We Can Cut Traffic Deaths in Half, but Nobody Wants To
May 18, 2022 - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released preliminary data on the traffic fatalities recorded across the country in 2021. Fatalities rose to nearly 43,000 in 2021, a 10.5-percent increase over 2020.
Over 90 percent of Americans use a seatbelt - the remaining 10 percent make up nearly half of those who die in crashes. The technology exists to force drivers to obey the speed limit. It’s existed for as long as cars have been around and admittedly, drivers hate the very idea. Requiring breathalyzers in every newly-built vehicle could take decades to truly make a difference in road deaths.
The uncomfortable truth is, we could all but eliminate deaths via drunk driving, speeding and lax seat belt use — nearly half of all car crash fatalities — with technology that has been readily available for decades. But we don’t, because they present, at worst, a mild inconvenience.
Push is on to Make Stealing a Catalytic Converter a Federal Crime
May 19, 2022 - In 2018, there were 1,298 catalytic converter thefts for which a claim was filed. In 2019, it was 3,389 thefts with a claim. In 2020, catalytic converter theft claims jumped massively to 14,433, a 325% increase in a single year.
The “Preventing Auto Recycling Theft Act,” or PART Act, is the first congressional bill to address the growing national problem of catalytic converter thefts, which are costing businesses and vehicle owners millions of dollars annually, according to NADA, which notes the bill has support from both Democrats and Republicans.
The PART Act will require that new vehicles have unique identifying numbers stamped on catalytic converters during assembly, as well as establishes a federal criminal penalty for the theft, sale, trafficking or known purchase of stolen catalytic convertor, supporters of the bill noted.
Women Are Almost Twice as Likely to be Trapped in a Car After a Crash
May 18, 2022 - A new study out of the UK found that women are almost twice as likely as men to be trapped in a vehicle after a crash. Women suffered more hip and spinal injuries, whereas men sustained more head, face, chest and limb injuries.
Researchers say this also may be linked to why women are more likely to be trapped in a vehicle as injuries to the pelvis can make it harder to escape a wreck by oneself.
EVs Are Dangerously Fast for the Average Driver
May 22, 2022 - Everybody loves powerful cars, although not everybody has the skills required to tame a supercar.
Looking at Tesla’s lineup, the Model 3 RWD, with a 0-60 mph (0-96 kph) acceleration time of 5.8 seconds. Kia EV6, in its least powerful version, makes 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in 6.2 seconds. Electric trucks are more or less the same, with the slowest of them making 0-60 in under 5 seconds.
Even if everybody has incredible driving skills today, this will not last. Eyesight diminishes with age, the field of view narrows, and the reaction times get longer. There will be a growing discrepancy between driving skills and car performance, leading to more problems.
Solera’s SmartDrive Protect: A Video Safety Solution
Solera Holdings, LLC, today unveiled SmartDrive Protect at Solera Outlook 2022 in New Orleans.
SmartDrive Protect, the newest addition to the Solera SmartDrive product suite, is a video-based safety solution for small fleets that provides accident exoneration, rewards safe driving, and offers the tools to coach and correct unsafe driving habits.
Research studies show that car drivers are principally at-fault in approximately three-quarters (70-75%) of fatal car-truck crashes. With shrinking margins due to increasing fuel and labor costs, driver shortages, and the high costs associated with accident settlements, fleets are just one accident away from closing their doors. Video of driving events is critical not only for exoneration but also commendation when commercial drivers drive defensively and save lives.
