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December 30, 2003   Ohio drivers caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol after midnight Wednesday will find themselves driving with special red-letter license plates. The plate will be yellow and have red numbering.

     The state's new drunken-driving law takes effect Thursday. It calls for all offenders who are permitted to keep driving to display special license plates until their normal driving privileges are restored.

     Any other vehicles in the family will have to carry the special plates as well. Critics call it guilt by association, but supporters said it's not unreasonable.  [Source:  NBC4 Columbus] 

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December 30, 2003   Despite increasing traffic in South African roads, the authorities are saying road fatalities during these holidays are showing a steady decrease when compared to previous years. The National Department of Transport (NDoT) said in a statement today that 846 fatalities from 690 crashes had been reported by Sunday while in the same period last year there had been 947 fatalities from 734 crashes, and that this represented a reduction of more than 10 percent in the number of fatalities, which was especially good in light of a 5-6 percent increase in traffic volumes this festive season, as compared with that recorded during this time last year.

     The department attributed the good results to the heavy enforcement being carried out in the provinces, commitment of most road users to share responsibility with government to reduce road carnage and emotive advertising campaign on television and radio. The spokesman added: "Nearly half of the drivers involved in fatal crashes have been drinking alcohol and more than 60 percent of adult pedestrians killed on our roads are drunk."

(Source:  BuaNews)

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December 30, 2003   Robb Report's Car of the Year, 2004, is the Bentley Continental GT and one of the many reasons it was selected was “exceptional security at speed." It may be less easy, however, to work out where one could legally and safely drive this $150,000 stunning, four-seat "family" supercar at it's maximum 190mph in order to check out that factor!  Click here for photograph and article, from the Detroit News.

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December 29, 2003:  What is the ideal age to teach children about automobile safety? If the multi-year marketing partnership between Volvo Cars of North America (VCNA) and LEGOLAND California is any indicator then even beginning with pre-school is not too soon.

     "At Volvo, we pride ourselves on building safe cars, however we're also beginning to focus on other aspects that are integral to safety on the road: the driver, and the passengers," said Vic Doolan, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. "By encouraging safety as a learned behavior at an early age, we all benefit. LEGOLAND, and its target audience, is an ideal fit for influencing future drivers, as well as current ones, through their children." Full article here.

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December 26, 2003:  Big Brother (Car) is Watching You!  Automakers DaimlerChrysler are working in co-operation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab and the electronics company Motorola to improve auto safety by reducing the effect of driver distractions. Distracted driving is now thought to be responsible for about a quarter of all accidents, and that means over 10,000 deaths a year in the USA alone. To find out what this team is planning, click here. (Article from the NY Times online. Registration may be required.) Registration may be required.)

As we took a vacation over the Christmas period there is a gap in news coverage over the late December 2003 period. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

December 17, 2003:   Road crashes killed 22,000 people in Nigeria, in 2002. The Director-General of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Dora Akunyili, also quoted the WHO projections as saying that more than 1.3 million people were killed on roads yearly while millions were injured or disabled. But she particularly described Nigeria's road accident situation as worse than the scenario put forward by the World Health Organisation.

(Source:  Daily Trust, Abuja)

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December 16, 2003:   Automakers anticipate record sales ahead. By the 2006-07 manufacturing year, the auto industry expects to deliver 18 million vehicles in the USA for the first time in history. Full story from the Detroit News.

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December 14, 2003:   Lunacy reaches new depths as an increasing number of car owners have TV screens fitted in the dashboards of their vehicles.  Don't depend on other drivers to see you coming, they're too busy watching television -- at 70mph! Thirty-eight U.S. states limit where video screens can be placed in vehicles, but motorists can easily override a standard safety feature that would otherwise disable the screen when the car is moving.  Full, frightening story, from the Detroit News.

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Automatic penalties, harsher sentences, a probationary licence for new drivers... these are the principal measures being introduced in order to reduce the number of accidents on French roads. Little by little, behaviour seems to be becoming more responsible. Between June 2002 and June 2003, the number of road deaths fell by 18.1%, or 1405 lives saved. "The violence on our roads which strikes the French so cruelly is unworthy of a great modern country." said French President, Jacques Chirac, in September 2002. Read the full article, from Label France.

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December 14, 2003:   In Britain, people are paying larger and larger sums of money for cars with links to celebrities. Read the full article, from the London Sunday Times. 

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December 12, 2003:   One of the most unsafe colors for cars -- silver -- is once again the favorite color for American car buyers. Pastel-colored, gray, and silver vehicles are the first to become almost invisible at dawn, or dusk, or in bad weather so from a safety point of view they are an unwise choice. (The preceding introduction is a DSA comment on the situation.) If the safety aspect is not your first priority, read the article "America's Favorite Car Color", from CNN Money.

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December 12, 2003:    The U.K. Commission for Integrated Transport has released a report that recommends both short-term and long-term measures to boost road safety in the United Kingdom. Included amongst many otherwise positive measures is the British Government's failure to reduce the legal blood alcohol limit to 50mg/100ml (equivalent to 0.05% BAC). Full review here.

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December 12, 2003:    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released a report that includes a literature review of scientific studies on drugged driving published since 1980. More than 300 documents were reviewed, including research from other countries. The report covers detection and measurement of drugs in drivers, experimental research, epidemiological research, and drug-crash countermeasures. Click here for the full, online report.

