It seems to be the case that a federal office tasked with broad oversight of vehicle safety issues relating to both passenger and commercial vehicles and equipment could use a bit more oversight itself. Put another way: In response to the question of what it is precisely that the so-called Office of Defects Investigation does, the answer might reasonably seem to be that the ODI does very little, and that much of what it does focus upon is not done particularly well. […]

Automakers sometimes receive the proverbial slap on the wrist from national safety regulators, with government agencies alleging acts of negligence or wrongdoing that result in admonitory warnings, threats of safety recalls and fines and additional responses that don’t exactly inspire fear or quick industry compliance. Fiat Chrysler could do with a bit of that right now, as the recently combined motor vehicle manufacturer is contemplating a just-inked settlement with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that actually bites as well as barks. […]

You probably don’t think about the total number of text messages that are sent in the United States and its territories every month, but the figure is staggering. According to a study based on data as of Dec. 2013, roughly 153.3 billion texts are sent per month. That’s an incredible number. How many of those texts are sent while someone is behind the wheel of a motor vehicle? No one knows for sure, but its a significant number, given some other figures. The crazy thing is, distracted driving isn’t just limited to texting while driving. Cellphone use, in general, is a form of distracted driving. Using [...]

It’s currently estimated that one in seven vehicles in the United States may be equipped with a faulty airbag. This statistic may be extremely shocking to those of our Los Angeles readers who have not been following the news regarding the recent recalls involving vehicles with Takata airbags. But for those who have been following the story, this statistic only further illustrates the need to hold auto manufacturers liable for their negligence. For those who do not know, a number of investigations into crashes over the last decade have uncovered a flaw in Takata’s airbags that cause them to explode violently in a driver’s face. In [...]

If you’ve been following our blog over the last year then you know we’ve talked before about Google’s self-driving car. What was once just a prototype being driven on a test track nearly a year ago has now been released on actual roads here in California and most recently near Austin, Texas. But just as it did when it was first created, the vehicle is still raising a number of questions, including the one we’re asking in today’s post title: Will Google’s self-driving cars put an end to car accidents? […]

There are a lot of injuries that are commonly associated with car accidents. From bruise and broken bones to spinal cord and head injuries, there are few injuries that can’t be suffered after being struck by another vehicle. Did you know though that a person may also suffer an injury to their psyche after a serious crash? If you’re like some of our Los Angeles readers, you probably didn’t think this could happen. But according to experts at the National Institute of Mental Health, car accidents can lead to PTSD, a very serious mental health condition that does not go away easily. […]

There was a time when seat belts were not automatically installed in vehicles. Over time, as the public began to understand that seat belts save lives, seat belts became more common. Eventually, installation of these safety devices became mandatory for auto manufacturers. As the seat belt example illustrates, the auto industry does not always embrace safety technology of its own accord. Oftentimes, public awareness and regulatory pressure serve as necessary catalysts in order to inspire the auto industry to keep motorists and passengers safe. It seems that this trend is set to continue regarding the matter of collision avoidance technology. […]

We frequently write about the actions of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As the federal agency most directly tasked with ensuring the safety of the nation’s roadway travelers, the priorities, values, actions and inactions of the NHTSA affect nearly every American at one time or another. It is ultimately important to keep abreast of this agency’s evolution because the NHTSA directly influences the safety or lack of safety that the nation’s motorists, cyclists and pedestrians are subject to on a regular basis. Over the past few years, the NHTSA has become the subject of criticism from lawmakers, safety organizations and the public. Although the agency [...]