Latest Personal Auto Headlines

All the headlines from our Personal Auto Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Colorado Driving Instructor Gets Six Months For Phony Tests

Apr 9 2012 // A man accused of falsifying the driver’s licenses of at least 1,500 people who took tests at the American Driving Academy in Arvada has been sentenced to six months in prison. The Denver Post reported Dennis Sieving...

30% of Teen Drivers in Crashes Suffer Head Injuries: Study

Mar 30 2012 // Thirty percent of teens involved in serious car crashes suffer head injuries, including concussion, skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries (TBI), new research from medical and insurance experts says. While the report...

Arizona Bill to Tow Vehicles of Drivers Without Liability Defeated

Mar 23 2012 // A bill in Arizona that would have changed the current mandatory auto insurance laws to empower law enforcement to tow and impound vehicles if they are driving without liability insurance was defeated in the House...

Poll Shows Oregon Parents Want Stricter Guidelines for Teen Drivers

Mar 23 2012 // Nearly six in 10 parents go beyond the rules imposed by Oregon’s graduated licensing laws, and 52 percent think the state should enforce stricter consequences for those who violate teen-driving laws, a poll from...

Idaho House Lawmakers Pass Texting-While-Driving Ban

Mar 22 2012 // After several tries and frustrating setbacks, Idaho is set to join the majority of states that have toughened laws against sending text messages while driving. House lawmakers voted 53-17 Tuesday to bar motorists from...

Stoned Driving Epidemic In Colorado, Washington Puts Wrinkle In Pot Debate

Mar 19 2012 // Angeline Chilton says she can’t drive unless she smokes pot. The suburban Denver woman uses medical marijuana to ease multiple sclerosis symptoms and says she’d never get behind the wheel right after smoking....

Many Teen Drivers on ‘High’-way: Survey

Mar 19 2012 // A surprisingly large number of U.S. teen drivers admit to having driven under the influence of marijuana, according to Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions). Liberty Mutual in Boston...

Alaska Bill Bans Teens On Cellphones While Driving

Mar 16 2012 // A divided House committee has advanced a bill that would prohibit teens from talking on the phone while driving. Anchorage Democratic Rep. Berta Gardner’s HB128 would allow police to give citations only after someone...

Oklahoma Senate Rejects Phone Ban for Teen Drivers

Mar 15 2012 // The Oklahoma Senate has rejected a proposal that would have prevented teenagers from using cell phones while driving. The Senate voted 22-20 for the bill by Tulsa Republican Brian Crain, falling short of the 25 votes...

West Virginia Passes Ban on Texting While Driving

Mar 13 2012 // West Virginia lawmakers ended their 60-day legislative session over the weekend by passing agreements on fighting methamphetamine labs and targeting distracted drivers. A unanimous Senate vote and an 80-8 vote in the House...

Ban on Texting While Driving in Pennsylvania Goes Into Effect

Mar 8 2012 // A new state law requiring Pennsylvania drivers to pull over and stop if they want to use text-based communications went into effect at midnight Thursday, although it remains legal to use a hand-held cellphone behind the...

Sharing Economy Calls For Insurance Innovation

Mar 5 2012 // How Insurance Helped Getaround Get Going Can technology positively impact a billion people in just 10 years? Possibly, if insurance is available. Consider taking a low-use personal automobile — which might sit idle most...

Trucking Industry Fights Obama Rules on Driver Fatigue

Mar 5 2012 // Trucking companies are going to court to fight Obama Administration rules designed to assure that commercial truckers on the road get proper rest. The American Trucking Association filed a petition with the U.S. Circuit...

Cellphone Driving Ban Nets 27 Violators in Helena

Mar 5 2012 // Police in Helena, Mont. say they have issued 27 citations in a little over a month following a cellphone ban that went into effect in January making it illegal to use hand-held electronic devices while driving or bicycling...

Nevada Approves Regulations for Self-Driving Cars

Mar 5 2012 // Nevada is becoming the first of the U.S. states to regulate self-driving vehicles on its roadways. The state’s legislative commission has approved regulations that were vetted by car manufacturers, insurance...

Driving on ‘High’-way: Many Teen Drivers Admit Having Driven After Pot

Mar 1 2012 // A surprisingly large number of U.S. teen drivers admit to having driven under the influence of marijuana, according to Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions). Liberty Mutual in Boston...

Driver Texting Ban Passes Alabama House, Moves to Senate

Feb 23 2012 // The Alabama House has voted to ban drivers from sending or reading text messages while operating a motor vehicle on Alabama roads. The bill passed the House on a 92-0 vote. It now goes to the Senate for debate. The traffic...

Cellphone Driving Ban Nets 27 Violators in Helena

Feb 22 2012 // Police in Helena say they have issued 27 citations in a little over a month following a cellphone ban making it illegal to use hand-held electronic devices while driving or bicycling within city limits. Lt. Steve Hagen...

Oklahoma Bill Bans Cell Phone Use by Teen Drivers

Feb 21 2012 // Legislation that would prevent teenage drivers from using cell phones while driving has cleared a Senate panel. The Senate Public Safety Committee voted 6-2 last week for the bill, Senate Bill 182, which now heads to the...

Feds Seek Limit on Vehicle Electronics to Curb Distracted Driving

Feb 21 2012 // The Obama administration wants automakers to put limits on vehicle technologies that permit texting and cellphone calling when a car is moving, as part of a broader effort to stop driving behaviors that could be...