Latest Personal Auto Headlines
All the headlines from our Personal Auto Topic Page, ordered by recency.
More California Drivers Spotted Using Cellphones, Traffic Report Shows
Jul 11 2016 // The number of California drivers using cellphones is rising, as are deaths and injuries blamed on distracted driving. The California Office of Traffic Safety reported in late June that nearly 13 percent of drivers were...
Judge in California Approves Lyft’s $27M Driver Settlement Deal
Jul 11 2016 // A U.S. judge granted preliminary approval to ride service Lyft’s $27 million settlement of a class action lawsuit brought by California drivers who claimed they should be deemed employees instead of independent...
Aon Offers Cover for Ontario Uber Drivers, Using Online Quoting Tool
Jul 8 2016 // Aon Risk Solutions, the global risk management business of Aon plc, announced it is now offering personal ride-sharing insurance policies designed specifically for Ontario Uber drivers. As Uber’s insurance broker,...
How to Identify Older Adults at Risk for Unsafe Driving
Jul 7 2016 // Almost half of all drivers on the nation’s roads are over the age of 65 and this number is projected to increase to 77 percent in the next 30 years. Adults over the age of 65 have the highest crash rate per mile...
Rhode Island Lessens Penalties for Being Caught Without Driver’s License
Jul 7 2016 // Getting caught by police in Rhode Island for forgetting to carry a driver’s license will no longer lead to criminal charges the first time it happens. Legislation signed into law by Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo last...
Iowa Distracted Driving Fatalities Doubled in 2015
Jul 6 2016 // The number of people killed or injured in accidents caused by use of electronic devices doubled in Iowa last year. Fourteen people were killed statewide in 2015, compared to seven the previous year, according to the Globe...
Indiana Man Gets 9 1/2 Years for Car Crash Fraud Scheme
Jul 6 2016 // An Evansville, Ind., man has been sentenced to more than 91/2 years in prison for paying people to stage car crashes to defraud insurance companies. U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young sentenced 57-year-old Michael W....
Guiding Massachusetts Teen Drivers Through ‘100 Deadliest Days’
Jul 6 2016 // One thing that James Butcher tells Massachusetts high school students is that he’s sure they want to enjoy a great life and come back for reunions after graduation. But that won’t happen if they “drive...
Uber Using Software to Track Drivers’ Behavior
Jun 30 2016 // Using smartphone sensors to peek over its drivers’ shoulders, Uber is promising to keep a closer eye on their behavior — while discouraging speeding or slamming on the brakes. The global ride-hailing company on...
73% of U.S. Drivers Welcome Commuting with Robot Behind the Wheel: Survey
Jun 30 2016 // Almost three-quarters of U.S. drivers are eager to replace the daily commute’s drudgery with a self-driving car and 80 percent say they would pay extra to have a robot take the wheel, according to a survey that...
South Carolina State Trooper Uses Emojis to Curb Drunk Driving
Jun 29 2016 // South Carolina is starting a campaign against drinking and driving based on a trooper’s tweets using the little graphic icons called emojis on his smartphone. The Anderson Independent-Mail reports the Highway Patrol...
Judge in California Approves Lyft’s $27M Driver Settlement Deal
Jun 27 2016 // A U.S. judge granted preliminary approval to ride service Lyft’s $27 million settlement of a class action lawsuit brought by California drivers who claimed they should be deemed employees instead of independent...
More California Drivers Spotted Using Cellphones, Traffic Report Shows
Jun 24 2016 // The number of California drivers using cellphones is rising, as are deaths and injuries blamed on distracted driving. The California Office of Traffic Safety reported this week that nearly 13 percent of drivers were seen...
Uber Supports Having New Jersey AG Decide Driver Background Checks
Jun 22 2016 // Ride-hailing company Uber says it supports allowing New Jersey’s attorney general to decide what type of background checks its drivers should have to use. Company spokesman Matt Wing told The Associated Press that...
Older Drivers Favor High-Tech Auto Features
Jun 22 2016 // High-tech safety features have jumped to a high priority for older U.S. car-shoppers, who want to keep their freedom of mobility, a study released Tuesday reports. Among Americans 50 and up who plan to shop for a car in...
PEMCO Poll: Nearly Half of Northwest Drivers Use Phones Behind the Wheel
Jun 20 2016 // Seattle-based PEMCO Insurance announced that nearly half of Northwest drivers admit they illegally use their phones while driving – and a majority do it because they don’t think it’s “too...
Louisiana Drivers May Now Repay Auto Insurance Fines in Installments
Jun 20 2016 // Louisiana drivers struggling to pay unpaid fines from lapsed car insurance coverage can now find some relief. Gov. John Bel Edwards’ office announced the governor has signed a bill to authorize driver payment plans...
What Do You Get When You Combine Drones and Self-Driving Cars?
Jun 20 2016 // That’s one small step for drones, and no steps needed for mankind. Autonomous drone transport for humans. Why not? We’re eventually getting autonomous cars so you don’t have to do the driving, and drones...
Louisiana Governor Signs Bill Hiking Max Fines for Texting While Driving
Jun 17 2016 // Maximum penalties will be higher for violating state laws in Louisiana that ban texting or posting to social media sites while driving and that restrict cell phone use for young drivers. Gov. John Bel Edwards announced...
Trucking Company, Driver Face Criminal Charges in Georgia Crash that Killed 5
Jun 17 2016 // A grand jury has indicted a tractor-trailer driver and his employer accused of causing a fiery interstate crash that killed five Georgia Southern University nursing students. The Bryan County grand jury on Wednesday...
