auto safety News

Insurance Institute’s Top Safety Pick List Shrinks Under New Headlight Standards

To help avoid deadly accidents, an insurance industry group raised standards for headlight performance, reducing the number of vehicles that earned its highest safety rating. Only 38 models were awarded the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s designation of Top Safety …

U.S. Rule Requires Sound Alerts on Quiet Electric, Hybrid Cars

The U.S. government on Monday finalized long-delayed rules that will require “quiet cars” like electric vehicles and hybrids to emit alert sounds when they are moving at speeds of up to 18.6 miles per hour (30 km per hour) to …

Pennsylvania Law Requiring Rear-Facing Car Seats Takes Effect

Motorists in Pennsylvania must now make sure car seats face backward for all children until they’re two years old. The requirement is part of a new state law that went into effect Friday. It directs police to issue warnings for …

Many Weed-Smoking Canadian Drivers Say They Can Drive Unimpaired: Insurers

Almost half of weed-smoking Canadian drivers say that they can safely operate a vehicle while stoned. Among Canadians who have driven under the influence of marijuana, 44 percent don’t think it impacts their ability to drive safely, according to a …

Automatic Braking, Due by 2022 in U.S. Cars, Could Prevent 20% of All Crashes

Major automakers will announce Thursday they have agreed to install automatic emergency braking systems in nearly all U.S. vehicles by September 2022, three sources briefed on the plans said. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced in September …

Auto Recalls in U.S. Passed 51 Million in 2015

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Thursday that automakers recalled 51.3 million vehicles in the United States last year, the second-highest ever, in 868 separate campaigns. NHTSA and automakers have come under harsh criticism on auto safety issues …

U.S. Safety Officials Push Self-Braking Technology for Cars, Trains, Trucks

Safety officials want to see more technology used to reduce accidents on U.S. roads, airways and railroads. In its annual “Most Wanted” list, the National Transportation Safety Board is urging government regulators and industry to move more quickly to adopt …

GM Backs Remote Software Updates But Not for Critical Systems

General Motors Co. will not use ‘over-the-air’ upgrades, a way of remotely updating software on its vehicles, for safety-critical vehicle systems such as brakes, the automaker’s product development chief said on Wednesday, signaling a different approach from electric car maker …

Survey: Decrease in Seat Belt Use in Tennessee

A recent survey shows a decrease in seat belt use in Tennessee. The Governor’s Highway Safety Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol announced that the statewide rate for the month of June is 86.2 percent, a decrease from the previous …

2014 One of Worst Years Ever for Vehicle Safety: NHTSA

Carmakers recalled about 64 million vehicles in the U.S. last year, more than double the previous record set in 2004, according to official government data. The tally released Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closes the book on …