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December 12, 2003:    A study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that only 48 percent of all commercial vehicle drivers wear safety belts. In comparison, 79 percent of passenger vehicle drivers wear safety belts. In response to the study, the U.S. Department of Transportation has initiated a public-private partnership to combat low safety belt use among the nation’s 11 million truck drivers. (Source: Transport Research Board)

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December 12, 2003:    A high proportion of the trailers that are used to carry container freight in the USA are dangerously unsafe, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Get the full story, from the Detroit News.

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December 10, 2003:    The Ford Motor Company is introducing Roll Stability Control technology on several of its sport utility vehicles. The company's new system is now available for the 2004 Lincoln Aviator and Lincoln Navigator. RSC™ also will be available on the Ford Explorer, Ford Expedition, and Mercury Mountaineer in the 2005 model year. Roll stability first debuted on the 2003 Volvo XC90, in which it is a standard fitting. (Source: Ford)

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December 10, 2003:    In Britain, the RAC Foundation have started an action plan for safer roads, and state that the police priority should be towards reducing the number of casualties on the roads rather than maximising the number of prosecutions. They are calling for:

  *  Better targeting of cameras at accident blackspots in order to reduce accidents
  *  More cameras at dangerous junctions to deter red-light jumping
  *  More of the proceeds [from cameras] spent on engineering to improve the design of dangerous roads
  *  More traffic police to stem the 11% decrease [in traffic patrol officers] between 1996-7 and 2000-1 (Source: ACPO)
  *  Targeted 20mph limits outside schools, at peak periods 
  *  Use of more interactive signs to deter speeding
  *  National rollout of speed awareness courses for those caught speeding
  *  Better educational campaigns on road safety
  *  Better targeting of dangerous, drunk and drugged drivers

     (Source: RAC Foundation)

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December 9, 2003:    Fluorescent pink signs to alert drivers to traffic crashes, large print on road signs for older drivers, and "animated eyes" to caution pedestrians at intersections are among the improvements that U.S. federal highway engineers are recommending to states, to improve the safety and ease of travel. Full report.

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December 9, 2003:    Every year, Detroit vehicles are hard to find when the leading U.S. automotive enthusiast magazines produce their annual awards and "top ten" lists. Full report, from the Detroit News.

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December 9, 2003:    Chrysler fights to reclaim its minivan crown. Full article from the Detroit News.

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December 8, 2003:    Ford insists that Crown Victoria police cars are safe, but cops keep dying. Fatalities from rear-crash fires are higher than the government admits. Full Detroit Free Press report here.

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December 8, 2003:    Every day, consumers across the USA who buy automobiles are bilked of hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars apiece by fraudulent auto sales representatives perpetuating one of the most pervasive scams in this country, according to a new report by Public Citizen, which contains five key guidelines for all auto buyers. 

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December 8, 2003:    Wireless technology called Wi-Fi allows businessmen and truck drivers alike to connect to the Internet from highway rest areas. Full article, from the New York Times (may need registration).

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December 8, 2003:    Volvo leads the world in vehicle safety yet again. Their award-winning Safety Centre in Sweden now has the world's first pregnant crash test dummy model so its experts can learn more about the impacts of the seat belt and airbag on a mother and unborn baby in car accidents. Details here.

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December 8, 2003:    Swings and Roundabouts! -- Ironically, Britain not only has the safest roads in the world (according to the IRTAD) but is also the European capital for car crime -- thefts of cars and from cars are commonplace. Now the Royal Automobile Club has announced that "revenue from speed cameras should be spent on boosting the number of traffic police to fight car crime and topple Britain from its position as car crime capital of Europe. Other revenue from cameras should be put back into road safety by improving dangerous junctions and other stretches of road."  

     In America, too, many motorists are incensed because they see speed cameras as being nothing more than a revenue source for the Government. Perhaps schemes such as the RAC are suggesting -- that the money should be used specifically to enhance other aspects of road safety -- may be the way forward. Read the full report here.

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December 8, 2003:    U.S. automakers are telling the world what a good, an expensive job they are doing by voluntarily agreeing to increase crash safety standards for SUVs and light trucks by the year 2010, but the truth is that many Asian and European makers have already met America's 2010 target standards. The linked, full report (from the DetNews) gives Detroit's spin on the issue and is worth reading, but do bear in mind how many years of arguing have been needed to accomplish this so-called voluntary agreement and -- more importantly -- how many more lives will be lost between now and the point when the last of all these huge vehicles with the current, poor safety standards are eventually all scrapped, in the period from about 2016-2020.

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December 5, 2003:    America Aims to Copy Laws That Give Britain The Safest Roads In The World. Full report from the AAA (original source: The Independent)

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December 4, 2003:    The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a report that describes the safety problem represented by impaired driving and provides strategies NHTSA plans to pursue to decrease impaired driving. Click here for full report (pdf).

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December 4, 2003:    NHTSA Gambles With The Lives of Ford Focus Owners -- No Recall Is Bad Law and Bad Safety. Full commentary from The Center for Auto Safety.

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December 3, 2003:    The NHTSA Unveils a Strategy to Reduce Impaired Driving. Full Press Release.

