Autoblog

Motorcycle fatalities stay steady while auto deaths decline

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Motorcycle

The numbers haven't been definitively crunched, but it is expected that the estimated 32,310 traffic fatalities in 2011 were the lowest on record in the 62 years that records have been kept. Yet the good news about the total number of fatalities masks regrettable news for traffic safety authorities: automobile fatalities are down, but motorcycle fatalities are up.

After a steady rise in motorcyclist death rates through the first decade of the new century, numbers fell in 2009 and the beginning of 2010. Observers hoped the trend would continue, but that didn't happen when deaths ticked up slightly over the course of 2010 and stayed steady through 2011.

Causes are varied, from high gas prices leading more people to ride motorcycles to inadequate training for both riders and automobile drivers on how to ply the roads safely. A report breaking down the numbers also "noted that 29 percent of fatally injured riders in 2010 had a blood-alcohol concentration at or above the legal limit, and 35 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding." It didn't, however, indicate how much of those numbers overlapped - how many of those riders were over the limit when they died.

Nor does it look like current developments will allay the trend in the near-term. Only 19 states require riders to wear helmets, Michigan just repealed its compulsory helmet law and five other states are considering such measures. Again, the overall number of fatalities is welcome news considering how many more people and cars there are on the roads now compared to 1949, but the takeaway for motorcyclists is that there is now more reason to be extra careful when you ride.

Motorcycle fatalities stay steady while auto deaths decline originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK may dim lights on major roads to save money, environment

Chris Paukert — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, UK

The BBC reports that British authorities are studying whether or not lighting along major roadways should be dimmed or even turned off to save the government money and curb carbon emissions.

According to the report, The Highways Agency is investigating lowering lighting levels at night, but only when traffic levels are "very low" to ensure safety is maintained. The study, to be carried out in 2012 and 2013, will include consulting the UK's Institution of Lighting Professionals while still vowing to stay in accord with "internationally agreed standards."

At this time, there are no public estimates on how much the UK could save on power and lighting maintenance by turning the lights down, or what sort of carbon footprint reduction could be expected. However, we imagine that if the initiative moves forward, British authorities will be keen to point out the savings. Now, about dimming costly light flashing on all those speed cameras...

UK may dim lights on major roads to save money, environment originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BBC maps every accident in Great Britain in last 12 years

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, UK

According to data acquired by the BBC, roads in Great Britain have played host to 2,396,750 crashes from 1999 to 2010. The Beeb then took that data and plotted every single one of them on a map, represented by a point of light. The resulting graphic looks like a picture from the Hubble Telescope, with major and minor clusters of fender-bender-filled galaxies.

The BBC compiled a large amount of information to go with it, including an in-depth breakdown of the numbers: in those 12 years, more than 36,000 dead - 1,850, or five a day, in 2010 - more than three million injured and more than £15 billion in economic cost.

It goes even further than that, with extra features on things like crash-proof cars, a full day of tweeting from two BBC reporters who spend a day with a London ambulance crew, and time-laps video of when and where accidents happen. So, for any Britons who want to see where and how people are getting hurt on the roads, or for those of you who are just interested in such things, follow the link.

BBC maps every accident in Great Britain in last 12 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Australian safety council urges you to slow down... naturally

Chris Shunk — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos

"Enjoy The Ride" PSA - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Remember the Embrace Life PSA that urged auto occupants to use their safety belts? It's a beautiful safety ad with a very powerful message. The Road Safety Council of Western Australia must have been watching, because they've taken their safety message to the next level of serenity.

Beyond the jump is a three-minute ad titled "Enjoy The Ride." The first two minutes of the video explain how important it is to slow down in every day life. If you don't, the PSA explains, you're on the fast track to early aging, heart disease and even erectile dysfunction. You wouldn't know this is an auto safety spot until the last minute of the PSA, when the real message reveals itself. Slow down and enjoy the ride. Hit the jump to view the video - just be prepared to breath a little deeper... you may want to join yoga after this. Hat tip to Chris!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Australian safety council urges you to slow down... naturally

Video: Australian safety council urges you to slow down... naturally originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New study says road deaths drop precipitously - but why?

