It is certainly food for thought to see the word “only” in a sentence that refers to the 2,739 traffic deaths that reportedly occurred on California roadways in 2010. By any measuring stick, that number would seem notably high and remarkably sad. It equates, on average, to more than seven people dying in motor vehicle accidents on state roads every single day of the year. […]
It depends on who you talk to. Whether things are getting better or worse on California’s highly varied roadways — that is, from a safety perspective — seems to be, well, variable and just a bit hard to pin down with any certainty. […]
After several years of considerable improvements in safety, the annual number of traffic deaths is again on the rise in California. In fact, in 2010 there were fewer California traffic fatalities than during any other year since World War II, but there has been a 13 percent increase since 2010. So why is the state seeing an uptick in fatal accidents now? And why do state officials expect the trend to continue? […]
Whether you’re a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, or, driving a private passenger vehicle, every time you get on the road in Los Angeles, you’re at-risk for an accident. It’s no secret the streets pose a danger to everyone on them, and, the statistics bear this fact out. In fact, City of Angels drivers kill bicyclists and pedestrians way above the national average, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. The reason? It’s simply a matter of sheer exposure, where there’s such density, 7,000 people per square mile, there are going to be more collisions. Injury and fatality crashes are quite commonplace, [...]
What do you think is the most dangerous and deadly driving condition? Is it snow or ice? Nope; turns out its rain. So if it seems rainy commutes are the most dangerous times to drive, it’s not just your imagination; it’s a statistical fact. A new analysis of federal data shows rain causes more driving fatalities than snow in 39 out of 50 states. In fact, car accidents are the deadliest weather hazard in the United States – whether caused by rain, snow, fog or wind – and kill about 7,000 Americans a year. Over eleven years, California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System and National Oceanic [...]
Is it any wonder that many millions of Americans view would-be exculpatory statements made by automotive executives at press conferences and before congressional bodies with a strong measure of cynicism? How much backpedaling, restating, rationalizing and no-comment responses have American consumers grown accustomed to hearing over the years? […]
The National Safety Council has revealed some data about car accidents in the first half of 2015, and the results are dismaying. According to the NSC, drivers have traveled a little bit more in the first half of the year. In 2007, the previous high for miles traveled in first half of the year, drivers logged 1.23 trillion miles. This year, it was up to 1.26 trillion miles. That’s a pretty modest increase from the previous high, and it isn’t too far from other previous years (roughly a 3.4 percent increase, according to the source article). But here’s the dismaying part: despite this modest increase in [...]
Everyone has an ego. And although that can be a good thing, it is likely to be a downside if you’re 45 or older and peddling your bicycle down the street like crazy. […]
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. […]