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December 3, 2003:    US carmakers strive to stem injuries in crashes where cars and SUVs collide. Full report, from the Detroit News.  [But taking six years to make these measures universal is abysmal -- Drive and Stay Alive comment.]  

ALSO SEE: Voluntary Safety Program Will Not Ensure Safety, from Public Citizen.

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December 3, 2003:    The shape of cars is changing to meet strict new pedestrian safety rules (Australia and Europe). On the same webpage, the report also examines how these new international standards for vehicle design will bring about a ban on bull bars, and how, 'down under', kangaroos could be the unintended beneficiaries of new laws to make car design more pedestrian-friendly!  Full Report from The Sydney Morning Herald via Drive.com.au and VDR.

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December 3, 2003:    The 2003 Prince Michael Road Safety Awards were announced in London today. View international awards here, and UK awards here.

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December 3, 2003:    The benefit of crash testing has been recognised through this year's top, "Prince Michael International Road Safety Award". 

     Announcing the Premier Award winners at a special ceremony at The Savoy in London, today, Prince Michael of Kent said:  "Customers now demand better crash protection and the NCAP star rating system is widely understood - it is used by car companies to market their products and is undoubtedly an important factor in customers' choice of new cars. There is no doubt that we now have safer cars and it is widely accepted that the New Car Assessment Programme has made a major contribution to car safety design and to raising awareness amongst the public. It is for this reason that I am delighted to present this year's Premier Award to Euro NCAP."

     The Prince added: "The contribution of the motor industry especially in design terms has been most significant. To think that we now have cars with nine airbags as standard when only six or seven years ago a driver's airbag was often only an optional extra. The development of better braking systems and stability control has been revolutionary. There is little doubt that most companies place safety high on their design priorities, yet much of this work goes un-acknowledged - it is under the bonnet ['hood'!] so not seen"

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December 2, 2003:    States and activist groups across the country are intensifying their efforts to get dangerous drivers off the road and help older motorists drive more safely. Full report from the AAA (original source: USA Today)

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December 2, 2003:    Proposed UK Legislation is "an Insult to the Industry" say Driving Instructors. Under the proposed legislation, Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) who qualified prior to the introduction of the new hazard perception part of the driving test have been told they will have to retake the entire theory-based qualifying exam or face losing their jobs. Full story here.

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December 1, 2003:    The Volkswagen Lupo 3L TDI has once again proved itself as the world's most fuel efficient production car by setting yet another record. Gerhard Plattner, an Austrian journalist and economy driving expert,  covered a distance of 2,910 miles through 20 European countries in a standard Lupo 3L TDI, with an average of 101.6 miles per gallon. Full story here.

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December 1, 2003:   The first major changes in truck-driver work hours since 1939 are expected to reduce highway fatalities but may also contribute to the biggest increase in trucking rates in two decades. The changes, under new federal safety rules that take effect in January, are intended to reduce fatigue among truck drivers, a major cause of accidents. There were 4,897 road fatalities in the USA involving large trucks in 2002 Full story from the Detroit News.

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December 1, 2003:  Britain's ban on drivers' use of hand-held cell phones comes into effect today. Chief police officers are in broad agreement that they will allow an eight-week amnesty, during which drivers will receive only a verbal warning if caught committing this new offence, but after that time anyone caught will receive a "fixed penalty" ticket for £30 (currently $51 US) plus penalty points on their driver's license. (Sources: BBC, plus Drive and Stay Alive)

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November 30, 2003:  Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America and participating gas stations have designed a new website site to identify stations where gas will be pumped for disabled drivers at no extra cost. Isn't that an idea that should go nationwide!  More details from www.thepumpguide.com/ 

November 28, 2003:  Lack of skill -- not "speeding" -- is the fountainhead of America's traffic problems. If you disagree, then you've got to explain how it is that the Germans routinely drive much faster than we do, yet, miraculously, have lower overall accident and fatality rates.  Read this important and pointed article, by Eric Peters, on Netscape Autos.

November 28, 2003:  Automakers plan to make SUVs more 'compatible' in crashes. They intend this to make their large vehicles less dangerous to smaller ones but they still might not be able to dodge federal regulations. Full story, from USA Today.

November 28, 2003:  Parents, brace yourselves. Your teenager's safety behind the wheel may not be your only worry when your teen gets his or her driver's license. The cost of adding your teen to your auto insurance policy can be astronomical: Premiums could more than double in price, particularly if your young driver is male. Full article, from the LA Times.

November 27, 2003:  In Britain, the "Queen's Speech," which spells out legislative plans for the 2003/4 Parliamentary session, has failed to include an expected bill on road safety. (For non-British readers, it is worth pointing out that the Queen has no control over the content of this annual speech, it is written for her by the Government.) Long-awaited measures, such as evidential breath testing, stricter penalties for speeding motorists and statutory registration of fleet, HGV and bus and coach driver trainers, will not now be introduced before the next Parliamentary session. Full report here.

November 27, 2003:  The European New Car Assessment Programme ('Euro NCAP') has announced the latest safety ratings and NEW Child Protection Ratings, in Athens, Greece. Both the Renault Scenic and VW Touran, cars achieving the coveted five stars for occupant protection in Europe's leading independent crash tests. Also announced are the results for the first 8 cars tested to the new child protection rating, and the Ford C-MAX becomes the first car to be awarded four stars for protecting child passengers. Full report here.

