Autoblog

Chinese bus companies tell drivers not to hit supercars

Chris Tutor — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST

Being a bus driver in China must be awful. Lots of traffic, lots of people, no tipping. And the job has just gotten worse in Jinghua, where a bus company has instructed its drivers to please stop hitting expensive supercars.

To illustrate the point, drivers were shown a poster with supercar logos to watch out for and how much the associated cars were worth. Hit a Lamborghini, you'll be out 5 million yuan (almost $800,000 USD). And right there, the last vestige of fun was taken away from the under-appreciated Chinese bus driver.

The poster even includes the Shelby Super Cars logo, which can't possibly be all that common in China. Odder still is the omission of the Porsche insignia, which we take to mean it's open season on Boxsters and Caymans.

Chinese bus companies tell drivers not to hit supercars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You're more likely to be poisoned to death than die in a car crash

Chris Shunk — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Car crashes kill thousands of Americans every year. In fact, in 2010 alone 32,885 vehicle occupants died as a result of an accident. In the past, auto accidents held the top spot in injury deaths here in the U.S., but that statistic has changed.

The New York Times reports that a study by the National Center for Health Statistics reveals that over 41,000 Americans lost their lives due to poisoning. Over 90 percent of those deaths were drug-related, with prescription drugs like Morphine and Vicodin among the major culprits.

This is bad news for the health care industry and drug makers, but it's good news for automakers, motorists and insurance companies. Vehicles have become progressively safer over the decades thanks to the efforts of carmakers, independent watchdogs like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and government agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Traveling is now safer than it has been in decades, but nearly 33,000 deaths mean that we're not out of the woods yet.

You're more likely to be poisoned to death than die in a car crash originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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West Virginia traffic accidents rise after NASCAR races

Aaron Richardson — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

West Virginia has more NASCAR fans per capita than any other state in the nation.

Fitting, then, that The Mountain State was chosen by the Journal of Applied Social Psychology for a study on what connection, if any, exists between watching crash-filled races on television and how viewers then drive in the real world.

The study's conclusion? Five days after a televised NASCAR race, aggressive driving-related accidents in West Virginia, a state with no NASCAR tracks of its own, rose significantly, with over 23 accidents recorded versus 19 on other days, according to The Wall Street Journal, reporting on the findings.

The study, which covered years 2003 to 2006, noted that bad weather had an effect on the number of wrecks, but maintains that the 156 televised NASCAR events in that time span also correlated with an uptick in crashes.

West Virginia traffic accidents rise after NASCAR races originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kids safer with grandparents driving than parents

Zach Bowman — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

According to a new study, children who ride with their grandparents are half as likely to be injured in an accident as those who ride with their parents. The news comes from research organized by Dr. Fred Henretig, an emergency medicine specialist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Henretig and his team poured through the State Farm data from insurance claims between 2003 and 2007 across 15 states. The research included information on over 12,000 children below the age of 15, and the study interviewed drivers involved in the accidents.

While older drivers are typically more prone to get into an automobile accident and may not always follow proper installation instructions on child booster seats, younger passengers are still less likely to be injured in an accident with their grandparents. The researchers aren't entirely sure why this is, though Henretig says that it may have something to do with the fact that grandparents are more careful drivers with their grandchildren in the vehicle.

Kids safer with grandparents driving than parents originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reliant Robin trike drivers safest on the road [w/video]

Chris Shunk — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Europe, Videos, Renault, UK

Top Gear flips the Reliant Robin - Click above to watch the video after the jump

When we think Reliant Robin, we reminisce of Jeremy Clarkson dedicating an entire segment on Top Gear to rolling one as many times as possible in under eight minutes. But while Clarkson made rolling the Robin look about as easy as drinking a glass of water, it turns out that actual owners of the three-wheeled Reliant are far less likely to wreck their rides.

The Mirror reports that only 11 out of 1,174 Reliant owners have submitted a claim to their insurance company. That's just .9 percent of owners, which compares very favorably to the 7.3 percent average in the UK. Of course, this statistic doesn't make the Robin the poster child for safe motoring. On the contrary, many Robin owners drive their motorized trikes with the utmost care because they can flip so readily. And many others treat their vehicle as a classic car, which is a good idea considering that there aren't many left on the road. Similar findings were uncovered when the seven million insurance claims revealed that Italian exotics, Bentleys and Aston Martins were also very short on claims.

