A new AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in-car video study focused on teen distracted driving indicates girls are twice as likely as boys to use cell phones and other electronic devices while driving. Other distracted teen drivers' behavior included adjusting controls, reaching for an object, personal grooming, eating, and drinking. Driving passengers was found to influence driver behavior; distracting activities decreased significantly when parents or other adults were in the vehicle.
GM is temporarily suspending production of the electric Chevy Volt due to low sales, Nissan's Leaf is struggling, and some start-up electric vehicle and battery companies have folded - all victims of hyped expectations, technological flops, high costs and a hostile political climate. Out of 12.8 million U.S. total light-vehicle sales in 2011, fewer than 20,000 were all-electric or plug-in electric. The Obama administration remains fully committed to supporting alternative vehicle and fuel technologies and believes the goal of 1 million electric vehicles by 2015 is achievable with the help of Congress.
The NHTSA is urging all users of 15-passenger vans to take specific steps to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers. Overloading 15-passenger vans increases rollover risk and makes the vehicle more unstable in any handling maneuvers. Other safety tips include making sure all passengers are buckled up, vans have appropriately-sized and load rated tires that are properly inflated before every trip, the vehicle is regularly maintained, and drivers are properly licensed and experienced in operating a 15-passenger van.
Toyota and Lexus Financial Services have rolled out an Excess Wear & Use (EWU) Protection Plan for their lease customers, which will help customers avoid unexpected charges for financial responsibility when returning a lease vehicle due to dings, dents, scratches and missing parts or equipment. The EWU program is aimed at simplifying the return process, eliminating claim forms and keeping customers happy.
The NHTSA is proposing a rule standardizing keyless ignition systems so that they all shut down after a half-second hold of the power button, whether the vehicle is moving or not. In addition, the proposal calls for a loud warning to sound if the driver exits the vehicle without putting it in park or without turning off the vehicle. Some carbon monoxide fatalities have occurred when drivers left their cars running in attached garages.