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November 26, 2003:  U.S. automakers must fit tougher fuel tanks. Automakers will have to start meeting the new rules in the 2005 model year. The requirements will be fully phased in by 2009.

     "Although fires are relatively rare, they often have very severe consequences," said Dr. Jeffrey Runge, chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "These new tests can save lives and prevent terrible injuries." Full story, from the Detroit News.

     In the same publication, see also: Federal government adopts new rear crash test (click here).

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November 26, 2003:  Volvo seats reduce whiplash injuries by 50 per cent. The Swedish company was the first car manufacturer to improve driver comfort by studying ergonomics and introducing adjustable lumbar support backs in 1964 and has now completed nearly 40 years of continuous research, crash testing and innovation. 

     Volvo "WHIPS" seats significantly reduce the force on the spine and head by absorbing energy from the impact and offering superior support thanks to a combination of an innovative moving support mechanism in the seat back, and a fixed head restraint design permanently at the right height and position. In practice, the WHIPS seat mechanism bends backward with the occupant's body - first in parallel and then in a short reclining movement. The system reduces short term and long term injuries (i.e. of more than a year) by 33 per cent and 54 per cent respectively, with whiplash injuries in women these were reduced by as much as 50 per cent and 75 per cent, respectively.

     Volvo is known, worldwide, for its remarkably safe cars, and as one small example of this, the company now has a dedicated team of 20 people developing new ones - 11 working on front seats, nine on the rear ones.

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November 25, 2003:  Saab Announces Its First SUV: the Saab 9-7X. Saab Automobile AB is today announcing its latest new model, and its first sport utility vehicle. Featuring standard all-wheel-drive and two engine choices, the 9-7X SUV will make its world debut at the 2004 New York Auto Show in April 2004, and will go on sale about one year later. Initially, the 9-7X will be produced specifically for the United States and Canadian markets only. Full story here.

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November 24, 2003:  It is a sad day when we cannot adequately teach student drivers to safely carry out basic maneuvers, but now there is a gadget to help incapable drivers to parallel park. Toyota introduced the system -- the Intelligent Parking Assist -- on its gasoline-electric hybrid Prius in September. It is currently only sold in Japan, as a $2,000 option. But if it proves to be a success it could be made available in the United States. Full story here, from the Detroit News.

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November 24, 2003:  In an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal last month, J. David Power, the founder of J. D. Power & Associates, warned auto dealers that they are in danger of becoming dinosaurs. Never one to mince words, Mr. Power pointed out that his surveys show that one of every four buyers who walked away from a deal did so because they didn't like the way they were treated by a sales representative.

     One would think that Mr. Power had put a match to the American flag, judging from the outrage his comments about car dealers have generated in the auto industry. Full story, from the New York Times (registration may be required).

Also see the piece -- Auto dealers can't shake poor image (November 25) from the Detroit News. 

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November 24, 2003:  Increased speed limits on Interstate highways have led to nearly 1,900 extra deaths in 22 American states from 1996 to 1999. Full report, from the NY Times.

November 24, 2003:  This article -- Traffic accidents and enforcement [in Malta] -- was first published in the Malta Sunday Times on September 28, 2003. It examines the trends and necessity for traffic enforcement. Full article. In a slightly earlier edition of the newspaper, there is a relevant and saddening letter, titled Enforcement Failure Click here to read it.

November 24, 2003:  French Vintners Put Profits Before Individual Life by Encouraging Drinking and Driving. Read this report (originally published on Nov. 18, 2003) from the English edition of the Moscow Times.

November 24, 2003:  Reckless Driving With All Eyes Off the Road. If you are wanting to drive in Azerbaijan, don't. "Incredible as it may seem, Azeris have begun installing television sets in [the front of] their cars." Full article from the English edition of the Moscow Times.

November 23, 2003:  Third-Row Seats: Is It Safe Back There? Little is known about how the passengers seated in the third row -- usually children -- will fare in accidents. And there are few safety guidelines for consumers to follow when shopping for vehicles with a third row. Read this useful article here, from the New York Times (registration may be required).

November 22, 2003:  A dose of reality and ounces of prevention. "Rollover accidents, a rarity in past generations and unheard of in my youth, are a daily part of today's traffic reports and the modern driving experience.

     Enter two solutions: Ford Motor Co. is taking a tutorial approach to preparing young drivers for reality, while a German company is crafting the next generation of electromechanical safety controls."  Full Story, from the Boston Globe.

November 21, 2003:  European demand for the Ford GT far exceeds supply. The number of European customers expressing interest in buying the Ford GT is twenty times greater than the number of cars that will be brought to Europe by Ford. As a result the number of Ford GTs that will come to Europe through official Ford channels has been increased to 101 from the 80 proposed originally.  (Source:  Ford)

November 21, 2003:  Car sellers push a deadly drug: Speed. But like the common street drug dealer, they are very clever in disguising what it is they are pushing. Instead of the actual word speed, they use words such as "thrill," "power," "exhilaration" and "acceleration."  Full article, from the Rocky Mountain News.

