLicensePermitTeenteen driversteen drivers licenseTeenageTeenDriversTeenDriversLicenseFri, 29 Feb 2008 11:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Caparo touts safety features of T1, mandatory driver's ed. for owners]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/14/caparo-touts-safety-features-of-t1-mandatory-drivers-ed-for-o/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/14/caparo-touts-safety-features-of-t1-mandatory-drivers-ed-for-o/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/14/caparo-touts-safety-features-of-t1-mandatory-drivers-ed-for-o/#commentsFiled under: ,

The recent spate of negative press hampering the Caparo T1 hasn't stopped the makers of the clichéd "road-going racecar" from releasing a host of details outlining the finer points of the T1's safety systems.

While the press release after the jump goes into detail about the Caparo's lightweight, yet extremely rigid, carbon fiber composite tub and energy-absorbing snout, and regurgitates all the impressive details and stats surrounding the AP-sourced braking setup that hauls down the 1,256-pound street-legal F1 car from 100 mph in under three seconds, it's the last bit about driver training that caught our attention.

It seems that all owners of the Caparo T1 are required to attend a training course that allows them to experience the vehicle's dynamic pleasures on a closed track. If the T1 is to be driven on the street - something that's legal in the UK, but not highly advised - owners will embark on a separate course that gives them the ins and outs of driving a vehicle with such high limits on public roads.

Caparo is touting the T1 as "one of the world's safest ultra-performance vehicles," although we'd probably ask Jason Plato's opinion first if we had the means of acquiring one.

[Source: Caparo]

Continue reading Caparo touts safety features of T1, mandatory driver's ed. for owners

Caparo touts safety features of T1, mandatory driver's ed. for owners originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apap brakesApBrakesbrakescaparocaparo brakescaparo t1CaparoBrakesCaparoT1driver educationdriver trainingDriverEducationdrivers educationDriversEducationDriverTrainingsafetyt1Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:56:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Ford's Driving Skills for Life takes drivers' ed to the web]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/31/video-fords-driving-skills-for-life-takes-drivers-ed-to-the-w/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/31/video-fords-driving-skills-for-life-takes-drivers-ed-to-the-w/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/31/video-fords-driving-skills-for-life-takes-drivers-ed-to-the-w/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Ford launched its Driving Skills For Life website a few months back, and as far as a resource for new drivers and their white-knuckled parents, its a worthy effort. Sure, the kitsch level is a bit high and some of the modules could be improved, but any attempt by an automaker to focus on driver safety and highlight the number one killer of teens gets a gold star in our book.

Along with some games, a car care clinic and some fuel conservation tips, Ford produced a series of videos hosted by a variety of professional instructors and racers to tackle some of the basic skills that new drivers face when they hit the road. All ten of these video tips are posted after the jump and are worth a watch as a quick primer for the up-and-coming motorist in your life. They may even teach some of the more battle-hardened among us a thing or two.

[Source: Driving Skills For Life, YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Ford's Driving Skills for Life takes drivers' ed to the web

VIDEO: Ford's Driving Skills for Life takes drivers' ed to the web originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 May 2007 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driver trainingdrivers eddrivers educationDriversEdDriversEducationDriverTrainingdriving skills for lifeDrivingSkillsForLifefordThu, 31 May 2007 18:33:00 EST