Hit the jump to watch Clarkson roll the Robin one more time. We can never get enough of this bit.

Continue reading Reliant Robin trike drivers safest on the road [w/video]

Reliant Robin trike drivers safest on the road [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: 4th of July named most dangerous driving holiday, so be safe out there

Steven J. Ewing — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:07:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

On Sunday, the United States of America will celebrate its 234th birthday, and rightfully so, 4th of July festivities will be taking place all around the country - cookouts, camping trips and pool-side relaxation are not out of the question.

But for those of us who will be out on the road, a report from State Farm Insurance brings some interesting information to light: 4th of July averages more collision claims than any other holiday. On average, State Farm policyholders have filed 6,031 claims on July 4th over the past five years. Yikes. We should point out, though, that this is still below the non-holiday average of 7,435 claims made during the same five-year period. It's something to consider nonetheless. These facts and more can be found in State Farm's press release, after the jump.

Drive safely, folks, and from all of us at Autoblog, Happy 4th.

[Source: State Farm Insurance | Image: Corvette Fever]

Continue reading PSA: 4th of July named most dangerous driving holiday, so be safe out there

PSA: 4th of July named most dangerous driving holiday, so be safe out there originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Confused.com wraps accident-prone UK street in bubblewrap. Hope they recycle.

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, UK

Confused.com wraps an entire street in bubble wrap - Click above to watch video

UK site Confused.com exists to answer questions about things, especially things that cost car owners a lot of money - like insurance, for instance. To make the point about how car accidents can utterly wreck your insurance premiums, the site has wrapped a whole street, and everything on and around it, in bubble wrap. The avenue chosen was Somerville Road in Worcester "as having generated one of the highest numbers of accident claims in the UK." The rest is air-filled history. Follow the jump to see the amusing before and after. Hat tip to Erica!

[Source: Confused.com]

Continue reading Video: Confused.com wraps accident-prone UK street in bubblewrap. Hope they recycle.

Video: Confused.com wraps accident-prone UK street in bubblewrap. Hope they recycle. originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Ten minutes of rally crashes devoid of butt-rock soundtrack

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Videos

Finns crashing with pure engine sounds - Click above to watch the video

It's often said that the Finns are ~~drunk and walk around carrying axes~~ the best rally drivers in the world. There's been lots of speculation as to why. Some say it's their relative isolation -- large distances between places makes for lots of fast, back roads driving. Others speculate it's their tough Viking blood that makes the Finns fearless in the face of death. Still others feel it's the sheer boredom of living in Finland that fosters a devil may care attitude towards life and limb.

But after watching this video, we have a new theory. The Finns are the world's best rally drivers because they crash so dang much. We're not kidding. If practice makes perfect then the country of Finland as a whole is... well, we can't say perfect now can we? Watch for yourself, after the jump.

Continue reading VIDEO: Ten minutes of rally crashes devoid of butt-rock soundtrack

VIDEO: Ten minutes of rally crashes devoid of butt-rock soundtrack originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh, Buck! Study says deer-automobile accident rate up by 18% over last 5 years

Jonny Lieberman — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

What do New Jersey and Nebraska have in common? If you said "absolutely nothing," you'd be right - on any other day but today. Turns out that the Garden State and the Cornhusker State share a very curious stat. Both have seen a 54% increase in deer-related automobile accidents over the last two years. That 54% increase is the largest in the nation, which shows that the problem of deer-related car crashes isn't confined to just one location, but rather a national problem.

According to a new State Farm study, the number of cars on the road has grown by 7% over the last five years, but the number of deer-related accidents has swelled 18% in that same time period. No reason why is given in the article, but we'd wager it's a combination of 1) more deer and 2) more and more humans living closer to deer populations. The study does, however, provide some pretty eye-opening statistics.

For examples, State Farm estimates that between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009 there were 2.4 million accidents in the United States involving ~~venison~~ deer. In other words, that's one deer-car mashup every 26 seconds. The worst state for smashing into a deer is and remains West Virginia, where your odds of making contact with a Bambi-like creature are 1 in 39. Michigan remains second most deer-dangerous, though is twice as safe as West Virginia (odds are 1 in 78 that you'll make contact with a deer). And Montana has moved up three places in the rankings, from eighth to fifth. The safest state? Hawaii, where your odds shrink to about 1 in 10,000. Full press release with all the stats after the jump.