November 21, 2003:  Police in several U.S. cities are using unattended "bait" vehicles to catch car thieves. The cars have covert satellite-based tracking systems installed and the the engine of a moving stolen vehicle can be killed by remote control, slowing it to a stop. The doors are then automatically locked, trapping the culprit for the police. Full story from AP, in USA Today.

November 21, 2003:  UK Industry figures, obtained this week, show that in the first ten months of this year sales of SUVs, ranging from the tiny Suzuki Jimny to the Toyota Amazon, have increased by 13 per cent to 136,688 registrations. By comparison the UK's overall new car market, which includes SUV sales, has risen overall by only 0.3 per cent in the same period. Click here for the full story.

November 20, 2003:  The new, 2005 Corvette is seen and captured on film. Images and story from Autoweek Online.

November 20, 2003:  Auto 'black boxes' defended . Experts claim that the federal government should resist regulating the use of so-called "black boxes" that record driver behavior in cars and light trucks. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has already turned down two petitions and is considering a third from insurance groups and some safety advocates to regulate the use of the devices which record speed, braking, and other driver actions. Full story from the Detroit News.

November 20, 2003:  In telling readers about the new CVT and 6-speed transmissions that they are developing, Ford do an excellent job of explaining what gear ratios and overdrive actually are. 

Click here if you wish to know.

November 18, 2003:  The Chinese government is preparing to impose minimum fuel economy standards on new cars for the first time, and the rules will be significantly more stringent than those in the United States. Full story, by Keith Bradsher, in the New York Times  (registration required)

(Read our review of Keith Bradsher's book about SUVs: "High and Mighty".)

November 18, 2003:  Washington, D.C. - The National Transportation Safety Board today revealed its revised Most Wanted safety recommendations list. "The Most Wanted List includes safety issues that we believe will make the greatest impact on transportation safety," said Chairman Engleman, "The Board will use this revised safety tool to aggressively pursue safety and achieve safety results."   Click here to view the list relating to road transportation.

November 17, 2003:  SUVs and pickups bring heightened danger to those they meet. 

Older adults don't ride as frequently as younger people in sports utility vehicles, so it seems they don't need to be concerned about SUV safety issues. Wrong!  Last year, deaths among riders aged 50 and older increased by 24 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And because SUVs are taller and weigh more, more often it's the occupants of passenger cars who die in collisions. Full article, from Tribnet.com

November 17, 2003:  Safety belt use in the United States has reached 79 percent – the highest level in the nation’s history. Full report from the NHTSA.

November 15, 2003:  The Top Ten gas guzzlers and the Top Ten for best MPG, in 2003; from the LA Times.

November 14, 2003:  Bosch has launched the second generation of its Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) driver assistance system, helping to improve road safety and driver convenience by automatically detecting vehicles in front, determining speed and maintaining a safe distance on all types of road. Details.

November 14, 2003:  Honda has been working to provide "safe, secure and comfortable" mobility through the pursuit of automobile intelligent and information technologies. The company will showcase its innovative developments at the upcoming ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems and Services) World Congress and Exhibition in Madrid. Click here for details of those developments.

November 14, 2003:  Seat belts are the single greatest defense against death and injury in accidents. The NTSB and NSC are calling for States to adopt the Boards recommendations for primary seat belt laws. At present, only 20 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws permitting primary seat belt enforcement. Full story.

November 13, 2003:  Hundreds of children have been injured or killed unsafely designed power windows in American cars. The average power window can cut a cucumber or grapefruit in two - a power strong enough to injure or even strangle a child. Safer power windows are standard in foreign-made automobiles, and Detroit-based automakers actually install these safer features in American cars sold overseas, but many American models remain deadly. Full details, from the Kids and Cars website.

November 12, 2003:  The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) today posted a study of child pedestrian fatalities on its web site (www.nhtsa.gov). Among its findings, the Research Note indicates that sport utility vehicles, pickups and vans fatally injured child pedestrians at a higher rate than did passenger cars during the period 1997 to 2001... From 1992 through 2001, there were 6,679 pedestrian fatalities among children aged 0 to 15 years old. This number represents 12.6 percent of all pedestrian fatalities for that 10-year time period. Full Report.

November 12, 2003:  The government in South Africa estimates about 10,000 deaths and 150,000 injuries occur in half-a-million road accidents every year, ranking the country third-worst in Africa. "We are very, very nervous about December," said Petro Kruger, spokeswoman for the Automobile Association. "We usually have very busy roads then, people are driving longer hours (to holiday destinations) and there is a higher drinking rate because everybody is partying." Full report from AFP/Clarinet. A report dated 27 April, 2003, in the South Africa Sunday Times stated that 1200 people died in road crashes during December 2002, a significant increase on the year before.

November 11, 2003:  In the years 1992 through 2001, 986 sport utility vehicle (SUV) drivers of ages 16 through 19 years were fatally injured in U.S. rollover crashes – 128 in the year 2001, the most recent year for which complete data exist in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). In these same years, 1,345 SUV drivers of ages 20-24 sustained fatal injuries in rollovers; of these, 326 occurred in the year 2001. Serious injuries were sustained in SUV rollovers by an estimated 16,000 drivers of ages 16-24 in the years 1992-2001. Full Report (dated Sept., 2003) from the NCSA. 

November 11, 2003:  If the bigger picture is studied, UK speed cameras might inadvertently be causing more crashes and even costing more lives than they are saving. Full report from the UK 'Autocar' magazine and the RAC Foundation.

