Category Archive: Safe Driving
Most Expensive Cities For Auto Insurance
October 10, 2014
Insurance.com has come out with a list of the most expensive cities in the US for Auto Insurance. The top five are:
- Detroit
- New York
- Miami
- Los Angeles
- Atlanta
It’s not surprising to see that many of the most expensive cities for auto insurance are also on the list of cities with the least courteous drivers. Read more: Detroit most expensive U.S. metro area for car insurance
Google Glass No Safer Than Smart Phones While Driving
October 9, 2014
We have written about the dangers of Google Glass before but our warning was basically just pure speculation based on years of experience in driving safety and distracted driving issues. Now the research data is in! Researchers from the University of Central Florida and the Air Force Research Laboratory conducted a study on the use of Google Glass while driving and the results aren’t at all surprising.
The researchers set up an experiment with 40 test subjects in their 20s and tested their ability to drive on a simulated driving course. The subjects were tested with both Google Glass and a smartphone. The results showed that Google Glass is no safer to use than a smartphone when it comes to avoiding a collision.
This study comes on the heels of another study released last week that shows that voice activated hands-free mobile devices such as Apple’s Siri are no safer than a hand-held cell phone while driving and, in fact, can be even more distracting.
Several states have passed laws banning the use of Google Glass while driving and more are considering it. Earlier this year a California driver successfully fought a ticket she was issued for using Google Glass while driving because there was, at that time, no law against it.
Read more: Drivers, Don’t Trade in Your Smartphone for Google Glass … Yet
Cyclists And New Road Markings
October 8, 2014
Cyclists use bikes as a way to stay in shape, save money or to help protect the environment. Whatever the reason, cycling is growing in popularity and there are more and more bicycles on the roads. Bike sharing is also growing in popularity and bike sharing programs are showing up on major university campuses and in most of the major cities in the US.
Unfortunately, with the increase in cyclists on the road the number of cyclists killed in traffic collisions is also on the rise. In 2012, 726 cyclists were killed and 49,000 were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes. With both the popularity of cycling and the number of cycling fatalities on the rise, demands are becoming louder to protect cyclists on the road and traffic engineers are looking at new ways to do just that.
Here are a few road markings designed to make the road safer for cyclists that you may already be familiar with or that you may see in the near future.
Bicycle Lanes
The first and probably the most familiar type of lane markings are bicycle lanes. These lanes are set aside for cyclists and they are identified by the image of a cyclist. In some places, the lane may be painted green. No parking is allowed in these lanes. You may enter the lane in preparation for a right turn but only after checking to make sure the lane is clear of cyclists that may be coming up from behind.
Sharrows
Sharrows are lanes that are shared by both cyclists and motorists. Motorists need to be careful and understand that cyclists may move into the center of the lane to avoid obstacles or potholes and they may move to the left in preparation for a left turn. They are marked with the image of a bicycle with two chevrons on top.
Advanced Stop Line
The advanced stop line is painted just before the stop line and crosswalk. This area is also marked with the sharrow image. It allows cyclists to to make left turns or to proceed across an intersection in a safer manner. Motor vehicle traffic must stop at the stop line before the bicycle images.
Bike Boxes
Bike boxes are essentially the same thing as an advanced stop line. They will be painted green. Motorists must stop before the bike box.
Has Your Vehicle Been Recalled?
September 9, 2014
Late last month, the National Highway Transportation Safety Commission (NHTSA) announced the launching of a new, free web site that allows vehicle owners to determine if their personal vehicle has been recalled for manufacturer defects. The website allows vehicle owners to look up any outstanding or incomplete recalls by entering their vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). To find your vehicle’s VIN, you can look either on the driver side dashboard, just underneath the windshield or on the identification plate mounted on the driver’s side door post.
NHTSA has also developed apps for Apple devices and Android devices that could come in handy to find out if that used car you’re thinking about buying has any outstanding recall issues. Read more: U.S. Department of Transportation Unveils New, Free, Online Search Tool for Recalls Using Vehicle Identification Number
Drowsy While Driving? Take A Coffee Nap
September 5, 2014
In past articles on drowsy driving, we’ve advised taking a coffee nap although, to be truthful, we didn’t know, at the time, that they were called coffee naps. Just exactly what is a coffee nap? It’s drinking a cup of coffee (or other caffeinated beverage) and then taking a short nap before the effects of the caffeine kick in. Now, scientists have done the research and found that a coffee nap is better than just drinking coffee or just taking a nap alone.
In comparison studies, the data shows that those who took a coffee nap performed better on memory tests and driving simulators than those who just took naps or just drank coffee alone. They were also able to remain alert for longer periods. Just to make sure it wasn’t just a mind thing, some subjects were given a decaf coffee “placebo” and those “control subjects” failed to perform as well on tests as those who drank the full strength coffee.
To understand the science behind this and to learn how to take the best kind of coffee nap, read more: Scientists agree: Coffee naps are better than coffee or naps alone