Articles Posted in Driver Safety

In a recent series of overlap front crash tests involving small vehicles, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) reported that of the 12 cars studied, only the Mini Cooper Countryman earned a good rating.

The small overlap test, which was introduced in 2012, mimics what happens when the corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or stationary object, i.e.; a telephone pole or tree. Since beginning this series of safety testing, the IIHS has observed 32 small cars; the results are staggering. According to the IIHS’s report, only 19 of these small cars earned a good or acceptable rating for their front safety protection, while the remaining 13 earned a rating of marginal or poor.

During the test, 25% of the vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side strikes a rigid barrier while traveling at 40 mph, according to the IIHS’s website. Unlike head-on crash tests, the small overlap test focuses on the bypassing of the vehicles’ front-end crush zone-to test how well the structure can manage crash energy. Often, the occupant compartment collapses during these types of crashes.

By IIHS’s standards, for a vehicle to earn the top rating of good, automakers need to focus on overall crash protection; meaning that an occupant compartment resists intrusion, safety belts prevent a driver from pitching too far forward and side curtain airbags provide enough forward coverage to cushion a head at risk of hitting the dashboard or window frame or things outside the vehicle. Collapsing structures can knock front airbags and seats out of position, exacerbating the problem, the IIHS reports.

In this particular study, only 5 small cars (all 2014 models) were awarded an acceptable rating; two earned marginal; and four earned a poor rating. For a comprehensive list of ratings please click here.
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Being a parent with a teenage driver inevitably causes anxiety, especially when it comes to choosing which car will be safest for them to drive. Because of a teen driver’s lack of experience and budget restrictions, many parents opt to purchase cars that are used and older in model year. Often, these vehicles lack adequate and crash protection and safety technology, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

According to the IIHS report, in a national phone survey conducted for IIHS of parents of teen drivers, 83% of those who bought a vehicle for their teenagers said they bought it used. To assist parents in choosing a safe car for their teenagers, the IIHS recently compiled its first-ever list of recommended used vehicles that don’t break the bank.

Some findings from the IIHS’s report:

Among 500 parents who were surveyed, 43 % reported that the vehicle their child currently drives was purchased around the time he or she began driving. Mini-cars or small cars were the most commonly purchased type of vehicle, with 28% buying from this category. More than 50% of newly purchased vehicles were from the 2006 model year or earlier. That’s a problem because older vehicles are much less likely to have safety features such as electronic stability control (ESC) and side airbags.

Teenagers who drove a vehicle that the family already owned were even more likely to drive an older vehicle: 2/3 of those parents said the vehicle was from 2006 or earlier.

A separate IIHS study shows that teenagers killed in crashes are more likely than adults to have been behind the wheel of small vehicles and older vehicles. Among fatally injured drivers ages 15-17 in 2008-12, 29% were in mini-cars or small cars, while 20% of fatally injured drivers ages 35-50 were. 82% of the young teen drivers were in vehicles that were at least 6 years old, compared with 77% of those in the adult group.
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The most Americans in seven years will travel by car during the Fourth of July weekend-a whopping 41 million, as projected by AAA.

The Northeast is a particularly popular tourist destination during weekends like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, with families flocking to destinations like Boston, Cape Cod and the Islands, as well as up North.

“With school out for summer, the Fourth of July holiday is typically the busiest summer travel holiday,” said Lloyd P. Albert, AAA Southern New England senior vice president of public and government affairs. “In line with tradition, most travelers are celebrating their newfound summer freedom with an all-American road trip.”

According to the national motor club, 8 out of every 10 people will be traveling by car, a 1.9 percent increase from last year. At Altman & Altman, would like to send a friendly reminder to everyone who expects to hit the road this weekend, to keep these tips in mind to ensure you and your family has a safe and happy holiday.
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Memorial day weekend has come and past, marking the unofficial beginning of summer especially for New Englanders who have braved yet another harsh winter. An increase in temperatures translates to an increase of cars on the road. Drivers may be more distracted than usual during a long drive to the beach with a car full of excited children or a scalding hot summer day. Combined with the increased pedestrian traffic in the city and surrounding beaches, the warmer months can be a dangerous time for both drivers and pedestrians.

Recent advancements in vehicle technology aim to make the roads safer for everyone by using cameras, radar, and braking systems. While initially only offered in luxury cars, frontal crash prevention technology is quickly becoming more widely available on a variety of less expensive cars. The systems act almost as a second set of eyes and can apply the brakes when it senses an object getting too close, potentially preventing a collision.
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Memorial Day is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year-with an expected 36 million people traveling (31.8 million by car), according to AAA. With so many people on the roads this weekend, the team at Altman & Altman would like to remind you to take some proper precautions to keep you and your family safe while on the road.