November 10, 2003:  "Without rearview cameras, today's larger minivans and S.U.V.'s pose a serious danger to children," argues Janette E. Fennell, founder of Kids and Cars, a nonprofit group that works to prevent children's car-related injuries and deaths. "We collect data on backover accidents," she said, "and there is at least one child killed every week," in the United States. Full story from the NY Times (registration may be required).

November 9, 2003:  Ford is expected to announce at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in January that it will offer inflatable seat belts as an optional feature on some of its 2005 cars and trucks. Ford's intention is to be seen as a safety leader on par with Volvo. Full story, from the Detroit News.

November 7, 2003:  Volvo offers the 'Drive For Life - Owner Experience' course to all U.S. purchasers of its XC90 SUV. Details here.

November 7, 2003:  The Ford "Smart Safe Research Vehicle" Wins Popular Science Magazine's "BEST OF WHAT'S NEW" Award. Click here for the full story.

November 7, 2003:  Local Attorney Inspires Policy Changes after One of the Largest Verdicts in the US in a Landmark Drunk Driving Case Win. Full story here.

November 7, 2003:  The armor plated Cadillac Deville goes on sale in January 2004 and should certainly make trips to the mall safer. Full story from the Detroit News.

November 6, 2003:  A legal struggle of potential importance to every American who drives a car occupied center stage at the Supreme Court yesterday as the justices heard oral argument in a case that could determine how much police in search of criminals can limit the motoring public's freedom of movement. Full story from the Washington Post, via Yahoo! News

November 5, 2003:  Ford Focus, Buick Regal, Saab and Volvo have come out at the top of reliability stakes in the USA.  Full story, from the Detroit News.

November 4, 2003:  Honda announced Wednesday that it plans to stake out a leadership position in vehicle safety, installing equipment designed to protect occupants of Honda and Acura vehicles in collisions.... Many of the technologies — including antilock brakes, side air bags and side-curtain air bags — are now optional equipment, but will be factory installed on all but a few specialty vehicles by the end of 2006. By the same deadline, the company’s S.U.V.’s and minivans will be equipped with electronic stability control as well as sensors that would inflate the side curtain bags when an impending rollover is detected. Full story (registration required) from the NY Times (See related article dated October 30, below)

 

______________________________   November 4, 2003:  The UK magazine 'What Car?' urges car makers to help  combat violent car crime -- all for the price of some more appropriate glass. Full story    ______________________________

 

November 3, 2003:  A Driving Stereotype is Shattered in Britain. Will this apply in other Heavily Motorized Countries, too? The perceived image of a speeder as a young lad in a baseball cap has been overturned by new research undertaken by the RAC Foundation and Autocar magazine. Read the full article here.

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November 3, 2003:   Kids learn young that 'A' stands for autos. More and more advertising by auto makers is being aimed at very young children. Full report from the Detroit News.

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November 1, 2003:  From this date the default speed limit for all urban areas in New South Wales will be 50km/h.  To combat speed related injuries, the Australian state of NSW has dropped its default 60km/h limit on urban roads to 50km/h (i.e. from 37½mph to 31mph). "Research has shown that the severity of an impact at 50 km/h is dramatically reduced and the chances of survival far greater than travelling at 60 km/h." More details.

     To put this in context, though, some countries are now applying even lower urban speed limits and, for example, there is a trend in Britain to more and more 20mph areas. Click here to read a year 2000 report on this topic from the British Medical Journal (.pdf file).

     A pedestrian hit by a car at 40mph has a 15% chance of survival, at 30mph this increases to 55% but at 20mph it leaps to 95%. (Source: ‘Killing Speed and Saving Lives’, Department of Transport [UK] 1997.)

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October 31, 2003:  Red Light Needed for MIRT Devices . The traffic light pre-emption emitter is also known as MIRT, or mobile infrared transmitter. Police and fire departments for years have used MIRT, marketed by the 3M company, to clear intersections and halt opposing traffic on emergency runs. That is the proper and intended use for MIRT. It never was intended for the travel convenience of individual drivers. But, increasingly, that's how it's being used today. Full report from the Washington Post.

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October 31, 2003:  Thousands of motorists are being duped by a new email scam which erroneously suggests that police are hiding hi-tech speeding cameras in motorway signs. Full story, from the RAC.

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October 31, 2003:  Ford have used some rather unusual clothing to help with the design of their latest generation minivans. Full story here.

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October 30, 2003:   Honda are to make side air bags standard and will also introduce an improved crash-resistant steel frame on new models in the next few years. The company has announced that it will add numerous safety features as standard equipment, including front-seat side air bags, side-curtain air bags and anti-lock brakes to most of its cars and trucks sold in the U.S. by 2006. . Full story from the Detroit News. (See related article dated November 4, above)

October 30, 2003:   If you hire a car in Europe, from Avis, over the next five or more years, guess what you are going to be driving.  General Motors is to supply Avis with 350,000 vehicles over the next five years in largest fleet agreement in history. Details here.

October 26, 2003:  Michigan State Police tests a new Visteon system to make high-speed chases safer. Full story in the Detroit News.

