Alpha Omega Engineering, Inc.

An engineering consultancy on the Central Coast of California

Articles about accidents, vehicle safety and technological innovations

• Fatal Tesla Crash Proves Full Autonomy Is the Only Solution for Self-Driving Cars - GIZMODO - 1 July 2016

• Self-Driving Tesla Was Involved in Fatal Crash, U.S. Says - New York Times - 30 June 2016

• NextEV Announces Further Investment in the State of California - Venture Beat - 24 June 2016

• Faraday Future driverless cars to hit California highways - L.A. Times - 24 June 2016

• Faraday Future will test self-driving cars in California...even though it doesn't yet have a car - Road/Show - 23 June 2016

  This is the next major move for the mysterious, self-described Tesla competitor.

• Tesla rival Faraday approved to test self-driving cars on California roads - Reuters - 21 June 2016

• Faraday Future's Self-Driving Car Cleared for California Roads - Fortune - 21 June 2016

• Self-driving cars could flip the auto insurance industry on its head - L.A. Times - 20 June 2016

• Karma comes around again: California's newest car factory aims to rival Tesla - L.A. Times - 17 June 2016

• Electric-car intender Faraday Future wants 2nd factory, in California this time - Green Car Reports - 6 June 2016

• For Tesla Owner, Losing a Wheel Was Just the First Surprise - New York Times - 10 June 2016

• Tesla Model S Suspension Failures Under Scrutiny by Safety Agency - New York Times - 9 June 2016

• Tesla Suspension Breakage: It’s Not The Crime, It’s The Coverup - Daily Kanban - 8 June 2016

• For Driverless Cars, Citylike Test Sites Offer the Unpredictable - New York Times - 4 June 2016

• Faraday Future seeks approval to build electric cars in California - L.A. Times - 26 May 2016

• Dear fellow journalists: This is why you should use #CrashNotAccident - BikePortland.org - 26 Marge 2016

• For Now, Self-Driving Cars Still Need Humans - New York Times - 17 January 2016

• California Commute: Driverless vehicles and the future of L.A. transportation - L.A. Times - 29 November 2015

• The future of the automobile is being reshaped in California - L.A. Times - 18 November 2015

• When a car ‘crash’ isn’t an ‘accident’ — and why the difference matters - The Washington Post - 24 August 2015

• Family-run Takata at center of air bag recalls - USA Today - 6 December 2014

• Japan: Auto recall overhaul needed for global woes - San Francisco Chronicle - 4 December 2014

• Video: House committee digs for answers on Takata airbag defects - Washington Examiner - 3 December 2014

• Honda Expands Airbag Recall Nationwide, Takata Tests Show High Defect Rates - Car and Driver - 3 December 2014

• Super-sized crash-test dummy reflects growing American waistlines - Consumer Reports - 3 December 2014

  New, large male dummy stretches envelope for height and weight

• It turns out Takata isn't willing to expand airbag recall nationally after all - AutoBlog - 3 December 2014

  Reports Indicate Internal Investigations Conducted In 2004

• Exclusive: Takata investigated defective air bag inflator as early as 2003 - Reuters - 3 December 2014

• Massive Takata Airbag Recall: Everything You Need to Know, Including Full List of Affected Vehicles - Car and Driver - 2 December 2014

• Takata on a collision course with federal regulators over nationwide air-bag recall - The Washington Post - 2 December 2014

• Worried about broader fallout, Japan moves to contain air bag crisis - Reuters - 2 December 2014

• Everything you need to know about the Takata air bag recall - Consumer Reports - 2 December 2014

  What this recall means to you and what actions you should take

• NHTSA Statement on Takata Air Bag Inflators - safercar.gov - No date given

• Opinion: Air bag anxiety; Will your car kill you? - Chicago Tribune - 26 November 2014
  • Air bags shouldn't maim you. It's as simple as that, Takata.
  • Wait … the air bags we count on to protect us could malfunction because of humidity?

• Honda reports new exploding Takata airbag death in Malaysia - Chanel NewsAsia - 13 November 2014

  The revelation came as the car giant announced an additional recall of 170,699 vehicles worldwide due to the risk that an explosion could send metal shards from the airbag inflator hurtling at drivers.

• Safe Streets Advocates: “Enough is Enough” — Time to End Traffic Violence - StreetsBlog SF - 10 November 2014

• Editorial: NHTSA, Honda and Takata raise issues of criminality, ineptitude. - USA Today - 9 November 2014

• Firms, regulators share blame for lethal air bags: Editorial - Orlando Sentinel - 1 November 2014
  • Honda and Takata were aware of exploding air bags for at least a decade before major recalls were ordered.
  • An Orlando woman was killed by safety equipment that should have saved her life: an air bag.

• Car makers try to balance tech, safety - San Diego Union-Tribune - 31 October 2014

  Telematics event highlights the direction, challenges of connected car market

• The airbag: life saver or unexploded ordnance? - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 31 October 2014

• Warning: This Air Bag May Contain Shrapnel - BloombergBusinessweek - 30 October 2014

• Takata Airbag Recalls: Affected Vehicles - The New York Times - 22 October 2014

• It Looked Like a Stabbing, but Takata Airbag Was the Killer - The New York Times - 22 October 2014

• UPDATE 2-Fourth U.S. traffic death linked to Takata air bags - Reuters - 17 October 2014

• Third traffic death in U.S. linked to Takata airbags - Automotive News - 16 October 2014

  Honda says it was not made aware of fatality in 2002 Acura TL sedan

• A Bicycle Crash Kills Another Pedestrian in Central Park - The New Yorker - 23 September 2014

• 'Our daughter was killed by a texting driver - Sunday Mirror campaign must succeed' - Mirror (England) - 6 September 2014

• CCTV footage reveals the risks faced at roadworks - The Independent (England) - 5 September 2014

• Aston Martin's U.S. Dealers in Danger of Closing without Safety Exemption for DB9 and Vantage - CarScoops - 5 September 2014

• Emotional Road Safety Campaign Message from a Grieving Mother [Video] - autoevolution - 5 September 2014

• S.F. Fire Department official demoted after crash - San Francisco Chronicle - 5 September 2014

• US: Toyota expands safety research with $35 million investment - INAUTONEWS - 4 September 2014

• Police: South Korea singer dies in van accident - San Francisco Chronicle - 4 September 2014

• Call to halt 20mph zone rollout in Bristol - BBC News Bristol - 3 September 2014

• The end of the road for the trucker? - CNN - 3 September 2014

• Traffic accidents: How the Chinese cross the road - The Economist - 3 September 2014

• 11 Die in traffic accident in Argentina - Fox News - Latino - 2 September 2014

• Van-fuel tanker collision kills 23 in western Afghanistan - The Hindu - 31 August 2014

• Australian recall roundup: Jeep Grand Cherokee for rear blinkers issue - INAUTONEWS - 29 August 2014

• Australian recall roundup: Audi vehicles for braking problems - INAUTONEWS - 29 August 2014

• From the archive, 26 August 1896: The UK's first fatal car accident - The Guardian - 26 August 2014

  Bridget Driscoll, on a day trip to Crystal Palace, was bewildered by the car’s approach, got in its way and was knocked down

• Laserlight, the bright idea of a student behind a lifesaver for cyclists - The Guardian - 24 August 2014

  Emily Brooke has created a virtual cyclist, seen by drivers if there is a rider in their blind spot – with 3,000 sold at £125 each

• GM's legal team targeted in federal probe of faulty ignition switches - L.A. Times - 22 August 2014

  Justice Department looking at GM's legal team as part of investigation into deadly ignition switches

• Honda will fix Fits after crash test prompts redesign of bumper - L.A. Times - 21 August 2014
  • After failing crash test, Honda will replace front bumper on Fit compact car
  • Honda redesigned front bumper on Fit to survive tough IIHS crash test
  • Automakers paying more attention to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests
• How to check if your car was recalled but not fixed - L.A. Times - 20 August 2014
  • On average, about 25% of recalled autos still need the repair 18 months after the recall was first announced
  • NHTSA officials hope new search tool will prevent “recall fatigue” by making it easier to find car
• California DMV joins motorcycle lane-splitting controversy - L.A. Times - 30 July 2014
  • CHP dropped its online safety tips for motorcycle lane-splitting. Now DMV has done the same
  • Motorcycle lane-splitting is legal in California, but DMV and CHP have removed online guidelines for practice
• Lane-splitting guidelines removed from CHP website - San Jose Mecury News - 25 July 2014

• American Motorcyclist Association Trying To Get Lane-Splitting Guidelines Back On California Websites - ROADRACINGWORLD.COM - 23 July 2014

