July 2017 Archives
Correlation between fatalities and higher speed limits
As California works towards a goal of zero fatalities from car accidents, one study is highlighting an issue that might be preventing this. Despite the increases in safety features in vehicles as well as programs that encourage safe driving, the study points towards the increasing speed limits throughout the nation as a cause for fatalities.
Increases in fatal truck accidents
Residents of California may be concerned with the increasing trend of fatal truck accidents since 2009. There are a variety of reasons for these troublesome trends, and they mean more people are likely to be involved in a truck accident. Lawsuits for commercial trucking accidents work differently than normal vehicle accident lawsuits.
IIHS safety ratings show not all large sedans created equal
Crash testing results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety could help people in California select a vehicle with truly reliable protection in an accident. In the category of large sedans, the nonprofit institute calculated that the Lincoln Continental, Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan and the Toyota Avalon buffered occupants from the impact of crashes to a higher degree than other models. These three cars earned the designation Top Safety Pick Plus.
Lawmakers call for national autonomous vehicle standards
California's Department of Motor Vehicles signaled its intention to allow self-driving cars onto the state's roads by proposing autonomous vehicle testing and deployment guidelines in March 2017, but road safety advocates and many lawmakers believe that this is an issue that should be regulated at the federal level. They worry that a patchwork of state laws is creating an inconsistent regulatory landscape and could allow unproven and possibly unsafe technology onto the roads.