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Automotive fatalities continue to drop year-over-year, which is perhaps not surprising in and of itself. What is surprising, however, is a study that notes a massive falloff in the number of motoring deaths. According to The Wall Street Journal, the total number of road fatalities in 2009 was 33,963 compared to 43,510 in 2005 - a 22 percent decline. That is the steepest rate of decline since automobiles entered mass production in the beginning part of the 20th century. So what gives?

According to a new study by a pair of University of Michigan researchers, it's certainly not the invasion of handheld technology, which the story says has created a rise in fatalities due to inattentive driving. Keeping our eyes on an incoming text message or email has resulted in a 42 percent rise in distracted-driving fatalities from 2005 to 2008. However, those accidents only account for a small portion of the total number of fatalities, and it's likely that with increased awareness that more deaths are being classified in this way.

Safety technology continues to improve, and new technologies continue to filtering down into more affordable vehicles. Deaths from side-impact crashes have declined more quickly than the decline rate for overall deaths, meaning that more people are surviving these types of accidents.

Another, more interesting, statistic is the drop in fatal accidents during rush hour driving periods. Why has that number fallen in recent years compared to 2005? According to the WSJ's theorizing, it's the economy. More folks out of work means fewer people on the road during rush hour. You just might not notice it when you are stuck in traffic screaming at the car in front of you that just cut you off to make its exit.

Regardless of why overall traffic fatalities are down, it's great to hear that this number is falling. However, as the economy picks back up, it's expected that traffic fatalities will as well.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal | Image:Chip Somodevilla/Getty]

New study says road deaths drop precipitously - but why? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Laws: Commercial truck and bus drivers banned from texting while driving

Chris Shunk — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims that in 2009 alone, 5,500 fatalities and half a million injuries occurred as a direct result of distracted driving. The problem is so severe that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (above) recently felt compelled to address Autoblog readers directly in an effort to spread the word about how dangerous it is to multitask while driving.

The Department of Transportation isn't resting its hopes on Autoblog, though. The DoT has initiated the second National Distracted Driving Summit this week to shine light on the problem, and the government's latest offensive isn't going out to texting teens or phone-obsessed commuters. The early pressure is on drivers transporting hazardous materials, commercial truck and bus drivers and rail operators. LaHood opened this week's summit by talking up new laws that ban commercial bus and truck drivers from texting and driving, while train operators can no longer legally use cell phones or other electronic devices from the driver's seat. Companies are also getting in on the act, as 1,600 corporations have banned distracted driving, affecting 10.5 million drivers. Another 500 companies will reportedly follow suit in the next year.

Beyond new laws covering commercial drivers, LaHood and friends are also touting the results of heavily increased enforcement. In Hartford, Connecticut 4,956 tickets have been passed out to texting or talking drivers. Syracuse, New York police have issued another 4,446 citations. We usually get anything but excited when hearing about increased tickets and fines, but the results of the texting and talking crackdown are difficult to ignore. The DoT press release after the jump tells us that surveys and observations claim that phone usage is down 56 percent in Hartford and 38 percent in Syracuse. Further, texting is down 68 percent and 42 percent, respectively. Hit the jump to read over the press release.

[Source: Department of Transportation | Image: AP]

Continue reading New Laws: Commercial truck and bus drivers banned from texting while driving

New Laws: Commercial truck and bus drivers banned from texting while driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: This truck driver has got something on his nose...

Chris Shunk — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Safety, Videos, Work

Click above to watch the video after the jump

Is this a highway or the set of a new Bruce Willis flick? What appears to be a cell phone-wielding cameraman has captured some timely highway footage of a truck driver hauling more than just a few dozen tons of potentially hazardous liquid. We have no idea how a vehicle, apparently a Renault Clio, could possibly find itself in such a precarious and perpendicular position, but we're even more puzzled as to how the truck driver could possibly pass other vehicles in traffic without noticing a 3,000 pound vehicle on its nose.