  Lone complaint forces CHP to remove lane-splitting guidelines from website

• Motorcycle lane-splitting rules unveiled - San Francisco Chronicle - 23 July 2014

• CHP stuck in the middle on motorcycle lane-splitting - L.A. Times - 23 July 2014
  • The CHP, which last year issued safety guidelines on lane-splitting, has taken the guidelines down
  • Lane-splitting, while not actively recommended by the CHP or DMV, is not illegal in California
• Proposed oil train safety rules include lower speeds, improved braking - L.A. Times - 23 July 2014
  • Dept. of Transportation proposes new oil train safety rules, including improved tank cars and reduced speeds
  • Safer oil train tanker, reduced speeds proposed in federal rules
  • Oil train safety standards may go much farther than those agreed upon by industry
• Autonomous cars could ditch traditional features - INAUTONEWS - 21 July 2014

• O.C. cyclist hit by Gatorade bottle in road rage case may get charged - L.A. Times - 18 July 2014

  Cyclist who had Gatorade thrown at him could end up being charged as well, O.C. officials say

• Driver License Renewal Policies and Fatal Crash Involvement Rates of Older Drivers, United States, 1985–2011 - AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety - July 2014

• Takata Identifies Moisture As Cause Of Airbag Inflator Defect - Automotive Times - 24 June 2014

• Rudderless Congress breaks driverless car - Yahoo News - 24 June 2014

  It was supposed to demonstrate an error-free future. But then its builders brought it to Washington, D.C.

• Feds investigate 1.2-million Chrysler vehicles for faulty ignitions - L.A. Times - 18 June 2014

  Feds investigate more than 1.2-million Chrysler vehicles for ignition-switch issues

• Crash survivor prepares to graduate, attend Humboldt State - Orange County Register - 7 June 2014

• Autonomous vehicles face numerous hurdles - INAUTONEWS - 5 June 2014

• Economic impact of traffic accidents? About $1 trillion a year - L.A. Times - 29 May 2014
  • Drunk driving accounted for 18% of all economic impact in motor vehicle costs.
  • Speeding accounted for 21% of the total economic loss from motor vehicle accidents.
  • Driving has never been safer, in terms of fatalities per motor vehicle miles driven.
• California Will Start Granting Licenses For Driverless Cars In September - TechCrunch - 23 May 2014

• Exclusive: More than 13 deaths in recalled GM cars 'likely', regulator says - Reuters - 23 May 2014

• General Motors recalls 2.4 million more vehicles including 2015 Cadillac Escalade - New York Daily News - 21 May 2014

  General Motors has announced four new recalls that affect a total of 2.4 million vehicles. The latest recalls include various models of the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Travers, Chevrolet Malibu, Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado HD, and GMC Sierra HD.

• A Flurry of Recalls at G.M. as Pressure Mounts - New York Times - 20 May 2014

• Another student's family sues FedEx in deadly Humboldt-bound bus crash - L.A. Times - 20 May 2014
  • Family of dead student is latest to file lawsuit against FedEx, bus company in wake of deadly crash in Orland
  • Lawsuit claims FedEx truck in deadly Orland crash never stopped merging left before hitting charter bus
• OPINION: Has GM made any cars recently that don't have to be recalled? - L.A. Times - 20 May 2014
  • GM, the new poster boy for bad engineering and poor quality control
  • With GM leading the way, 2014 is shaping up be a record year for vehicle recalls
  • As vehicle recalls rise, will a future L.A. be a rail/bike/bus utopia? Are you crazy?
• European law change paves the way for autonomous driving - INAUTONEWS - 19 May 2014

• GM fined $35 million for faulty ignition switch recall delays - L.A. Times - 16 May 2014
  • The U.S. fined General Motors Corp. $35 million for delays in recalling vehicles with faulty ignition switches
  • Faulty GM ignition switches have been linked to 13 deaths
  • 'What we cannot tolerate ...is a person or a company that knows danger exists and says nothing'
• Beverly Hills reviews traffic safety laws after LAPD cops killed - L.A. Times - 13 May 2014
  • Beverly Hills say they've issued more than 100 tickets on a road where 2 LAPD cops died in crashes this year
  • Beverly Hills calls for public meeting on traffic following crashes that killed two LAPD officers
  • Beverly Hills launches traffic study after fatal LAPD crashes
• Driving while pregnant: Car crash risk spikes 42% in second trimester - L.A. Times - 12 May 2014
  • The first month of the second trimester is the riskiest time for pregnant women behind the wheel, study finds
  • Women become much safer drivers during the first year after their babies are born, researchers say
  • "The message here is not to stop driving. The message is to start driving more carefully."
• Fatal crash was no accident, LAPD investigators say - L.A. Times - 8 May 2014
  • Investigators initially had little to work with in Harbor City crash aside from the crumpled vehicles
  • Mynor Varela has no criminal record, his attorney says
  • Bryan Varela, a parolee, was arrested on a so-called flash incarceration
• Student violinist injured in Northern California crash sues FedEx - L.A. Times - 7 May 2014
  • Violinist injured in Orland crash that killed 5 SoCal students sues, says he may never play again
  • FedEx, bus company involved in deadly Orland crash face second lawsuit tied to incident
  • 'My soul is crushed': Plaintiff in suit against FedEx, bus company in Orland crash that killed 10
• Fatal bus crash: NTSB officials confirm sequence of events - L.A. Times - 25 April 2014

• Mother of student who died in fatal bus crash sues for $100 million - L.A. Times - 23 April 2014

• Has GM pulled a Pinto? - L.A. Times - 14 April 2014

  Just as with the '70s-era Ford compact, it appears that GM identified a defect with its Cobalt model years ago but rejected a fix as too costly.

• U.S. Agencies Join Probe of Fatal California FedEx/Bus Crash - Insurance Journal - 14 April 2014

• Fatal bus crash: Student died saving others, school official says - L.A. Times - 14 April 2014

• NTSB: No evidence of fire before FedEx truck crashed into students' bus - CNN U.S. - 13 April 2014

• Did GM, like Toyota, hide its safety flaw from regulators, consumers? - McClatchyDC - 10 April 2014

• Are Safer Cars Worth the Money? - BloombergView - 8 April 2014

• PD Editorial: Fatal failures by GM and its watchdog - The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa) - 4 April 2014

• Scathing report says GM, regulators missed chance to correct faulty switch issue - CBS News - 31 March 2014

• GM Canceled Ignition-Switch Fix in 2005 Due to Costs - Bloomberg News - 30 March 2014

• Regulators twice declined to open GM ignition switch probes - L.A. Times - 30 March 2014

• General Motors recalls 824,000 vehicles over ignition switch - L.A. Times - 28 March 2014

  The recall involves 2008-11 Chevrolet Cobalts and HHRs, Pontiac G5s and Solstices as well as Saturn Ions and Skys. Also, GM tells dealers to stop selling certain Chevrolet Cruze cars.

• G.M. Expands Ignition Switch Recall to Later Models - New York Times - 28 March 2014

• Toyota case shows it's hard to prosecute execs - Sacramento Bee - 25 March 2014

• 'Fraud can kill,' judge tells Toyota - L.A. Times - 21 March 2014

  Carmaker gets a stern scolding as he OKs the $1.2-billion deal over pedal problems.

• Toyota payment could be glimpse into GM's future - Sacramento Bee - 20 March 2014

• Toyota admits deceiving consumers; $1.2-billion penalty is record - L.A. Times - 19 March 2014

  Carmaker says it misled consumers and regulators about two defects that caused sudden-acceleration incidents. 'Toyota put sales over safety, and profit over principle,' FBI says.

• Toyota to pay $1.2 billion fine for misleading consumers on sudden acceleration - Dallas Morning News - 19 March 2014

• Toyota Reaches $1 Billion Settlement Over Acceleration Issues - NBC News - 19 March 2014

• Canada-Wide Settlement Approved in Toyota Economic Loss Class Action - Sacramento Bee - 17 March 2014

• Life and death on the world's most dangerous roads – interactive - The Guardian - 14 March 2014

  More than 1.2 million people are killed on the roads every year and three-quarters of all road deaths are among young men. Where are the worst places for road deaths and injuries? What is being done to improve the highways for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers? Explore data from the WHO's latest report on road safety, and experience a ride on one of the world's most dangerous roads

• Teaching Cars To Feel Your Pain - IEEE Spectrum - 14 March 2014

• California's Dreamin' About Autonomous Car Regulations - IEEE Spectrum - 13 March 2014

• Apple pushes into the automobile technology - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 7 March 2014

• Opinion: The GM Recall Crisis - A Matter Of Confidence - Motor Trend - March 2014 issue

  GM’s Debacle Could Still Help Company In The Long Run

• Editorial: Looking at your cellphone while driving should be illegal too - L.A. Times - 28 February 2014

• Distracted driving simulator highlights dangers - GreenvilleOneline.com (Greenville, SC) - 28 February 2014

  Reporter tries out texting-while-driving simulation, fails miserably

• Court says reading smartphone map while driving is not a crime - L.A. Times - 28 February 2014

• California court greenlights smartphone use for maps while driving - Left Lane News - 28 February 2014

• The Relaxing Rinspeed XchangE Concept Shows The Upside Of Autonomous Driving - Forbes - 28 February 2014

  (See YouTube video from 18 February 2014 below)

• Car Food the Volvo Way - IEEE Spectrum - 27 February 2014

• Mishandling Of Ignition Recall Risks GM's 'New' Reputation - Forbes - 27 February 2014

• NHTSA is investigating delay of General Motors recall - L.A. Times - 27 February 2014

  Safety experts also fault NHTSA for not taking action earlier, when it found out about faulty ignition switches in GM vehicles.