October 26-30, 2003:  Please note that as the editor of the Drive and Stay Alive website is attending the NTSB 'Forum to Examine Standards for Driver Education', in Washington DC, this news page will be updated retrospectively for the period 26-30 October. Read the editor's conference report here.

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October 23, 2003:  Max Mosley, Euro NCAP Chairman and FIA President, today took a laudable, pragmatic approach in his address to the First International Road Safety Exhibition, Verona, Italy: “Is road safety really getting the attention it deserves?” On the basis of my experience of working on these issues in the EU, the answer is quite clearly, “No it is not.” Read this hard-hitting statement here.

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October 22, 2003:  A Nice Place to Have a Snack or Catch Up on Your Reading: Cellphones are the newest and the most obvious tool for taking a driver's mind and eye off the road and hand off the wheel. But researchers who put video cameras into 70 cars for a week found that there are many other things besides driving going on in the car. Full Report, from the NY Times.

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October 2003:  The Possible Creation of a European Road Safety Agency? As well as urging the European Commission earlier this year to adopt the above-mentioned Third Road Safety Action Programme, the European Parliament also proposed the creation of a European Road Safety Agency. The aim of the Agency would be to provide policy support, speed up developments in road safety and accommodate and provide access to road safety data and best practice information across the EU.  Sources: Safety Monitor, ETSC's Newsletter on Transport Safety Policy Developments in the EU. ECOSA.

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October 22, 2003:   GM's big vans get stability control: GM vans used to transport up to 15 passengers will get a safety boost beginning next month when a stability and traction control system to help prevent roll-over crashes will become a standard feature.

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October 19, 2003:  Getting closer: The 2004 Corvette C6 has been spotted testing on Germany’s Nurburgring racetrack. Click here for the full article from AutoWeek. Also, to see our article of October 5, about how some photographers make a living from photographing the secret, development stages of new cars, click here.

October 19, 2003:  The Mayor of Detroit wants to extend the 2006 North American International Auto Show so that the 100,000 visitors in town for the Super Bowl can get a taste of the city's motor might.

     "We definitely want to leave some auto exhibits up for the Super Bowl, as long as we don't undermine other activities," he said. Full story, from the Detroit News.

October 17, 2003:  Pedestrians hit by SUVs and pick-up trucks are more likely to have more severe injuries and more likely to die. Pedestrians struck at slower speeds by SUVs, pick-ups, and vans incur a rate of brain, thoracic, and abdominal injuries twice that of those struck by conventional cars.  Source: Science Direct.

October 17, 2003:  No doubt many proponents will be greatly dismayed, but a new U.S. study suggests that Victim Impact Panels do not help reduce re-offending in first-time drunk drivers. 

     Victim Impact Panels are not intended to replace conventional sanctions, such as DWI schools, fines, driving license restrictions, or community service. Rather, VIPs are offered to supplement such sanctions by placing offenders in a face-to-face communication situation with people whose lives have been permanently altered by the behavior of someone who drank and drove. The audience is typically composed of 100-200 DWI offenders who are defined by the court as first-time offenders. VIPs are highly emotional, the victim-presenters often break down in tears as they tell about the drunk driving crash in which they were injured or their family members were killed. Presenters often read poems and show slides of loved ones. While panelists try not to blame or judge the DWI offenders who attend the panel, they point to the issues of consequences and of responsibility for the DWI offenders [Rao et al., 1995].

     The conclusion about VIP effectiveness isn't definitive, however. While investigations of the value of MADD-VIPs do not provide unequivocal evidence about the effects of VIP experiences on subsequent alcohol consumption, drinking and driving behavior or recidivism, MADD-sponsored studies have found that those who attended MADD-VIPs had a lower recidivism level than non-VIP participants. The Washington County, Oregon study [MADD, 1989] found the recidivism rate of VIP participants was 8.8%, compared to a non-participant re-arrest rate of 40–45%. A similar study in Clackamas County, Oregon [O'Laughlin, 1990] found that the re-arrest rate for VIP participants were one-third that of non-participants.

Source: Science Direct.

October 16, 2003:  A new generation of vision-based technologies has been introduced by Delphi with the launch of two innovative new vehicle safety systems. 'Lane Departure Warning' and 'Recognition™ occupant sensing' are part of Delphi's Integrated Safety System concept, which increases road safety and occupant protection by sharing data between active and passive safety systems. Full Article.

October 16, 2003:  The problem of neck injuries, from road crashes in America, is much worse than has been previously thought. In 2000, an estimated 901,000 persons with neck strain/sprain injury from this cause were treated in US hospital emergency departments. Those at most risk from these injuries are females of any age, older teenagers and young adults. Source: Science Direct. (Check out our article on the correct use of head restraints, on our Safety Equipment index page.)

October 14, 2003:  New Federal Study on Vehicle Weight and Safety Is Old Wine in New Bottle. The study released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the relationship between vehicle weight and safety contains the same scientific deficiencies as the agency's hotly debated 1997 study. Read this important rebuttal from Public Citizen.