[Source: State Farm | Image: Hulton/Getty]

Continue reading Oh, Buck! Study says deer-automobile accident rate up by 18% over last 5 years

Oh, Buck! Study says deer-automobile accident rate up by 18% over last 5 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US DOT report confirms speed not major cause of accidents

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:27:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Sometimes numbers lie. But we keep them around because they tell the truth more often than not. The NHTSA undertook a two-and-a-half year study that examined 5,471 injury accidents nationwide in order to figure out how accidents were being caused. Government researchers conducted their own evidence gathering at crash sites in order to establish a first-hand account of causation. What did they find? Among other things, that more drivers crashed as a result of crossing the center line (11%) than as a result of speeding (5%). Speeding, in this case, defined by "too fast for conditions," not necessarily above the posted limit.

In accidents where driver error was the cause, speeding also came in last as a causative: the 8% who drove too fast were tied with the 8% who fell asleep or had heart attacks while driving. What's more, the NHTSA's causation percentages are strikingly similar to the percentages found in an independent study conducted by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. In its study of crashes in 2007, the VDoT found that 2.9% were due to speeding -- dead last -- while 3.8%t were due to drivers falling asleep or falling ill at the tiller.

What will this mean to the politicians setting and revising speed limits based on the "Speed Kills!" mantra? Probably nothing. But it's nice to know, and nice to have the government researched numbers to back it up.

[Source: The Newspaper]

Continue reading US DOT report confirms speed not major cause of accidents

US DOT report confirms speed not major cause of accidents originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan looks to the Bumblebees for tips on crash avoidance

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Nissan

Volvo has its locusts, Nissan has its bees. With 300-degree vision via compound eyes and instantaneous reflexes, bees don't run into things the way cars do. Nissan wants to halve the rate of car crashes by 2015, versus the company's 1995 tally, and is using bees to come up with a new generation of crash-avoidance systems that will be able to respond to obstacles in ways superior to humans.

Whether bees or locusts, the key to making the technology work has yet to be created: allowing the car to act on information instantly, without complex processing. Information from the bees' eyes doesn't get kicked around their noggins first, it goes straight to the wings which immediately react to keep them out of trouble. More simply: they don't think about what they need to do -- they just do it. When bees do that, they end up unhurt. When humans do that, they end up on the evening news.

To start down that road, Nissan's made a Biomimetic Car Robot Drive (BR23C) that knows how to act like your annoying sibling: it goes around you if it thinks you're in the way. Yet, even when the basic technology can be transferred to vehicles, there is still the issue of dimensions: the BR23C can rotate in any direction to sidestep barriers, but your car has a narrower range of options. Until the guy next to you can also respond instantly -- or we're all driving Nissans and Volvos -- we'll have to see how the technology shakes out.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan looks to the Bumblebees for tips on crash avoidance

Nissan looks to the Bumblebees for tips on crash avoidance originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota under spotlight for possible Tacoma sudden acceleration

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Safety, Toyota

Audi went through it in the '80s. Jeep went through it a couple years ago. Other makers have been accused of it, and now it's Toyota's turn: the NHTSA is considering investigating Tacoma pickup trucks from 2004-2008 due to claims of unintended acceleration. In one instance, a man said he turned off his cruise control to exit the freeway, and the truck surged on him, forcing him to dodge a few vehicles -- even as he had his foot on the brake pedal.

Toyota says there is nothing wrong with the Tacoma's drive-by-wire system. The trucks that have been inspected have not shown the error codes Toyota would expect if the throttle and accelerator pedal were out of whack. The company wrote to the NHTSA and said, "Toyota believes that it is likely that many of the consumer complaints about the general issue of unwanted acceleration ... as well as many of the complaints about this subject that have been received by Toyota, were inspired by publicity."

We can't comment on the claims of unintended acceleration, as we have no idea if they are true or publicity driven. But we can wonder out loud why the brakes suddenly don't work. No matter what a car does -- even at full power -- the brakes should still do their job. After Audi's debacle, the NHTSA conducted a 2-year investigation of the issue and found nothing wrong with those cars, and everyone who sued Audi lost in court. Perhaps the folks in Tokyo should make time for a call to Ingolstadt.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Toyota under spotlight for possible Tacoma sudden acceleration originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Sometimes it's best to quit while you're ahead

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Motorcycle

Professionals earn pockets full of cheese usually because they do whatever it is they do better, faster, stronger than anyone else. Sometimes, though, they get the big bucks because they'll do something again after having nearly killed themselves the first time. That is: they'll get right back on the horse when a lot of non-professionals would instead grab a gin and tonic and watch reruns of I Love Lucy.