• Police: Man crashed into truck under influence of marijuana, found with over 300 bags of drugs - The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ) - 26 February 2014

• Can car-happy L.A. learn to share the road? - L.A. Times - 24 February 2014

  Re-imagining the city's streets to accommodate bikes and cars: It's the law, but how will it work?

• Colorado troopers get training on spotting drivers under influence of pot - Denver Post - 24 February 2014

  (Video on training video with article)

• No Easy Answers For DUI Concerns As Marijuana Gains Support - National Public Radio - 23 February 2014

  (Radio broadcast available at this link)

• Fit for the road: Older drivers' crash rates continue to drop - Status Report (IIHS) - 20 February 2014

• Minicars fall short for small overlap frontal protection - Status Report (IIHS) - 20 February 2014

• Rinspeed XchangE concept video presentation - YouTube - 18 February 2014

  Swiss company Rinspeed's Tesla Model S conversion shows possible future of autonomous driving

• Driving Under the Influence, of Marijuana - New York Times - 17 February 2014

• 2 CHP officers killed in Highway 99 crash near Kingsburg - The Fresno Bee - 17 February 2014

• Connected vehicles: why they are (really) for tomorrow - Le Nouvel Observateur (Paris) - 14 February 2014

  The government launches experiments for "intelligent" automobiles in France, the first step toward driverless vehicles

• V2V: What are vehicle-to-vehicle communications and how do they work? - Extreme Tech - 6 February 2014

• Safety restraints help reduce child traffic deaths in last decade - Examiner.com - 6 February 2014

• Why NHTSA's car-to-car communications plan is game-changer for safety - L.A. Times - 5 February 2014

• Driving Under The Influence Of Marijuana: Fatal Pot-Related Car Crashes Triple Over 10 Year - Medical Daily - 5 February 2014

• Is Driving While High Dangerous? Fatal Car Accidents Involving Marijuana Triple Over 10 Years - International Business Times - 4 February 2014

• Auto safety regulators move toward vehicle-to-vehicle communication - L.A. Times - 3 February 2014

  Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says such systems are 'just the beginning of a revolution in roadway safety.' But they could take many years to show up in cars

• U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Decision to Move Forward with Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication Technology for Light Vehicles - NHTSA - 3 February 2014

• Tata Nano safety under scrutiny after dire crash test results - The Guardian - 30 January 2014

  India's low-cost answer to the VW Beetle fails live up to 'frugal engineering' hype after receiving no stars for adult protection

• Chevy Spark only subcompact car to pass insurance group crash test - L.A. Times - 21 January 2014

• Ticket for wearing Google Glass tossed out of court - San Jose Mercury News - 17 January 2014

• Marijuana and DUI: What Californians Need to Know - Smell The Truth - 14 January 2014

• Talking on cell phone not as dangerous as dialing or texting while driving: study - New York Daily News - 2 January 2014

  A new real-world study confirms that dialing, texting, or even reaching for a cell phone while behind the wheel raises the risk of crashing, especially for younger drivers. The study did not find that simply talking on the phone caused the same risks that other studies have found.

• Most new cars fail to earn insurance industry's top safety ratings - L.A. Times - 19 December 2013

• A study by the INSEE minimizes the role of radar - Le Monde (Paris) - 3 December 2013

• Highway safety: no lowering of speed limits for several months - Le Monde (Paris) - 29 November 2013

• Auto safety initiative seeks to reduce driver errors - L.A. Times - 29 November 2013

  Regulators are pushing for systems that thwart drunk drivers from starting their cars, help cars avoid collisions and prevent vehicles from starting if occupants don't buckle up.

• Reserved lanes: automobilists take it out on the drivers of the RTC - Le Soleil (Quebec) - 27 November 2013

• A passenger can also be a criminal - Le Matin Dimanche (Lausanne, Switzerland) - 24 November 2013

  They weren't at the wheel of the cars implicated in the drama of Charmilles (Geneva), but they are charged with murder. It's a first.

• Erroneous gun reports cause chaos at LAX - USA Today - 23 November 2013

  A vehicle crash and reports of a man with a gun cause panic at the L.A. airport Friday night.

• Haptic help reduces the risk of accidents when surfing while driving - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 22 November 2013

  AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS: Multi-media and communications technology leads to ever more distraction in the automobile. A new kind of touchpad should reduce the source of disturbances for the driver.

• L.A. and rain: CHP says freeway crashes jumped 81% Thursday - L.A. Times - 22 November 2013

  (See article 10 October 2013 also)

• Safety is crucial for the success of electric cars - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 21 November 2013

• La Jolla Teen Accident Raises Questions about Licenses - San Diego 7 - 21 November 2013

  The family of the teenage driver is being sued for reckless driving
  (See article from 31 October)

• UPDATED: RAIN CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASE IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS - San Diego 6 - 21 November 2013

• New development center: Daimler sets itself up in Silicon Valley - Automobilwoche (Germany) - 20 November 2013

  Daimler has set up a new R and D center for Infotainment and driver-assistance systems in Silicon Valley. The course is set for growth.

• NHTSA Announces Final Rule Requiring Seat Belts on Motorcoaches - NHTSA - 20 November 2013

• L.A. Auto Show: Distracted driving stalls app integration into cars - L.A. Times - 20 November 2013

• Caught On Camera: Car Flips A Dozen Times At Nearly 200 MPH - CBS News (TV, Los Angeles) - 20 November 2013

• Tesla, does it burn? - Liberation (Paris) - 19 November 2013

• London Cyclist Fatalities Bring Calls for Truck Limits - New York Times - 19 November 2013

• Inside IIHS: Preparing for a crash test - IIHS - 18 November 2013

  New 'Inside IIHS' video shows how vehicles are prepped for crash tests

• GM recalls 59,336 Chevrolet Mailbus over fire risk, HVAC problem - Left Lane News - 15 November 2013

• 17 November is the world day of remembrance for the victims of traffic accidents - Association Prévention Routière - 15 November 2013

• U.S. highway fatalities increased in 2012 - Left Lane News - 14 November 2013

• Toyota expresses concern over WiFi expansion - Left Lane News - 14 November 2013

• Toyota to introduce the Driver Attention Research Vehicle in Los Angeles - World Car Fans - 13 November 2013

• Self-steering vehicles are getting closer: everything on autopilot - Automobilwoche (Germany) - 12 November 2013

  For years the auto-makers have outfitted their cars with driver-assistance systems. Thus the driver has had more and more driving tasks taken away. In the future he could be completely superfluous.

• Third Tesla Model S electric car catches fire - Aljazeera America - 9 November 2013

  The blaze is the third in six weeks involving autos made by Elon Musk's Tesla, prompting concern, investigation

• Is It O.K. to Kill Cyclists? - New York Times - 9 November 2013

• California: Traffic fine for Google Glass - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 8 November 2013

• Tesla Model S Fires Might Be a Big Deal—But Not For the Reasons Some Are Saying - Car & Driver - 8 November 2013

• Teen driver in overloaded SUV 'drifting' - U.T. San Diego - 31 October 2013

  Thirteen La Jolla High teens injured when the Ford Expedition crashed

• Euro NCAP Testing Crash Avoidance Systems - on the Road with AEB - Euro NCAP - 29 October 2013

  Testing automatic electronic braking systems

• UC Study on accidents: Riding a bike in SF more dangerous than we thought - District 5 Diary - 25 October 2013

• Man on Bike Killed by Muni Bus Driver at Bryant and Division - sf.streetsblog.org - 18 October 2013

  (See VDI Nachrichten article from 26 October 2012 about technology that can prevent such an accident.)