One of the most important things you can do to avoid a hiccup during your travel is to plan and prepare ahead of time. AAA, RepairPal and Safekids.org pulled together a list of helpful tips that we’d like to pass along to you.

1. Take a test run: Take your car for a test drive-ride up and down hills to check your brakes, and check that the little things like: the A/C is working to full capacity; the windows, door locks and handles are all functioning; and blinkers and lights all work.

2. Get a check-up: Regular maintenance is the key to ensuring your car will run properly and will last. Additionally, taking your car in for its yearly check-up can help identify small problems before they manifest into larger ones that end up costing you thousands in repairs, or could lead to inconvenient and unexpected breakdowns during your trip. If you suspect your car is due for a check-up or if you’re traveling a long distance, it’s always advised to visit your mechanic for a tune-up.

3. Read carefully: While many of us let our car manuals sit in the glove compartment to collect dust, it’s important to get familiar with it before taking off for any long distance trip. Knowing what the dashboard signals mean, should they turn on, will help you identify what’s wrong and knowing those signals can prepare you for what to do.

4. Beat the heat: The Department of Transportation has noted that excessive temperatures can wreak havoc on vehicles-engines can overheat, breaks and tires may wear out more quickly than normal, and high temperatures can severely damage electrical, battery and cooling systems. If you notice your car becoming too hot, pull over and allow it to cool down.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced today that has issued a final rule requiring rear visibility technology in all new vehicles under 10,000 pounds by May 2018.

Backover crashes, according to the NHTSA are defined as crashes where non-occupants of vehicles (such as pedestrians or cyclists) are struck by vehicles that are moving in reverse. Each year an estimated 210 fatalities and 15,000 injuries are caused by backover crashes in the United States. The NHTSA reported that 31% of those fatalities occur among children aged 5 and younger, and 26% occur among adults aged 70 and older.

The new rule seeks to enhance safety for both drivers and pedestrians, and help reduce the risk and number of backup accidents which often lead to serious and fatal injuries. In compliance with the rule, automakers will have to equip new vehicles with rear visibility technology that expands the field of view to enable the driver to detect areas behind the vehicle. The field of view, according to the NHTSA’s website, must include a 10-foot by 20-foot zone directly behind the vehicle. The system must also meet other requirements including image size, linger time, response time, durability, and deactivation.

For years the agency has persuaded automakers to adopt the technology into newer vehicles as well as encouraged consumers to buy models with rear backup assistance. In fact, there is a great demand by consumers for cars with rearview cameras, that many automakers have already installed the technology into their vehicles.

Rear visibility systems meeting the requirements of the final rule are predicted to have an effectiveness of 28-33%, which is substantially higher than other systems (e.g., sensor-only systems) that are currently available. Including vehicles that already have systems installed, the NHTSA estimates that between 58 and 69 lives will be saved each year once the entire on-road vehicle fleet is equipped with rear visibility systems meeting the requirements of today’s final rule.

The final rule complements action taken by the agency last year to incorporate rear visibility technology into the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). NHTSA’s NCAP program, which is widely known for its 5-Star Safety Ratings, highlights for consumers the vehicle makes and models that are equipped with the agency’s Recommended Advanced Technology Features that can help drivers avoid crashes and reduce other safety risks. Forward collision warning (FCW) and lane departure warning (LDW) systems are also highlighted under NCAP.
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After losing her father in a distracted driving incident, a Massachusetts woman is now making it her mission to put an end to the selfish and costly choices drivers make behind the wheel.

The public service announcement brings to light the victims of both sides of this tragic story, beginning with a testimony by the driver of the vehicle Kate McGuire, 17, who killed Howard Stein while using her car’s GPS. Stein was pulled over on the side of the road checking a load of materials in his truck when McGuire veered into the breakdown lane and struck him. Stein was a father, husband, and soon to be grandfather.

“I wasn’t texting. I wasn’t using my cellphone, but I killed someone,” McGuire said in the PSA.

Stein’s daughter is also seen in the PSA, calling the death of her father and distracted driving incidents in general “silly and so simply unnecessary.” Stein’s story is part of a National End Distracted Driving campaign which is led by Joel Feldman who lost his daughter in a distracted driving incident in 2009. The campaign calls for education of drivers and action by lawmakers to stiffen enforcement to ultimately help change drivers’ behavior.

DISTRACTED DRIVING STATISTICS
With the integration of technology into vehicles, seemingly more and more people are driving distracted. According to the NHTSA, distracted driving accidents account for 20% of all motor vehicle accidents in the United States. In 2012, more than 420,000 people were injured in accidents where a driver was distracted-a 9% increase from 2011. Additionally, 11% of drivers under age 20 who were victims of fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the accident. The NHTSA also reports that at any given moment, 660,000 drivers in America are using cell phones or an electronic device. Engaging in a visual distraction, such as texting, emailing, or manipulating a GPS increases the likelihood of a car accident by 3 times!
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