Assuming this is real and not some sort of staged stunt, we're sure hope the driver of the Clio escaped this unfortunate incident unharmed, because otherwise we would feel really guilty about the fact that we laughed at the fact that the brake lights were flashing on and off. Like that was going to do anything. Check out the video for yourself by hitting the jump. The video footage is admittedly less than great, but we feel the bizarre nature of the subject matter is worth a look.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: This truck driver has got something on his nose...

Video: This truck driver has got something on his nose... originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA announces 2009 fatalities lowest since 1954, continue downward trend

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Safety doesn't sell cars. At least that's what Detroit executives walked around saying back in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The whole of them were convinced that if you even mentioned the word "safety" in a marketing campaign it would imply that cars were unsafe. In fact, it took a crusader like Ralph Nader to stand up to the auto industry and say enough with the death traps, like he did when he published his infamous Unsafe at Any Speed (only one chapter is about the Corvair!) in 1965. Like him or loathe, if you've walked away from a serious car accident in the last forty or so years, you probably owe him.

And it looks like many more of us have been walking away from car accidents lately. According to a new report from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the death rate for calendar 2009 plummeted by a frankly significant 8.9-percent from 2008. 33,963 Americans were killed on our roads last year, as opposed to the 37,261 people that perished in 2008. Still terrible, but much, much better. In fact, 2009's fatality rate (measured with the totally morbid metric, "death per mile") is actually the lowest such rate since 1954. Were cars safer back then? No, not even kinda sorta. It's just that a much smaller percentage of the population drove back then. The Interstate system was still two years off, so road trips were rare and mostly for truckers and beatniks.

Why the drop in the death rate? Many factors. Cars are getting safer. More air bags, crumple zones, better construction techniques, stability control, better tire technology - all of it is adding up to help prevent accidents, or at least make them more survivable. Also, campaigns like "Click It or Ticket" have increased seatbelt usage, and cops nationwide are cracking down harder than ever on drunk drivers. However, there's one other reason the death rate fell so far in 2009: people drove less. Meaning that if our economy recovers and we start driving more, the death rate could - and probably will - increase. Make the jump to read the press release.

[Source: NHTSA | Image: Bantam Dell Publishing Group]

Continue reading NHTSA announces 2009 fatalities lowest since 1954, continue downward trend

NHTSA announces 2009 fatalities lowest since 1954, continue downward trend originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silent electric vehicles to cause new problems for NVH engineers?

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Technology, Renault, Electric

A researcher at Renault said customers surveyed last year about what they want in an electric car responded, "silence, peace of mind and comfortable riding, a windy sound quality, a fluid driving experience like a skipper enjoying a sailboat." That sounds dreamy, until you realize how loud a car really is underneath all of the regular drivetrain noises we've come to expect from an ICE-powered ride. For instance, when we drove the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe two years ago, we heard nothing - and that's absolutely nothing - of the world outside, but that meant we could hear the windshield wiper motors mounted on the bulkhead.

Electric cars are going to bring many more and much greater challenges than that, and engineers are beginning to discuss how to overcome them. The noise, vibration and harshness culprits in an electric vehicle include battery cooling systems, HVAC fans and ducts, coils for the power electronics, and switching on range-extending engines on vehicles so-equipped. These are the kinds of noises covered up easily by engine and other low-frequency noises, but in an electric car, they can make one feel strapped into a curious contraption.

Of course, there is also the question of what to do for others who depend on the sounds of cars, such as blind pedestrians and cyclists. Sound engineering is the most talked about approach right now, but no one knows what shape this will take. Lotus Engineering created a Safe & Sound system that used a waterproof speaker to emit an make engine noise - but wasn't part of the promise of electric cars meant to be quieter cities? It's all still to play for when it comes to the future of NVH, but please please, no ringtones...

[Source: Ward's Auto | Image: Lotus Engineering]

Silent electric vehicles to cause new problems for NVH engineers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The most beautiful seatbelt advocacy commercial ever?