• Deadly Calif. boardwalk crash was 'horrendous accident,' not 'intentional act,' defense lawyer says - NBC News - 15 October 2013

• Males downplay risk of texting and driving, study says - L.A. Times - 11 October 2013

• Car Crashes Soar in Los Angeles During First Rain | TIME.com - L.A. Times - 10 October 2013

  The California High Patrol reported 404 accidents within the 24-hour period ending early Thursday morning

• SF Police Face New Scrutiny Of How Bicycle Crashes Are Investigated - CBS San Francisco - 3 October 2013

• Euro NCAP | Whiplash Protection - Euro NCAP - 24 September 2013

• Cars' safety systems are getting a whole lot smarter - L.A. Times - 21 September 2013

  Automated safety systems are starting to have a real effect in protecting passengers and limiting accident damage, regulators and insurance industry experts say.

• Study: Cruise control reduces speeding--at a cost - Boston Herald - 18 September 2013

• Active pedestrian protection with a vehicle - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 6 September 2013

• Some riders using novelty helmets that do not meet US-DOT standards - NHTSA website - 2013 (no date given)

• Loss of steering in police cars triggers Ford Crown Victoria recall - L.A. Times - 3 September 2013

• Why Electric Cars Are Safer - DesignNews - 3 September 2013

• New Jersey court: Texting with a driver can get you in trouble, too - L.A. Times - 29 August 2013

• City's drivers, bikers both need to ease up - SFGate - 29 August 2013

• Toyota executive testifies in acceleration case: 'I am not very technical' - L.A. Times - 27 August 2013

  Toyota's top U.S. executive, James Lentz, testifying in a trial involving the death of driver Noriko Uno, says he knows little technically about its cars.

• Discord growing between bicyclists, police - SFGate - 25 August 2013

• Tesla's top safety rating comes with fine print - L.A. Times - 23 August 2013

  Tesla's electric Model S isn't the only car to get NHTSA's highest crash-test rating in all categories. Plus, most rival luxury models weren't even tested.

• Upstart Tesla wins top U.S. safety rating; what will competitors do? - L.A. Times - 21 August 2013

  Automaker says it's set a new record for the lowest likelihood of injury to occupants.

• Woman on Bike Killed by Truck Driver on Folsom: Charges Off the Table? - sf.streetblog.org - 14 August 2013

  (See VDI Nachrichten article from 26 October 2012 about technology that can prevent such an accident.)

• Stop texting and driving! (Here's a video that might help) - L.A. Times - 13 August 2013

• Slideshow: Ford's Self-Driving Test Vehicles - DesignNews - 9 August 2013

• Honda Civic tops small-car crash test, Kia Forte scores worst - L.A. Times - 8 August 2013

• Toyota trial opens in suit over fatal crash - L.A. Times - 8 August 2013

  Toyota says that driver error caused the death of Noriko Uno, whose family argues that the carmaker failed to install a device that would have prevented unexpected acceleration.

• Texting while walking -- it's a killer - L.A. Times - 6 August 2013

  Cities can apply for grants to fight the rise in 'distracted walking' and pedestrian deaths

• Sacramento may try to tame its taxis' Wild West ways - Sacramento Bee - 2 August 2013

• Ford pays $17.35 million fine to settle gov't recall spat - Fox News - 1 August 2013

• How Vehicle Age and Model Year Relate to Driver Injury Severity in Fatal Crashes - NHTSA - August 2013

• EDITORIAL: What your car knows about you - L.A. Times - 31 July 2013

  Black boxes aren't just for airplanes anymore.

• Dan Walters: Red-light cameras under siege in California - Sacramento Bee - 30 July 2013

• Italy bus crash leaves at least 37 dead, 11 injured - L.A. Times - 28 July 2013

• Toyota puts spate of lawsuits in rearview mirror but faces many more - L.A. Times - 23 July 2013

  Toyota has spent more than $1 billion to settle lawsuits over sudden acceleration but still faces hundreds more, including a bellwether case that's up next.

• Toyota Settlement of Acceleration Cases Wins Approval - Bloomberg - 19 July 2013

• Networked cars save 11 billion euros - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 28 June 2013

  One Of the biggest networking projects of the automobile industry was completed successfully last week. The fleet trial "simTD" showed that billions of euros worth of economic damage in auto traffic could be prevented. And the project confirms that the technology for vehicular communication is mature for production cars.

• Data exchange makes driving much safer - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 28 June 2013

  The idea of networked cars has been around for a long time. With a large fleet trial the automobile industry has been able to prove that Car-To-X technology is ready for production cars.

• Why is hands-free texting dangerous? - The Economist - 24 June 2013

• AAA: Hands-free calling is still distracted driving - Tampa Tribune - 20 June 2013

• Payouts will vary to Toyota owners from settlement - USA Today - 14 June 2013

  Could be as little as $37.50 for many, thousands of dollars for others

• Carmakers quibble over the obvious: Hands-free is not risk-free - L.A. Times - 14 June 2013

  Doing other stuff while we're driving is dangerous, a study finds. Yet carmakers say more research is needed.

• Propane Tanker Crash Closes SB I-5 at Scales - NBC 7 San Diego - 14 June 2013

• At least 3 die, including 2 children, in Pico Rivera car crash - L.A. Times - 13 June 2013

• Brain Can’t Text While Driving Even Hands Free, AAA Reports - The Washington Post - 12 June 2013

• AAA study on cell phones in cars: "Hands-free is not risk-free" - L.A. Times - 12 June 2013

• An emergency-call system for cars starting in 2015 - Le Parisien - 13 June 2013

• Joe Heller cartoon on distracted driving and the NSA - Green Bay Press-Gazette - 6 June 2013

• [VIDEO] Lamborghini Murcielago SV crashed and burned in Singapore - INAUTONEWS - 28 May 2013

• NHTSA probing 400,000 Ford F-150s over acceleration issue - Left Lane - 27 May 2013

• Minority of One blog: Red light cameras: My experience - Chicago Tribune - 27 May 2013

• Michigan bill would let state install red-light cameras - Detroit Free Press - 24 May 2013

• KC is set to renew red-light cameras for five years - The Kansas City Star - 22 May 2013

• Debate over red light cameras re-ignited after fatal crash in El Cajon - ABC 10 News, El Cajon, California - 15 May 2013

  Police say car that hit victim's car ran red light

• San Diego Eliminates Red Light Cameras - NBC 5 Chicago - 14 May 2013

• Thanks to the Internet, young Americans drive less - Le Monde (Paris) - 14 May 2013

• Cars made in Brazil are deadly - Yahoo!Autos - 12 May 2013

  Global automakers' deadly cars drive up Brazil's traffic fatalities

• More Teens Killed Texting While Driving Than Drinking - Newsmax - 10 May 2013

• Study: Texting while driving now leading cause of death for teen drivers - Newsday - 8 May 2013

• Airbag recall hits 45,000 BMWs (+video) - Christian Science Monitor - 7 May 2013

  Airbag recall: The BMW 3 Series – 2002 and 2003 model years – is the target of the airbag recall. These cars are part of 3.4 million vehicles being recalled worldwide by six different automakers, including Toyota, Honda and General Motors.

• 2 dead, 5 hurt after van crashes on Highway 99 - San Diego Union-Tribune - 4 May 2013

• Classmates stunned after boy on bike, 13, is killed by school bus - L.A. Times - 4 May 2013

• New Toyota FJ Cruiser recall due to headlights that may blind drivers - L.A. Times - 3 May 2013

• Driver in fiery 9-car crash was going wrong way, LAPD says - L.A. Times - 30 April 2013

• Bill Ford: The future of self-driving cars is closer than you think - L.A. Times - 30 April 2013

• Nissan recalls Altima sedans because spare tires could blow out - L.A. Times - 30 April 2013

• New video released in Beverly Hills 'road rage' attack - L.A. Times - 26 April 2013

• Driver ticketed for using iPhone's map app isn't giving up yet - L.A. Times - 25 April 2013

  Steven Spriggs, who maintains that he was driving safely at the time, isn't taking 'convicted' for an answer. Urged on by supporters, he has filed another appeal.

• Motorcycle deaths spike in 2012 - L.A. Times - 25 April 2013

• D.C. residents agree red light cameras, speed cameras make streets safer in nation's capital, IIHS survey reveals - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - 25 April 2013

• Beware, Siri: Even voice texting is dangerous while driving - L.A. Times - 23 April 2013

• Bicyclist struck by BMW in Beverly Hills road-rage incident - L.A. Times - 23 April 2013

  Beverly Hills police seek help in finding man who 'rammed' his car into a bicyclist

• Bus that crashed near Yosemite was based in Bay Area - L.A. Times - 14 April 2013

• Bus crash kills five in Belgium - Euronews - 14 April 2013

• Shell Beach motorcyclist killed in Los Olivos crash - Lompoc Record - 13 April 2013

• Faulty air bags can spray shrapnel; carmakers issue recalls - L.A. Times - 12 April 2013

  In a crash, the air bags could shoot shrapnel around the cabins of vehicles made by Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda and GM from 2000 to 2004.