Jorge Lorenzo earned his money and a stay in hospital over the weekend during practice for the MotoGP China Grand Prix. On one run the bike bucked under him coming out of a turn, sending the 21-year-old rider up out of his seat like he was riding a bronco, but he managed to keep the bike upright and moving. On a following run he wasn't so fortunate, highsiding, somersaulting, and suffering a fractured left ankle, a painful right ankle, a cut heel, a knee abrasion, and forearm compression.

But here's where Lorenzo really impresses: he still got on the bike to qualify on Saturday, and came in fourth in Sunday's race. Follow the jump to check out the videos of the bucking incident and the highside. And from now on, the word you're looking for to describe Jorge Lorenzo: pro.

[Source: Axis of Oversteer]

Continue reading VIDEO: Sometimes it's best to quit while you're ahead

VIDEO: Sometimes it's best to quit while you're ahead originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 May 2008 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK Department for Transportation to set standards for satnav systems

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Safety, Technology, First Drives, UK

The UK's Department for Transportation (DfT) is trying to put an end to situations like the one you see above. A woman headed to a christening party, paying attention to her satnav -- and little else, apparently -- drove down a road marked "Unsuitable for motor vehicles," and then drove into a swollen river because that's what her navi told her to do.

The DfT wants satnav makers to improve their directions, and also wants them to start providing alternate routes depending on the particular car. In addition to consumer complaints, the DfT is also reacting to increasing incidents of truck drivers getting stranded on narrow country lanes. The 2,000 times it happens each year are estimated to cost £10 million and create 5,000 hours in delays.

The DfT will essentially issue a seal of approval that it wants buyers to look for as a sign of directional quality. We still don't know what they plan to do about drivers who ignore signs that say, "Don't drive down this road," and people who think its OK to ford a river just because the little voice inside their cars says so.

[Source: WhatCar?]

UK Department for Transportation to set standards for satnav systems originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Irony: Red light cameras a safety impediment

Dan Roth — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Safety, First Drives

Red light cameras are nothing more than a surreptitious tax. Oh sure, they're sold to municipalities as a safety benefit, but what else would you say if you wanted to be paid to install, administrate, and monitor your little ticket-writing bots? The cities and towns that put the cameras greedily snap up the extra revenue generated by dangerously short yellow lights and overzealous cameras. Patrick Bedard has been poking holes in the theory that traffic cameras are the salve for behind the wheel idiocy, and a recent study by the University of South Florida Public Health agrees that the cameras actually cause accidents. Other studies also back up the findings that drivers are quicker to slam on their brakes at yellow lights when they spot the cameras. While it should not play out with a rear ending, nobody maintains a safe following distance, or even pays attention. In some cases, the rate of red light running is low enough that the cameras cause a spike in incidents, proving that the cure can sometimes be worse than the sickness.

[Source: Kicking Tires, Photo: Morning Chu Hi]

Irony: Red light cameras a safety impediment originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spring Forward... into the car in front of you

Chris Shunk — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 09:36:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., First Drives

Today is the day we give father time back the hour we stole from him last fall, and we're all a little tired as a result. If you're a frequent traveler or you don't have a 9-5 job, the change may mean little to you. For those of us with a set schedule, however, pushing forward the alarm clock increases your chance for a car accident.

The Detroit Free Press obtained from the Michigan State Police crash statistics for the average Monday vs. the Monday after the time change, and the numbers are pretty crazy. On an average Monday in March, there are 1,022 accidents in the state of Michigan, but on the Monday after the clocks are moved forward, the average amount of accidents between 2002 and 2006 jumped to 1,396. The good news, if there is any, is that there are fewer fatalities than average on Spring Forward Monday. Experts say sleep deprivation could be part of the problem, but bad weather could have also play a factor. Either way, try to hit the hay early tonight, make a beeline to the local beanery for some breakfast blend, and double-check the seat belt before you head to work tomorrow.