Chris Paukert — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos, UK

Embrace Life PSA - click above to watch the video

Over the years, we've seen plenty of public safety announcements that tackle the issue of buckling up behind the wheel. Most rely on fear to convey their message - be it fear of a police citation ("Click it or ticket") or the menace of graphic violence, dismemberment and death.

This slow-motion spot from the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, however, takes a different tack without sacrificing its effectiveness or drama, all while adding an unexpected element of artistry and grace to go along with the obligatory heartstring-tugging. (And before you ask, yes, it most certainly reminds us of a certain incredible Radiohead music video). Check it out after the jump and see if you don't agree. Hat tip to Duy!

[Source: Sussex Safer Roads Partnership via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: The most beautiful seatbelt advocacy commercial ever?

Video: The most beautiful seatbelt advocacy commercial ever? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: How not to right an overturned semi truck

Chris Shunk — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Work

Click above to watch the video after the jump

We've all seen semi trucks turned turtle on the freeway before, but as it turns out, the cleanup aftermath of a rollover can be as action-packed as the initial calamity. Said another way, If we ever run into an overturned hauler on a dangerous stretch of mountain road in Chile, we now at least know what not to do.

Hit the jump to watch video of a semi that was flipped back over with a front-end loader in what is decidedly the wrong way. We don't want to spill all the beans here, but the post-jump video contains quite a bit of excitement - even if the camerawork isn't quite ready for Michael Bay. Enjoy the madness!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: How not to right an overturned semi truck

Video: How not to right an overturned semi truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Missouri reportedly combating icy roads with beet juice, Dwight Schrute pleased

Chris Shunk — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

We Americans sure do like our food. Not only does the land of the Red, White and Blue have one of the higher rates of obesity of any industrialized nations, we feed our roads, too. The Missouri Department of Transportation has been solving its road ice problem with the help of beet juice. The product in question, Geomelt, is a sugar beet-based liquid, and according to the Boonville Daily News, MoDOT has increased its use by 700 percent since it was first introduced in the Show Me State in 2006. That's 242,000 gallons of the nutritious substance used in 2009, or more than 50,000 eight-ounce servings for every staff member at Dunder Mifflin. We're guessing it takes it takes more than 60 acres of beets to make 242,000 gallons of nature's de-icer.

While using food to combat road ice might not be ideal for the environment, it's likely better than the salt most states use. Salt gets into fresh water supplies, which can wreak havoc on groundwater quality. Besides, this is the only good use we can think of for beet juice, and we're thinking our man Dwight wouldn't be able to maintain his prized 1987 Pontiac Trans Am without the extra income.

[Source: Boonville Daily News | Image: NBC]

Missouri reportedly combating icy roads with beet juice, Dwight Schrute pleased originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: How much of a difference does a few mph make?

Dan Roth — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Australia

"Please, Slow Down" public safety spot - Click above to watch the video

Auto crashes are giant, complex things. There are lots of factors that influence the outcome, virtually all of them variable and dependent on human input and decision making. Unfortunately, most of us aren't good at wrapping our minds around such a thorny ball of applied physics. Australia's Roads and Traffic Authority has enlisted Professor Ian Johnston of Melbourne's Monash University to break it down for the back of the class.

Pushing a tagline of "Please, Slow Down," Professor Johnston brings his work at the University's Accident Research Centre to bear with an effective and visually arresting demonstration of how big a difference five little kilometers per hour (that's 3.11 mph) can make to a panic stop. It's a message well delivered, but we would argue that good road safety is more about driving at reasonable rates of speed for the conditions (traffic, weather, road type, vehicle type and skill level). Click through to the jump to check it out for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: How much of a difference does a few mph make?

VIDEO: How much of a difference does a few mph make? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unintended Consequence of Technology: New LED traffic lights can't melt snow

Michael Harley — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

Traffic lights using state-of-the-art LED illumination use 90 percent less electricity, offer a much longer service life and are more durable than their incandescent counterparts. Taking advantage of the countless benefits, cities around the country have been replacing traditional filament-based traffic signal bulbs with LEDs for years. Unfortunately, the low-watt LED units burn much cooler than its white-hot counterpart making it unable to melt snow off weather exposed traffic fixtures.