• Santa Barbara Woman Dies in Highway 101 Crash - Noozhawk - 12 April 2013

• "Automated driving is rather an evolution" - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 12 April 2013

  AUTOMOBILE ELECTRONICS: Electronics steer, the driver checks emails or takes a nap-is this how safe driving looks? The automobile industry doesn't discuss any more whether the answer to this is yes but rather when this will occur and under what conditions. The component manufacturer Continental ranks as one of the advocates of automatic driving. Corporate officer Ralf Cramer is convinced: "By 2025 we see fully automated driving as feasible."

• Irving Bus Crash: Overturned Vehicle In Texas Shuts Down Stretch Of State Highway 161 - Huffington Post - Crime - 11 April 2013

• ‘Texting While Flying’ Linked to Fatal Helicopter Crash - Time - 10 April 2013

• India: Bus Crash Kills At Least 37 And Injures 15 - Huffington Post - World - 10 April 2013

• Paso’s Jay Hall dies after motorcycle crash - Cal Coast News - 5 April 2013

• Official: At least 36 killed in bus crash that saw tanker explode in southwest Nigeria - The Washington Post - 5 April 2013

• Toyota to Pay $16 Million in DA's Deceptive Business Practices Suit - Los Alimitos-Seal Beach Patch - 5 April 2013

  Toyota settles in a lawsuit alleging the company concealed the sale of defective vehicles prone to sudden acceleration filed by the Orange County District Attorney. A chunk of the money will go toward local programs.

• Laws against driving and cellphone use aren't working, study finds - L.A. Times - 5 April 2013

  A Transportation Dept. survey finds that despite legal bans in 39 states, 660,000 drivers nationwide are preoccupied with their cellphones at any time.

• Teen charged in crash that killed 5 was wanted by police at time - L.A. Times - 4 April 2013

• Crash safety rating system proposed for rising tsunami of older drivers - L.A. Times - 4 April 2013

• Hyundai, Kia recall 1.9 million cars - news-press.com - 3 April 2013

• Big Hyundai recall a sign of what can happen when parts are shared - L.A. Times - 3 April 2013

• Wal-Mart melee: Suspect's prior meth-fueled crash through San Jose gas station preceded latest violence - The San Jose Mercury News - 2 April 2013

• Victims of fatal Grover Beach crash are identified - The San Luis Obispo Tribune - 2 April 2013

• Opponents Decry Red-Light Camera "Devil's Bill" - 4 NBC, Southern California - 1 April 2013

• Ford Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over Unintended Acceleration - cars.com - 1 April 2013

• Three killed in head-on crash in Sylmar - L.A. Times - 31 March 2013

  An Assembly proposal, called the “Devil’s Bill” by opponents, would make the process of settling a red light camera ticket a civil process rather than criminal

• Three dead in 95-car pileup near Virginia, North Carolina state line - NBC News - 31 March 2013

• Seven injured after sheriff's patrol car crashes into van - L.A. Times - 31 March 2013

• Identity reported for young man ejected from Jeep on Hwy. 101, killed by passing cars - The San Luis Obispo Tribune - 30 March 2013

• SUV hits van in Nevada, killing 5 members of L.A.-area family - L.A. Times - 30 March 2013

• LAPD won't pursue red-light camera tickets in court - L.A. Times - 29 March 2013

  The city's decision to end the contract with the firm that operated the cameras means data needed for officers to testify won't be available. So many of the cases involving a trial could be dismissed.

• Two killed on Interstate 80 in Davis when man loses control of semi - The Vacaville Reporter - 29 March 2013

• Lawsuit alleges unintended acceleration in Ford cars, vans, SUVs - L.A. Times - 29 March 2013

• Los Angeles ends its use of red-light cameras - dailybreeze.com - 27 March 2013

• Fully automatic through a traffic jam - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 22 March 2013

  Automobile: Bosch wants within the next year to introduce a traffic-jam assistance system into production cars. The system takes over starting, stopping, and steering in a traffic jam on the autobahn. Relief for the driver and at the same time a taste of the future on the road.

• South Bend plane crash: 'I saw glass, insulation flying, smoke' - Chicago Tribune - 18 March 2013

• Friday night car crash in Los Osos sends infant to hospital - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 17 March 2013

• On L.A.'s crowded streets, it's a smoother kind of slow - L.A. Times - 14 March 2013

  The city's high-tech tools help keep cars moving. Studies show travel times have dropped. Tell that to drivers.

• Santa Margarita man killed in motorcycle accident identified - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 11 March 2013

• Truck crashes into downtown building, killing 1, injuring others - L.A. Times - 11 March 2013

• Driver, 21, suspected of DUI in crash that killed her passenger - L.A. Times - 10 March 2013

• Car rams 2 men outside strip club, severing their legs, police say - L.A. Times - 10 March 2013

• San Francisco cyclist to face felony charges in pedestrian death - Bicycle Retailer - 8 March 2013

• San Francisco cyclist Chris Bucchere accused of felony manslaughter was bike safety instructor - San Francisco Examiner - 7 March 2013

• Hayward To Get Rid Of Red Light Cameras - CBS 5, San Francisco Bay Area - 6 March 2013

• Crash opens window into cross-border bus safety - L.A. Times - 5 March 2013

  The deadly Scapadas Magicas bus crash outside Big Bear is exposing what critics say are business practices that allow Mexico-based tour lines to skirt U.S. laws.

• Many red light camera tickets don't hold up in court - ABC 7, San Francisco - 4 March 2013

• Roadshow: Three Bay Area cities may end use of red-light cameras - Silicon Valley Mercury News - 3 March 2013

• NASCAR to look at placement of gates along fencing after Daytona crash injured fans - 2 March 2013

• Las Vegas shooting, crash suspect nabbed week later in L.A. - CNN Justice - 28 February 2013

• Deaths surge among youngest drivers - USA Today - 26 February 2013

• Motorcycle lane splitting is legal, but even some bikers get nervous about it - San Jose Mercury News - 25 February 2013

• Arroyo Grande woman arrested after flipping Bentley in SLO - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 22 February 2013

• Hero 4-year-old pulls little sister from wreckage after car crash kills their mother - U.S. News on NBCNews.com - 21 February 2013

• Rolling gun battle on Las Vegas Strip leaves 3 dead, 3 injured - L.A. Times - 21 February 2013

• Lawmakers look to further restrict teen drivers' use of mobile devices - L.A. Times - 18 February 2013

• 17-year-old Encino girl dies in crash off Highway 1 at Cuesta College - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 18 February 2013

• Lompoc man killed in motorcycle accident north of Arroyo Grande - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 17 February 2013

• CHP clarifies rules for motorcycles splitting lanes - Fresno Bee - 16 February 2013

  (See helmet-cam photo of lane splitting in Fresno)

• Toyota settles with 29 states, American Samoa over recall issues - L.A. Times - 14 February 2013

• Letter to editor: If safety is the goal, focus on lane-splitting is misguided - Sacramento Bee - 14 February 2013

• Red light camera vendor investigated for corruption - ABC 7, San Francisco - 13 February 2013

• Man killed in motorcycle crash near Paso Robles is identified - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 13 February 2013

• Woman hit by school bus while jogging in San Miguel - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 13 February 2013

• Letter to editor: Ohman missed the point about lane-splitting - Sacramento Bee - 13 February 2013

• Jack Ohman: California motorcycle law evolution - Sacramento Bee - 13 February 2013

• Lane splitting can be safe - Sacramento Bee - 13 February 2013

• Foon Rhee: Can't we all share the highway safely? - Sacramento Bee - 12 February 2013

• In Anaheim, three traffic deaths leave a sense of shock - L.A. Times - 12 February 2013

  Three women are killed by a suspected drunk driver while walking home from a baby shower.

• CHP posts rules for motorcycle lane-splitting - Sacramento Bee - 11 February 2013

• Man charged over Zambian bus crash that killed 5 - USA Today - 9 February 2013

• Should Motorcycle Lane-Splitting Be Allowed? - Mill Vally Patch - 9 February 2013

  This week, the CHP posted rules for the practice that is legal in California.

• Older motorcyclists suffer greater injury in crashes, study says - L.A. Times - 7 February 2013

• 22 Killed In Collision In UAE; Migrant Workers Dead After Bus Accident - Huffington Post: World - 4 February 2013

• U.S. 23 reopens after multicar crash shuts down highway - wnem.com - 30 January 2013

• Drugs, alcohol didn't play role in crash that killed SLO teen, CHP says - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 31 January 2013

• Friends remember Alex Maier, the SLO teen who died after car crash this week - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 31 January 2013

• Toyota recalls 1 million cars in the U.S. - CNNMoney - 30 January 2013

  Fresh from reclaiming its crown as the world's largest automaker, Toyota has been hit by another major recall.

