Innovative U.S. automaker Tesla is shutting down its Passenger Play game feature over concerns drivers can be distracted by the games screen. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said a Tesla software update will disable the feature while vehicles are moving. The NHTSA had just announced an investigation into the entertainment system the day before. It said the feature was "visible on the front center touchscreen from the driver's seat, is enabled even when the vehicle is being driven. This functionality ... may distract the driver and increase the risk of a … [Read more...]
Virginia, Arizona, Idaho roll out distracted fines
January 2, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Motorists have been warned. Now they'll be fined. A trio of states saw their distracted driving laws take full effect with the new year, bringing new fines. Virginia, Arizona and Idaho had been issuing warnings under previously enacted hands-free laws. In Virginia, the law now prohibits the holding of wireless communications devices while driving. Although the ban went into effect in mid-summer, enforcement began with the new year. Officials say almost 20 percent of all crashes on Virginia's roads and highways can be linked to distraction. Almost 15 percent of fatalities had that … [Read more...]
Distraction deaths up 10%, NHTSA reports
December 22, 2020 by 1 Comment
Deaths from motor-vehicle crashes decreased slightly last year, but distraction-related fatalities were up 10 percent, federal analysts said. 2019 motor-vehicle crashes resulted in a 2 percent decrease in fatalities from 2018, according to final figures released in late December 2020 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The number of deaths linked to driver distraction was 3,142 nationwide, or almost 9 percent of all fatalities in 2019. This represents a 10 percent increase over the year 2018, or 284 more fatalities, the NHTSA reported. The distraction figure was the … [Read more...]
‘Zaadii’ comic hails child killed by distraction
October 18, 2020 by Leave a Comment
The too-short life of a child killed by a distracted driver is being honored with a superhero comic. The Travelers Companies commissioned "Zaadii: The Legend of Z-Hawk," and it was unveiled via New York Comic Con’s virtual event in early October. The 3-year-old Zaadii Tozhon Tso is presented as a grownup, one of the first Navajo superheroes. "Zaadii’s greatest joy in life was superheroes, so the company commissioned renowned comic book writers and artists Gail Simone, Jim Calafiore and Jeffrey Veregge, and worked closely with Zaadii’s family, to design a story honoring the young boy," … [Read more...]
British distracted driving news
July 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
More than 16,000 citations were written for electronic distracted driving in the first 10 months of 2022, government statistics show. That amounted to about 3.3 million pounds in fines. London accounted for well over a third of the ticketing. 2022 was the first year under tougher distracted driving laws in the UK. The government plans to close a loophole in the country's handheld mobile phone law. The loophole -- which allowed the taking of photos, scrolling for music and playing games -- was used by some drivers to beat distracted driving charges. Roads minister Baroness Vere said: "We’re … [Read more...]
Recent Comments