October 14, 2003:  NHTSA Releases Study on Vehicle Weight in Relation to Safety.... "Large 4-door passenger cars had the lowest fatal crash rates followed closely by minivans. The highest fatal crash rate was observed in small 4-door cars, mid-sized SUVs and compact pickup trucks.... Two factors accounted for the difference in fatal crash rates between large passenger cars (average weight 3,596 lbs.) and mid-sized SUVs (average weight 4,022 lbs.). Mid-sized SUVs were nine times as likely to involve a rollover fatality and twice as likely to cause a fatality in occupants of other vehicles. In non-rollover crashes, the fatality rate for the occupants of SUVs and passenger cars of similar weight was essentially equal...."  There's a lot of information here, so we suggest you read the full report, from the NHTSA.

October 14, 2003:  Spate of teen auto deaths may make 2003 worse than average in Colorado. More than 100 teens die in car crashes each year in Colorado. That number will likely be higher this year, said Colorado State Patrol Trooper Don Moseman. Full article, from the Denver Post.

October 11, 2003:  Bosch Wins Top Royal Award.  Bosch has won a prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for Driver and Passenger Safety, for its development of Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), the braking system that can prevent vehicles getting out of control.
     ESP is the latest in an evolving line of electronic braking systems, which started with ABS as long as 25 years ago this year. Since that time, traction control and now ESP have made significant contributions to road safety. Read the full Press Release here.

October 9, 2003:  Speed Cameras Have Been Shown To Save Lives. An independent expert evaluation of fixed speed cameras in NSW, Australia, has produced dramatic evidence of their road safety benefits. Preliminary results from the evaluation of 28 speed camera sites has found that deaths in the camera areas have been reduced from 21 over three years leading up to the camera installation to just 1 in two years with the cameras operating.

     Dramatic reductions have been recorded in the level of speeding, with the number of motorists exceeding the speed limit reduced by 72 per cent overall and those exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 km/h cut by 88 per cent. Public acceptance of speed cameras is now high, with only 5-7 per cent of people surveyed saying the cameras provide no benefits. More details of the evaluation are available at: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/newsevents/speedcamerarelease21092003.html

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July 8, 2003:  Toyota and Lexus had nine cars and trucks ranked highest in their segments in the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Vehicle Dependability Study. Read the Press Release here.

July 8, 2003:  U.S. auto safety regulators have upgraded an investigation into air-bag failures of Ford Motor Company's 2000 and 2001 model Taurus and Sable sedans in a move that might lead to a recall. Read the full story here (from the LA Times).

July 3, 2003:  About one in every four vehicles sold in the USA last year was an SUV but most people still don't understand how dangerous they can be. Read the report by Bill Lester, Associated Press.

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July 2, 2003:  Britain's Conservative Party suggests an increase in the motorway speed limit from 70mph to 80mph, despite the fact that increases in speed limits are known to lead to increased severity in road crashes. Click here to read the Guardian article.

June 24, 2003:  Saturn recall quarter of a million model-year 2000-2003 'L Series' for faults which could cause fires. (Sources: Associated Press, and USA Today)

June 24, 2003:  Final Call, In The UK, For Drivers Using Hand-Held Cell Phones.  Road Safety Minister David Jamieson said: “Driving whilst using a mobile phone is dangerous... Our decision to introduce this new offence will make the roads safer for us all. Missing a call won’t kill you – an accident quite possibly could” ...Research has demonstrated that if you drive and use a mobile phone you are four times more likely to have an accident. Hands-free calls are also distracting... 

June 23, 2003:  Northern Ireland. Young Men, aged 17-24, are Responsible for 80% of all Speeding Fatalities, report the BBC UK Newsdesk. Northern Ireland Office Minister Angela Smith said that drivers' attitudes to speed had to change, and that over the last 10 years, 358 people were killed and a further 3,471 were seriously injured because of speed.

June 19, 2003:  U.S. Transportation Secretary Mineta Unveils
$11 Million Campaign to Reduce Drinking and Driving.  With alcohol-related fatalities on the rise for the third year, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today unveiled the first ever You Drink & Drive. You Lose. advertising campaign. The $11 million campaign will air nationwide in support of a nationwide July 4^th holiday enforcement crackdown on alcohol-impaired driving.

June 18, 2003:  10 TIPS FOR SAFE DRIVING, FROM VOLVO AND IRV GORDON:  Gordon, the first person to drive two million miles in the same car - a 1966 Volvo P1800 - says patience, awareness and tune-ups are keys to safe driving. Read the full article.

June 17, 2003:  FIRST RESULTS OF SIDE IMPACT CRASH TESTS: TWO SMALL SUVs EARN GOOD RATINGS; ONLY ONE IS RATED GOOD IN BOTH FRONT AND SIDE CRASH TESTS The Subaru Forester is the only one of the 12 small SUVs to earn a good rating from the IIHS in not only the side impact crashworthiness evaluation but also the Institute's frontal offset crash test. Read  details of all the tests.

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February 14, 2003:  EC to contribute €1.4 million to encourage more widespread use of seat belts

     Belgium is preparing to launch a campaign across much of Europe to encourage the more widespread use of seat belts in motor vehicles. 

     In 10 Member States, the “Euchires 2005” campaign is targeted specifically at children. 

     In this area where information and education play as important a role as policing, the Commission is helping to systematise exchanges of experience and good practice between Member States. “The situation continues to be too worrying for us not to take action,” stressed Jacques Barrot, European Commission Vice-President and holder of the transport portfolio, “Our objective is to halve the number of fatalities on European roads by 2010.”

Full article plus additional links

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