• SLO teen in critical condition after Hwy. 101 crash Monday night - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 29 January 2013

• Revved up about motorcycles zooming between cars - L.A. Times - 28 January 2013

  Defending motorcyclists who navigate the space between cars hits a nerve among motorists eager for a reasoned conversation on improving life on L.A.'s freeways.
  (See article from 19 January and letters from 25 January)

• Letters: Divided on lane splitters - L.A. Times - 25 January 2013

  (See article from 19 January)

• On two wheels, it's all open road - L.A. Times - 19 January 2013

  For the motorcyclist zipping between gridlocked cars on the freeway, traffic is always light. And besides, one says, he's performing a public service.
  (See letters 25 January and another article by Doug Smith 28 January)

• Three killed, six others injured in head-on collision in Redlands - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin - 18 January 2013

• Honda Recalls 748,000 Pilot SUVs, Odyssey Minivans For Airbag Defect - The Car Connection - 24 January 2013

• - L.A. Times - 2013

• On two wheels, it's all open road - L.A. Times - 19 January 2013

  For the motorcyclist zipping between gridlocked cars on the freeway, traffic is always light. And besides, one says, he's performing a public service.

• Three killed in Redlands head-on collision - L.A. Times - 17 January 2013

• DMV report adds to license debate - L.A. Times - 16 January 2013

  Findings suggest that allowing illegal immigrants to become certified drivers could reduce fatal accidents.

• Twin sisters brawling in the middle of the street are killed by hit and run driver - Mail Online - 14 January 2013
  • Tanisha and Tamaya Davis, both 31, were killed in Los Angeles
  • It is believed they were hit when their fight spilled out on to the road
  • Police are now hunting the driver
• Suspected drunk driver arrested in fatal crash off 5 Freeway - L.A. Times - 13 January 2013

• Drivers With Hands Full Get a Backup: The Car - New York Times - 12 January 2013

• CES 2013: Carmakers strive for hands-free apps - Newsday - 11 January 2013

• How driverless cars will improve the future of driving - SmartPlanet - 11 January 2013

• Drunken horse rider pleads no contest - UPI.com - 9 January 2013

• Santa Fe Springs freight train-car collision kills woman - L.A. Times - 8 January 2013

• San Francisco Most Dangerous Intersection Will Receive Red Light Camera - Huffington Post: San Francisco - 8 January 2013

• Three killed when plane crashes into house - Orlando Sentinel - 5 January 2013

• Steering column issues force GM to recall nearly 70k trucks, SUVs, and vans - Slash Gear - 4 January 2013

• Drivers irate over new rules - Global Times (China) - 4 January 2013

• Central Coast Driver Killed in Fiery Crash in Ventura County - Central Coast News - 4 January 2013

• South Africa dangerous roads claim life of Olympic mountain biker - L.A. Times - 4 January 2013

  Cyclists mourn Burry Stander and call for greater safety awareness in a country with a high rate of traffic deaths.

• Paparazzo killed by oncoming traffic after photographing Justin Bieber's Ferrari - L.A. Times - 2 January 2013

• Ruling over bumper-car injury supports amusement park - L.A. Times - 1 January 2013

  The California Supreme Court says riders can't sue over injuries stemming from the inherent nature of the attraction. 'Those who voluntarily join in these activities also voluntarily take on their minor inherent risks,' the court says.

• 9 killed in tour bus crash along Oregon highway - Yahoo! News - 31 December 2012

• Hit-and-run crash on Hwy. 101 injures SLO police sergeant - The San Luis Obispo Tribune - 31 December 2012

• Toyota 'sudden acceleration' settlement gets preliminary approval - L.A. Times - 29 December 2012

  The $1-billion-plus deal would resolve suits from motorists who said their Toyota vehicles' value fell after recalls stemming from 'sudden acceleration' claims.

• Phoenix-area family killed in plane crash in San Diego County - L.A. Times - 29 December 2012

• 2 drivers hurt, 3 horses killed on I-280 - San Francisco Chronicle - 29 December 2012

• Two charged with murder in Christmas Day crash in Pasadena - L.A. Times - 28 December 2012

• Woman, girl killed when car crashes into Riverside bus bench - L.A. Times - 28 December 2012

• Metrolink train hits, kills man near Northridge station - L.A. Times - 28 December 2012

• Two women tragically killed 'trying to rescue their dog on highway' - The Daily Mail (England) - 28 December 2012

  Sara Ornelas, 54, and Barbara Romero, 49, were on their way to a casino resort from Santa Barbara when their dog darted out the vehicle and into traffic, where it was struck by a passing vehicle

  One of the women allegedly went to retrieve the dog and was struck by another vehicle

  The second woman allegedly ran into the same westbound traffic lane to save the other woman and was also struck by a vehicle

  Both women were pronounced dead at the scene, and the dog was also killed

• Toyota Settling Lost-Resale-Value Lawsuits: Why It’s Insane and Why Everybody Loses (Except the Lawyers) - Car and Driver - 28 December 2012

  (See 12 October 2012 article also.)

• Canadian drivers buoyed by Toyota bid to settle U.S. lawsuit - Calgary Herald - 28 December 2012

• Trucker to appeal manslaughter conviction in '09 accident - L.A. Times - 27 December 2012

  Marcos Costa was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison after his truck barreled down the Angeles Crest Highway, struck a car and killed two people.

• Toyota settlement in sudden-acceleration case will top $1 billion - L.A. Times - 26 December 2012

• Woman Found Dead In Car That Went Off Lake Road - Paso Robles Daily News - 22 December 2012

• Too much partying? Young drivers more likely to fall asleep at wheel - L.A. Times - 21 December 2012

• Toyota's Camry, Prius v beaten up in crash test [slow-mo video] - L.A. Times - 20 December 2012

• Shattering sunroofs prompt Hyundai to recall sport Veloster - L.A. Times - 19 December 2012

• Safety regulators fine Toyota for delaying SUV recall - L.A. Times - 19 December 2012

  Toyota will pay $17.35 million for a recall delay of Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h SUVs because a floor mat could jam the gas pedal, causing unintended acceleration.

• Cell phone at your ear: higher fines for mobile telephoning while driving - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 18 November 2012

• UPDATE: A 'mile' of car crashes: Up to 60 vehicles crash on icy I-5 - redding.com - 18 December 2012

• Feds fine Toyota $17 million more for unintended-acceleration issue - L.A. Times - 18 December 2012

• NHTSA upgrades Ford floor mat unintended acceleration probe - AutoBlog - 17 December 2012

• U.S. expands probe of Ford floor mats - L.A. Times - 15 December 2012

  Regulators upgrade an inquiry into complaints that loose floor mats in some vehicles may jam accelerator pedals.

• Honda recalls more than 800,000 vans and SUVs for faulty ignition - L.A. Times - 12 December 2012

• Preventing a tragedy for seniors at the wheel - L.A. Times - 12 December 2012

  Sometimes the best judge of whether someone's still capable of driving safely is the passenger.

• Driverless cars are on the road in the U.S. with permission - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 12 December 2012

• NTSB: Require ignition locks for all drunk drivers - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 11 December 2012

• Pitchess Commander Critical but Stable After Crash - SCV News - 11 December 2012

• Ford says it has fix for Escape, Fusion models with fire problem - L.A. Times - 10 December 2012

• Bike, large truck deaths soar, bucking trend - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 10 December 2012

• Tow-truck driver killed helping stranded SUV on train tracks - NBC News - 10 December 2012

• Pedestrian killed after being struck by two cars in Palmdale - L.A. Times - 9 December 2012

• Tow Truck Driver Killed in DUI Crash on 405 Freeway - KTLA - Los Angeles - 9 December 2012

• Safety Agency Proposing Mandatory Event Data Recorders - New York Times - 7 December 2012

• New Ford Fusion model recalled for second time in two weeks - L.A. Times - 7 December 2012

• BMW recalls X5 SUVs for steering problem - USA Today - 6 December 2012

• Recall a big blow to Escape, Fusion - USA Today - 4 December 2012

  Ford hasn't yet pinpointed the problem that led to 13 engine fires.

