Latest Personal Auto Headlines
All the headlines from our Personal Auto Topic Page, ordered by recency.
South Carolina Driver Amnesty
May 2 2011 // Thousands of South Carolina drivers will be able to legally get back behind the wheel through a one-week amnesty program for suspended licenses. The Department of Motor Vehicles said that the amnesty applies to residents...
In Some States, 1 in 4 Drivers Uninsured
May 2 2011 // Across the United States, chances are roughly one in seven that a driver is uninsured. The percentage of uninsured motorists stood at 13.8 percent in 2009, according to the Insurance Research Council (IRC). The group said...
North Dakota Becomes 31st State to Ban Texting While Driving
Apr 28 2011 // North Dakota the 31st state to ban texting behind the wheel, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood who praised North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple for signing a new law banning the practice. The new law,...
9% of Californians Talk or Text While Driving
Apr 21 2011 // About 9 percent of California drivers talk or text on their cell phone while driving — despite state laws that prohibit such actions. In the first-ever observational survey of cell phone use by drivers within a...
Across Country, 1 in 7 Drivers Uninsured; In Some States, 1 in 4
Apr 21 2011 // Across the United States, chances are roughly one in seven that a driver is uninsured. The estimated percentage of uninsured motorists stood at 13.8 percent in 2009, according to a new study from the Insurance Research...
South Carolina Offers Amnesty to Drivers with Suspended Licenses
Apr 15 2011 // Thousands of South Carolina drivers will be able to legally get back behind the wheel through a one-week amnesty program for suspended licenses. The Department of Motor Vehicles said that the amnesty applies to residents...
Florida Jury Rules State Farm Driver Owed $3 Million in Lawsuit
Apr 14 2011 // A middle school teacher in Florida has been award $3 million in damages after a jury found State Farm refused to live up to its contract on a 2008 car accident. David Bowler sued State Farm for damages and medical costs...
3 Most Common Errors That Lead to Teen Drivers’ Crashes
Apr 11 2011 // Teen drivers get into serious accidents at a high rate because they fail to scan for possible hazards, go too fast for road conditions, or become distracted by something inside or outside their cars. A recent study by The...
South Carolina Courts Told to Clear Backlog of Drunk Driving Cases
Apr 6 2011 // South Carolina’s top judge has ordered courts across the state to clear a backlog of thousands of drunken driving cases after state troopers complained delays were keeping them in the courtroom and off the...
Alabama House Votes to Ban Texting While Driving
Apr 4 2011 // The Alabama House is making a second attempt to ban texting while driving The House voted 86-2 last Thursday for legislation sponsored by Republican Rep. Jim McClendon of Springville. He got a similar bill passed last...
Rhode Island Ponders Forcing Insurers to Buy Driving Records
Apr 4 2011 // Budget-strapped Rhode Island is considering a new way to raise money: Force insurers to buy official driving reports from the state, at $20 a driver. The move — part of a budget amendment that would alter laws...
Teen Drivers
Apr 4 2011 // New restrictions on teen drivers-in-training took effect in Michigan on March 30. The new legislation limits how many passengers drivers with level 2 intermediate licenses can carry. They won’t be allowed to have...
Crackdown on Distracted Drivers Under Way in Connecticut
Mar 30 2011 // Police in Connecticut are bolstering patrols this week to look for distracted drivers as part of a federal pilot program. Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and police officials announced the fourth and final enforcement wave of the...
Rhode Island Ponders Forcing Insurers to Buy Driving Records
Mar 25 2011 // Budget-strapped Rhode Island is considering a new way to raise money: Force insurers to buy official driving reports from the state, at $20 a driver. The move — part of a budget amendment that would alter laws...
North Carolina Debates More Fines on Drivers Using Cell Phones
Mar 25 2011 // North Carolina lawmakers already have banned young drivers from using cell phones and everyone else from texting or emails while behind the wheel. Now they’re considering whether to go further. A commerce committee...
Michigan’s Stricter Teen Driving Rules Go Into Effect Next Week
Mar 25 2011 // Michigan is preparing to enact new restrictions on teen drivers-in-training. Law enforcement, insurance and education leaders gathered in East Lansing this week to explain the requirements that take effect March 30. The...
Injured Cyclist’s Family Sues Car Driver for $10M
Mar 24 2011 // The family of a comatose cyclist is suing for $10 million the driver of the car that struck him in Maryland. Lawyers in the lawsuit filed Monday allege that 83-year-old Jeanette Marie Walke violated traffic laws on Feb. 26...
Designated Driver Services Steering Drinkers to Safety
Mar 21 2011 // The evolution of the cab has come. Those who enjoy a night of drinking can now hire a company to give them rides home in their own car instead of in one of the yellow checkered variety. Leaders of BeMyDD, or Be My...
Oklahoma Senate Approves Ban on Texting While Driving
Mar 17 2011 // The full Senate has given its support to a bill that would make it illegal to text while driving. State Sen. Jerry Ellis is the author of Senate Bill 146 which was approved on a vote of 32 to 9. “This isn’t a...
Texas Lawmakers Want to End Driver Surcharges
Mar 9 2011 // Texas lawmakers are considering eliminating a program that requires those charged with offenses including driving while intoxicated and failure to have insurance to pay state surcharges. Nearly 60 percent of those with the...
