Dubious Record for Highway Safety Agency in Public Information Lawsuits
When sued for withholding records, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has fared poorly in court.
Consumer Protection
Tag: Gadgets and Distracted Driving
Consumer Protection
Apple Has Swatted Away Distracted Driving Lawsuits Without Much Trouble So Far
Apple grasps the danger of drivers fiddling with their iPhones. But the company hasn't implemented technology to prevent this distraction, and courts have ruled it has no legal duty to do so.
Warning Wire
Long-Running Government Study Finds Cellphone Radiation Causes Cancer in Rats
Despite federal assurance that the research doesn't apply to people, critics say the results raise health concerns for children and others.
Consumer Protection
Safety Would Take a Back Seat if Senate Passes Bill on Driverless Cars, Critics Say
Consumer advocates are attacking a bill heading for a vote soon in the U.S. Senate that would clear legal obstacles for the deployment of driverless cars.
Transportation Safety
Study Finds Apple’s CarPlay, Google’s Android Less Distracting, But Still Not Safe
Automakers have packed many of their new models with distracting infotainment features that allow drivers not only to play music and get directions, but to talk, text and use social media while tooling down the road.
Consumer Protection
Federal Trade Commission Warns Six Companies About Product Warranties
Six manufacturers of products including computers, cellphones, video game gear and autos have been told by federal regulators to change the language in their warranties or possibly face charges of “unfair or deceptive acts.” The Federal Trade Commission sent warning letters three weeks ago to the six companies -- Sony, [...]
Public Health
Researcher Says Auto Safety Measures Prevented Millions of Deaths
Traffic safety measures “averted a public health disaster” by preventing about 5.8 million deaths in the U.S. from 1968 through 2015, according to a new study.
Public Health
Use of Smartphones and Recreational Marijuana Cited in Rising Pedestrian Deaths
The increasing use of smartphones and recreational marijuana may be contributing to a surge in the numbers of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes, according to a new analysis.
Consumer Protection
What Happens When a Driver Kills Someone While Fiddling With A Cellphone? Often, Not Much
There are no national statistics on the results of prosecutions brought against distracted drivers who kill or severely injure someone, but light punishment appears to be the norm.
Public Health
California and 5 Other States Get Best Ratings for Highway Safety Laws
Amid a resurgence in U.S. traffic fatalities now taking roughly 100 lives a day, an advocacy group today issued a report card identifying states that do the most, and least, to improve highway safety.
Consumer Protection
Lots of Love for Driverless Cars, Except From One Group–Drivers
As tech companies and automakers race to test and promote autonomous vehicles, several surveys show that most motorists don't want to drive, ride in or be on the road anywhere near them.
Notes
How Many Deaths?
How many people are killed or seriously injured because of drivers fiddling with their cellphones? Due to widespread underreporting, no one really knows. In 2015, according to estimates of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 3,477 deaths caused by distracted driving, including 476 involving the use of cellphones. Depending [...]
Consumer Protection
Don’t Drive Distracted, Wireless Industry Says, But Safety Advocates Want More Than Talk
Countermeasures to prevent drivers from fiddling with their phones have proven ineffective. Safety advocates want wireless companies to implement technology that automatically block electronic distractions, but the industry is reluctant to take this approach.
Transportation Safety
Blind Spots in Police Reports Hamper Efforts to Curb Deadly Crashes, Study Says
The scope of deadly hazards such as texting and drug use by drivers may be underestimated and not adequately addressed because police aren’t collecting enough information at crash scenes, according to a new report.
Public Health
Smartphone Distractions, Drinking Help Spur Rising Pedestrian Death Toll
Pedestrian deaths are surging across the nation, and analysts are putting much of the blame on drivers and walkers who are looking at their smartphones instead of watching where they are going. Tipsy walking also is part of the problem, with one in three victims legally drunk when they were struck and killed.