• Accidents waiting to happen - Global Times (China) - 4 December 2012

• NTSB Prelim: R44 Turned 180 Before Collision - Aero News Network - 3 December 2012

  Helicopter Collides With Fuel Pumps, Crash/Fire Kills Pilot

• With driverless cars, Volvo seeks injury-free cars by 2020 - SmartPlanet - 3 December 2012

• CHP officers fatally shoot driver after high-speed chase in El Cajon - L.A. Times - 2 December 2012

• Push to Prosecute Drowsy Driving May Hinge on Its Definition - New York Times - 30 November 2012

• Woman identified in fatal accident on Highway 1 near Oceano - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 30 November 2012

• Traffic report: Computerized brakes saved thousands of lives - L.A. Times - 30 November 2012

• Addiction counselor charged with murder in DUI - USA Today - 25 November 2012

• Bell teenager killed in 605 freeway accident - The Lead Type - 25 November 2012

• Red states have higher traffic death rates than blue states - L.A. Times - 21 November 2012

• VW recalling some 2012-13 Beetles over airbag fault - Left Lane - 21 November 2012

• Red Light Cameras Bring In More Than $1 Million - Central Coast News - 20 November 2012

• Santa Maria Police Getting $115,000.00 to Prevent Deaths on the Roads - Santa Maria News - 20 November 2012

• Friends remember hit-and-run victim as 'a beautiful young man' - San Luis Obispo Tribune - 20 November 2012

• More Californians driving high than drunk on weekends, study says - L.A. Times - 19 November 2012

• Link to aforementioned study by California Office of Traffic Safety - 19 November 2012

• Lawyers question railroad warning system in parade tragedy - Odessa American - 19 November 2012

• Police Hunt For Hit-And-Run Driver Who Killed Disabled Teen - CBS 2 Los Angeles - 18 November 2012

• Please switch to autopilot! - VDI Nachrichten - 16 November 2012

• German police stop man with mobile office in car - Associated Press - 16 November 2012

• UPDATED: Rain Blamed For Triple Fatal Accident - Gazette Newspapers - 18 November 2012

• Toyota recalls U.S. Priuses in 2.77M global recall - USA Today - 15 November 2012

• NTSB urges safety technologies be made standard - Associated Press - 15 November 2012

• Toyota recalls Prius and Corolla models - L.A. Times - 15 November 2012

  One recall involves the steering system and the other the electric water pump. Separately, Toyota agrees to pay $25.5 million to settle a shareholder lawsuit related to sudden acceleration problems.

• Toyota tests cars that communicate with each other - Minneapolis Star Tribune - 12 November 2012

• The human average as customer - VDI Nachrichten (Germany) - 12 November 2012

  Mechatronics: Mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, computer scientists-they are all a little bit mechatronics engineers. Above all though specialists for mechatronic systems. Erik Görres adapts distance-holding systems from big vehicles for small vehicles. Mechatronics engineers make automobile driving safer.

• Liberty and Cherokee SUVs recalled to fix air bag problem - L.A. Times - 9 November 2012

  Chrysler wants to fix a bug that can cause the vehicles' air bags to deploy unexpectedly.

• Can't stop texting and driving? These apps can help - L.A. Times - 8 November 2012

• Long Beach man arrested for fatal hit-and-run - Los Angeles News - 5 November 2012

• Woman, 80, Killed In Irwindale Hit-And-Run Accident - CBS 2 Los Angeles - 2 November 2012

• Long Beach 710 Freeway crash kills 1, injures 3 - Los Angeles News - 2 November 2012

• Carmen Elena Chavez, 19, Arrested In Alleged DUI Mercedes Crash That Killed 2 In DTLA - L.A. Weekly Blog - 30 October 2012

• Man deliberately run over by car, killed outside a party in Lynwood; suspect at large - Los Angeles News - 28 October 2012

• 19-year-old Glendale driver charged in good Samaritan electrocution deaths - Glendale News-Press - 26 October 2012

• Elderly Driver, 2 Others Injured After Car Crashes Into Target Store - CBS 2 Los Angeles - 26 October

• Truck turn assistant can save lives - VDI Nachrichten - 26 October 2012

  AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS: Over 50 bicyclists and pedestrians in Germany lose their lives each year in collisions with right-turning trucks. This is reason that auto and automotive manufacturers have for a long time worked on electronic assistants. The technology is there, but up to now, there is no such assistant in series vehicles. The buyers of big trucks are reluctant to accept the higher costs.

• Woman dies after being hit by tire - KERO Bakersfield - 24 October 2012

• Big Rig Pileup On Newhall Pass - ABC 7 - 23 October 2012

• Gov't to examine technology for automated cars - The Associated Press - 23 October 2012

• 1 Dead, 6 Seriously Injured in Arizona Bus Crash - Firehouse - 22 October 2012

  The driver suffered a medical episode and lost control of the tour bus on Highway 93.

• 60 Freeway partially reopens after fatal crash, closure - L.A. Times - 20 October 2012

• Feds probe complaints about Graco car seat buckles - Associated Press - 19 October 2012

• Chrysler's Jeep Patriot probed in U.S. after stalling complaints - Reuters - 19 October 2012

  U.S. safety officials said Friday they have begun a "preliminary evaluation" into complaints of stalling engines in 2011 and 2012 model year Jeep Patriots made by Chrysler Group LLC while the vehicles were running at high speeds.

• Dust Storm Shuts Down Interstate in Northern Okla. - ABC News - 19 October 2012

• Personality more important to road rage than traffic, experts and police say - dailybreeze.com - 15 October 2012

• Unintended Depreciation: Former and Current Owners Suing Toyota for Lost Resale Value - Car and Driver - 12 October 2012

  (See 28 December 2012 article also.)

• Pedestrians should in the future come out better in traffic accidents - VDI Nachrichten - 12 October 2012

  The safety of pedestrians is being taken ever more seriously by the automobile manufacturers. Diverse component manufacturers are working on solutions that will in the future better protect the weaker participants in traffic circulation. The leader in this is a manufacturer from Sweden— Volvo with its special external airbag.

• Dangers of biking in Los Angeles confirmed by Michigan study - dailybreeze.com - 14 October 2012

• The 10 worst cars sold in America - L.A. Times - 10 October 2012

  The 2001 Pontiac Aztek, the 1987 Yugo, the 1958 Edsel Corsair -- here's one list of the top 10 worst cars. What do you think?

• Dangerous rides? Top 5 cars for personal injuries - L.A. Times - 10 October 2012

  A new report looks at insurance claims to identify the top vehicles when it comes to personal injury claims. Here are the riskiest rides, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute.

• Counterfeit air bags could malfunction, explode, regulators warn - L.A. Times - 10 October 2012

• Toyota recall of 7.5 million autos may slow its rebound in U.S. - L.A. Times - 10 October 2012

  The recall of 2.5 million Toyotas nationally — and 5 million more globally — to fix a faulty window switch comes as the brand's U.S. sales have been surging.

• Hit-and-Run Motorist Hits, Kills Man - 4 NBC Southern California - 10 October 2012

  A 28-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl were hit while walking across a street in Muscoy on Tuesday night

• 13-year-old Boy Killed in Hit-and-Run; Driver Arrested - KTLA Los Angeles - 9 October 2012

• 2002-'06 Honda CR-V Recalled for Fire Risk - Edmunds Inside Line - 9 October 2012

• Mercedes, BMW recall sports cars; Chrysler recalls trucks - L.A. Times - 8 October 2012

• Lexus-carrying car transport hit by Metrolink train in Newhall - Los Angeles Daily News - 7 October 2012

• Motorcyclist killed on 110 Freeway south of downtown L.A. - L.A. Times - 7 October 2012

• Man Burned in Lamborghini Crash - NBC 7, San Diego - 7 October 2012

• City Tried to Bill Dead Man for Damage to Police Car That Struck and Killed Him - New York Times - 5 October 2012

• 2 trains struck by vehicles in separate Central Valley accidents - L.A. Times - 2 October 2012

  In the first accident, dozens are injured when an Amtrak train is struck by a big rig near Hanford, Calif. Later, a freight train on a different set of tracks is hit by another big rig.

• 572,000 Hondas are added to recall - L.A. Times - 2 October 2012

• SAFETY: L.A. walkers, cyclists face greater risks - L.A. Times - 2 October 2012

  They are killed in traffic accidents at a higher rate than U.S. average, a study says.

• Mother killed in Woodland Hills crash ID'd, orphaned daughters still hospitalized - Contra Costa Times - 1 October 2012

• Two Men Die in Separate Fatal Crashes Sunday - 4 NBC Southern California - 30 September 2012

  In one of the crashes, four cars were involved in a chain-reaction.

• Man killed in fiery crash on 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights - L.A. Times - 30 September 2012

• General Motors recalls 40,000 cars - Woodland Daily Democrat - 30 September 2012

• Self-driving cars are approaching fast — and safely - L.A. Times - 30 September 2012

  As Google has worked on a fully self-driving car, some automakers have already employed autonomous safety features that are reducing crashes.