"I've never had to put up with this in the past," said Duane Kassens, a driver from Indiana who was involved in an accident attributed to a snow-clogged traffic light. "The police officer told me the new lights weren't melting the snow. How is that safe?" It obviously isn't.

Municipalities around the country are taking different steps to keep their signals shining brightly in the face of Mother Nature. Crews in St. Paul, Minnesota, use compressed air to keep their lights clean. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, city workers brush the snow off by hand in a labor-intensive process. Until a fix arrives, it is best to take the advice of Dave Hansen, a traffic engineer with the Green Bay Department of Public Works. Treat a blocked signal as if the power is out. "If there's any question, you err on the side of caution," says Hansen.

[Source: AOL Autos | Image: Oswego Police]

Unintended Consequence of Technology: New LED traffic lights can't melt snow originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ready, Set, Go! Clever stoplight concept counts down to green

Chris Shunk — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:40:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

Eko stop light - Click above for image gallery

We've got the stoplights in our neighborhood timed pretty well, but it's pretty painful when you're at a foreign intersection and have absolutely no idea when the light will turn green. We shift our vehicle into Neutral and give our left foot a break at a stoplight that we know is long, but at uncharted lights, we occasionally keep our clutch foot to the floor.

One designer by the name of Damjan Stankovic decided we should wait no longer, so he designed an innovative-looking "Eko" stoplight that offers an easy to read indicator that shows how much time the light has until it turns green. The idea has some merit. If you want to conserve fuel and reduce CO2 emissions, you could turn off your engine during truly long lights. (We wouldn't, but you could). If drivers were able to see the light from far away, they could also let off the accelerator early and save a little strain on the brakes. We can think of one big issue, though: drivers trying to time the turn from red to green.

What do you think? Would a red light timer be a good thing, or would it be a recipe for disaster? Give us your take in 'Comments.' Thanks for the tips, Spyros and Jared!

Gallery: Eko Stop Light

[Source: Yanko Design]

Ready, Set, Go! Clever stoplight concept counts down to green originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: More than 25% of US bridges are "structurally deficient or functionally obsolete"

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

Here's some bad news for all of us: Over 150,000 bridges in the U.S. have been judged to be "structurally deficient or functionally obsolete." And get this, there are less than 598,000 bridges in America. That means 25.7% aren't in very good shape. It turns out that the state with the most structurally deficient or functionally obsolete (SD/FO) bridges is Texas, with 9,564 such bridges. However, Texas is ginormous - almost half the size of Alaska - and therefore has a lot of bridges, but the percentage of Texan SD/FO bridges is 19%. And that's significantly lower than the national average.

What state has the most SD/FO bridges? Betcha never would have guessed the District of Columbia. For one thing, it's not even a state! For another, you'd think being in such close proximity to all that Washingtonian largesse would be good for something. Turns out, not. Anyhow, 55% of the bridges in our nation's capital are going to fall down/fail sooner than later says The Better Roads Bridge Inventory survey.

The actual State with the highest percentage of bad bridges is Rhode Island with 53%. Pennsylvania takes second place honors with 39%. The really bad news, according to the frighteningly detailed article, is that all these numbers might be low.

[Source: Better Roads via The Car Connection | Image: Scott Olson/Getty]

REPORT: More than 25% of US bridges are "structurally deficient or functionally obsolete" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions

Noah Joseph — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Government/Legal, Safety

What would you think to be the leading contributor to fatalities in car crashes here in the States? Failure to use seat belts? Speeding? Drunk driving? Think again. According to a new study commissioned by Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), the leading cause of highway fatalities is deficient road conditions. In fact, the study asserts, with a roadway-related crash occurring every minute on American streets, inadequate roadway infrastructure is responsible for the majority of highway fatalities in the United States and over a third of injuries incurred in non-fatal crashes as well.