[Source: Freep]

Spring Forward... into the car in front of you originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Mar 2008 09:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are cars too safe to be... safe?

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:33:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

Immense amounts of money, research, effort, time, and science have gone into making cars safer. Your economy car is so safe now that you'll survive an accident with a larger vehicle. But it's also so safe now that the traditional blades, jaws, and saws that fire departments would use to extricate you are no longer strong enough to get through the car's metal.

There are also myriad other features lurking in a car's bodywork that can do more damage than the accident. Rescuers need to make sure they don't cut the pressurized gas canisters that would inflate an airbag, or the battery cables in a hybrid. Once in the car, they need to make sure they don't do something that will make the airbag suddenly go off if it hasn't already. It has meant that rescuers first need to peel back the car's shell to see what's beneath before they begin digging out the passengers.

All this has added time to the rescue effort, which might mean the difference between staying here or checking out the hereafter. It's also ballooned budgets, as crews need to buy the equipment they need to get the job done. Maybe carmakers should start making the tools necessary to break their cars open in an accident. The Jaguar Jaws of Life, anyone? Thanks for the tip, JaysonAych!

[Source: AP]

Are cars too safe to be... safe? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rearview mirror DVR captures everything in front of you

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Technology

Ever been in an accident and wished you had in-car camera footage so you could explain to everyone what really happened and why it wasn't your fault? If so, Brickhouse Security has the device for you: the rearview mirror camera recorder. Using a small camera mounted on the back of the rear view mirror, it records everything happening in front of your car. The footage is displayed on a 2.5-inch LCD screen on the face of the mirror, which also includes handy playback controls in case you just want to see the instant replay immediately, or relive the commute to work when you get there.

Recording begins when the engine comes on and ends when the engine goes off. The media records to an SD memory card, is stamped with the date and time, and can be played back on any computer or a television. If there's any down side, it's that the mirror needs to be plugged in to your cigarette lighter to work. But that's the price of CSI ingenuity, and it will, heaven forbid, pay for itself the first time you can prove that "no-fault" accident was actually very much the other person's fault. Thanks for the tip, John!

[Source: Brickhouse Security]

Rearview mirror DVR captures everything in front of you originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Driver kills cyclist, sues victim's family for damages

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe

In 2004, 17-year-old Enaitz Iriondo was cycling after sunset near the town of Haro, in Spain. Spanish businessman Thomas Delgado, doing 100 MPH in his Audi A8, hit Iriondo, killing the teenager instantly. The Spanish court found both parties at fault: Iriondo for not wearing any reflective clothing in the dark nor a helmet, Delgado for doing triple-digit speeds. Delgado's insurance company then paid the Iriondo family €33,000 for the death of their son. Cased closed.

Well, not exactly. See, Delgado's car suffered €10,000 in damage, and Delgado spent another €6,000 on rental cars while his was being repaired. So in 2006 he sued Iriondo's parents for €20,000 for his expenses -- and, we guess, a little extra for pain and emotional suffering. His rationale, according to an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais: "I'm also a victim in all of this, you can't fix the lad's problems, but you can fix mine," and "It's the only way I have to claim my money back."

We don't know if we have the words to describe such an efficiently ruthless reasoning. For Iriondo's mother, Rosa Trinidad (pictured), "Before the lawsuit we thought the poor guy would find it hard to live the rest of his life with the thought of having caused our son's death. This was the final straw, a kick in the teeth." That will have to do for now. To say the least.

Thanks for the tip, Aki!

[Source: The Daily Mail]

Driver kills cyclist, sues victim's family for damages originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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fortwo billed as birth control for teenagers?

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Smart

Click above to see how "teen-friendly" the smart fortwo is.

We all know what teenagers do in the back seats of cars, don't we? Since the smart fortwo only comes with two seats, it's something that any parent will never have to worry about. And Dave Schembri, SmartUSA president, wanted to put everyone's fears to rest when he said, "After all, what better car to have for your teenager than one without a backseat."

But Schembri was actually talking about the far more dangerous backseat activity for teens: distracting the drivers in the front seats. (I don't know what else you might have been thinking). Since more than one accident has been caused by a rowdy -- or just plain distracting -- group of kids on the rear bench, it's another thing fortwo drivers won't have to worry about on the commute.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Gallery: smart fortwo

fortwo billed as birth control for teenagers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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