Given the state of many roadways, you might think that the situation - like America's road network - is beyond repair. However, the study, entitled "On a Crash Course: The Dangers and Health Costs of Deficient Roadways," assesses the financial cost alone of crashes caused by these substandard roadways - as a whopping $217 billion annually, including medical bills, loss of productivity and property damage. That's more than three-and-a-half times the $59 billion which local, state and federal governments in the United States invest in improving America's roadways. PIRE's solution? Improving road conditions, of course, including better signage and markings, widening shoulders and removing obstacles from roadsides. Follow the jump to read more on PIRE's findings and suggested solutions for what it deems is one of the largest killers in America.

[Source: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation | Image: STR/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions

STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Motorists Association ranks states most hostile to drivers

Chris Paukert — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

For as long as there has been traffic enforcement, drivers from different states have gathered to compare notes on whose police and legal systems are the most oppressive and toughest to deal with. While most such conversations rarely progress beyond the anecdotal, the folks over at the National Motorists Association have actually gone to the trouble of ranking all 50 states using a set of seventeen criteria, just in time to adjust your travel plans ahead of this weekend's Memorial Day holiday.

The list was compiled by weighing such factors as 'Speed Traps Per Capita," the use of speed and red-light cameras, as well as legal factors like the presence of mayor's courts, the availability of trial-by-declaration, and so on.

We're not sure we agree with each of the criterion (e.g. singling out whether cellular phone use is legal), but it's a very interesting list all the same, and might give you some fuel for the inevitable water cooler discussion following your next moving violation.

Click on the jump to see the full list of factors and where your stomping grounds stack up among the least motorist-friendly states in the nation. Hot tip, Frank!

[Source: National Motorists Association, Source Photo by bradleygee | CC2.0]

Continue reading National Motorists Association ranks states most hostile to drivers

National Motorists Association ranks states most hostile to drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 May 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Color-shifting roads warn of ice

Dan Roth — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Safety, Technology, First Drives

Problems caused by disappearing traction when roads get icy will be solved when we all get our flying cars - it is the 21st century, after all. Until that long overdue promise is fulfilled, we're all relegated to putting rubber to the road to reach our destinations. The way winter road conditions are currently mitigated involves lots of salt and many trucks. The trucks are pretty much necessary for removal of heavy precipitation, but salting exacts an environmental, as well as financial price. Motorists, too, could benefit from a warning that road surfaces are less than optimal. To that end, France's Eurovia is developing a temperature-sensitive varnish that changes color to provide a visual indication to all road users that the pavement is freezing. Once it warms back up again, the varnish returns to its default hue. Durability trials are underway in several areas of France that experience severe weather, and if the coating holds up well, we could all be watching out for pink stripes in the winter. Thanks for the tip, akhel.

Translated press release after the jump.

[Source: Eurovia via Transport Trends; Photo: news.fr]

Continue reading Color-shifting roads warn of ice

Color-shifting roads warn of ice originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK motorcyclists saved from being sliced in two by wire rope barriers

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:31:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Motorcycle, UK

We aren't conspiracy theorists, and we believe that government usually wants to do the right thing. Nevertheless, we do wonder sometimes how large groups of smart people come up with such dumb ideas. In this case, it's wire rope barriers used to act as a median on rural roads.

The barriers, already in use in Sweden, the Netherlands and New Zealand, are used to prevent head-on collisions between automobiles on narrower roads that don't allow for thick concrete barriers. The UK was in favor of installing them, until a study by a motorcycle group showed that they would be fatal for motorcyclists. In New Zealand, the barriers were nicknamed "cheese cutters" after a 22-year-old motorcyclist encountered them at speed and was sliced in two like a brick of fromage.

Now the Institute of Advanced Motorists, the group that had been lobbying for them in the UK, has withdrawn its endorsement. It now wants to "ensure that any barrier system proposed anywhere on our roads places the safety needs of motorcyclists at the top of the list."

Thanks for the tip, Adam!

[Source: Motorcycle News]

UK motorcyclists saved from being sliced in two by wire rope barriers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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