• Bike rider killed by Metrolink train in Baldwin Park - BikingInLA - 29 September 2012

• Deadly plane crash over Mt. Everest - Yahoo! News - 28 September 2012

  A plane carrying trekkers to the Mount Everest region hit a bird and crashed just after takeoff Sept. 29 in Nepal's capital, killing the 19 Nepali, British and Chinese people on board, authorities said.

• Plane going to Everest region crashes, killing 19 - Yahoo! News - 28 September 2012

• Bosch exhibits truck cab of the future - VDI Nachrichten - 28 September 2012

• Driver-assistants climb into the truck cab - VDI Nachrichten - 28 September 2012

  Without them there is hardly an automobile on the street: The electronic passenger, who supports the driver in emergency situations and helps make driving more relaxed. Assistance systems in every imaginable form populate in droves the options lists. Ever more often manufacturers of semis and delivery vehicles entice buyers with electronic helpers-from emergency braking systems to emergency swerving systems. Up through yesterday manufacturers and component manufacturers exhibited at the largest worldwide trade show in Hannover what they have to offer for mobility, transport, and logistics at the IAA show for heavy vehicles in Hannover.

• Russia takes aim at DUI problem - L.A. Times - 27 September 2012

  Harsh penalties are proposed for drunk driving. Critics fear they may go too far.

• Largest rental car companies agree not to rent recalled vehicles - L.A. Times - 27 September 2012

• Woman hit and killed by Ventura school bus was avid walker, world traveler - Ventura County Star - 27 September 2012
• EDITORIAL: Texting and driving? Stop it. - Chicago Tribune - 26 September 2012

• SUV slams into van in Oklahoma, killing 7, including 6 headed to work at meatpacking plant - The Washington Post - 26 September 2012

• Woodland Hills SUV crash kills 2 adults, critically injures 2 children; speed a primary factor - KABC-TV Los Angeles - 26 September 2012

• State gives boost to self-driving cars - L.A. Times - 26 September 2012

  Legislation creates guidelines for the vehicles to be tested and operated.

• LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE Man dies after losing control of his motorcycle - L.A. Times - 24 September 2012

• Xuan Tran, 30, runs read light, dies at Tustin and Taft in Orange - findmyaccident.com - 22 September 2012

• AUTOS: Toyota car worst for injury claims - L.A. Times - 21 September 2012

  An insurance study of '09-II vehicles shows Yaris riders more likely to get hurt in crashes.

• RIVERSIDE: Bicyclist killed in disability van crash - The Press-Enterprise - 14 September 2012

• Physician dies after bike collides with semi-truck near SLO - SLO Tribune - 13 September 2012

  Damian Horstman — a triathlete and the father of two young children — was in line to become department chief of staff next year at Sierra Vista hospital

• Born to Be Wild, Aging Bikers Settle for Comfy - New York Times - 13 September 2012

• Son recalls rescue from sinking plane off North Coast - SLO Tribune - 11 September 2012

• GM disputes Volt-losses report - L.A. Times - 11 September 2012

  It calls a Reuters claim that the automaker loses $49,000 on each sale grossly wrong.

• AVIATION: Safety at Reno air races gets upgrade - L.A. Times - 11 September 2012

  Barriers are added and the course is moved farther from crowd after fatal 2011 crash.

• Train safety system is previewed - L.A. Times - 11 September 2012

  Metrolink shows off its progress on a pioneering crash prevention project.

• 100 mph reached in Studio City crash that killed 3, witnesses say - L.A. Times - 10 September 2012

  But with this growth come safety concerns

• A leader of al-Qaida N. African branch killed in car accident in Mali - Associated Press - 9 September 2012

• (German) bicycle industry gathers speed - VDI Nachrichten - 7 September 2012

  But with this growth come safety concerns

• Morocco crash bus overloaded – official - News 24 - 6 September 2012

• Suspect in Car Surfing Death Heads to Trial - Santa Barbara Independent - 4 September 2012

  Lanie Tyrone Richardson Charged with Murder

• Southbound 5 Freeway open in Gorman after 6-vehicle crash kills 2 - L.A. Times - 4 September 2012

• Letters to editor: More testing for older drivers - L.A. Times - 4 September 2012

• Editorial: Safety and older drivers - L.A. Times - 31 August 2012

  Additional scrutiny should be required on a regular basis once people reach a certain age.

• Man loses leg after going on joyride in stolen LAPD cruiser and slamming it into pole outside of Starbucks - Daily Mail (England) - 31 August 2012
  • Unnamed suspect stole cop car around 4am Thursday
  • Took it on joyride before he crashed into pole outside of Starbucks
  • Remains in critical condition and lost a leg in the accident

• Airbag recall reveals slow pace of Coda electric vehicle sales - L.A. Times - 28 August 2012

• 36 killed as methanol tanker, sleeper bus collide in China - The Manila Times - 27 August 2012

• Blue Line train strikes Metro bus near downtown L.A.; 32 injured - L.A. Times - 27 August 2012

• NTSB: Reno Air Races crash caused by cracked screws, 'untested modifications' - rgj.com - 27 August 2012

• Motorist killed in Santa Clarita crash on 5 Freeway - L.A. Times - 26 August 2012

• Lake Tahoe Plane Crash: Several Killed Aboard Aircraft - Huff Post San Francisco - 26 August 2012

• AUTOS: Tech-driven teens forego driver's seat - L.A. Times - 24 August 2012

• 5 Freeway closed in both directions; truck crashes through center divider - The Burbank Leader - 24 August 2012

• 2 women electrocuted trying to help at crash scene - L.A. Times - 24 August 2012

  Irma Zamora ran into the electrified water at the Valley Village site and was killed. Another woman died trying to help her. Officials call them heroes.

• 'Connected vehicles' get road safety test in Michigan - L.A. Times - 22 August 2012

  About 3,000 vehicles equipped to share information about their speed and location get a road safety test in Ann Arbor, Mich.

• Maryland Train Derailment: Investigators Looking Into Cause Of Fatal Accident In Ellicott City (PHOTOS) - Huff Post DC - 22 August 2012

• Bangladesh's road accidents take heavy toll on poor and on economy - New York Daily News - 22 August 2012

  Bangladesh has one of the highest accident rates in the world, with over 4,000 people dying on the country’s roads each year. The accidents cause a loss of about 2% of GDP in Bangladesh.

• Most Drunk Driving Deaths Caused By Drivers With Twice Legal BAC Limit - The Washington Post - 20 August 2012

• General Motors and Isuzu Recall 258,000 S.U.V.’s - New York Times - 19 August 2012

• 11 killed, 25 injured in Mexico bus crash - news.com.au - 18 August 2012

• Wrong-way driver crashes into bus on Hwy. 101 in Atascadero, CHP says - SLO Tribune - 18 August 2012

  Crash in Atascadero involved a Greyhound bus, Honda Accord

• Fresh wind for safer automobiles - VDI Nachrichten - 17 August 2012

  AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING: After more than three decades of airbags in production autos, manufacterers are working on new and better airbags. Airbags of the future will protect passengers in the rear seats and also pedestrians…or maybe even brake the entire automobile.

• Car crashes into bicyclist in San Luis Obispo, man's legs broken - Tribune - 15 August 2012

• Fisker Investigating Another Fire in Karma Electric Car - ABC News - 14 August 2012

• AUTOS: Many cars fail new crash test that focuses on front corner - L.A. Times - 14 August 2012

  Of the 11 luxury sedans examined, only 3 pass–not inspiring hope that others are better

• Fourth victim dies after dramatic crash on 134 Freeway - L.A. Times - 13 August 2012

• SUV crash kills one on 405 Freeway in Van Nuys - Daily News, Los Angeles - 12 August 2012

• Small plane crashes in West L.A.; pilot killed - L.A. Times - 11 August 2012

  The aircraft plunges into a residential neighborhood shortly after the pilot reported an emergency. No one on the ground is hurt.

• CHP motorcycle fatally hits Oakland pedestrian - KTVU - 11 August 2012

• TEMPLETON - Tribune - 8 August 2012

  Authorities have identified two San Luis Obispo County residents who died after their vehicles collided this weekend on Highway 46.

• Pedestrian deaths hasten safety push - USA Today - 7 August 2012

  NHTSA plans car design rules

• BLUE LINE SAFETY TO BE PROBED - L.A. Times - 7 August 2012

  Transit officials order a study as the light rail is on pace to have the most deaths since it opened in 1990.

• NORTH HOLLYWOOD: Man struck, killed by train - L.A. Times - 6 August 2012

• SUV plummets from SD mall parking garage - U-T San Diego - 5 August 2012

• Megabus Crashes Into Bridge: At Least 1 Dead, Dozens Injured After Double-Decker Bus Blows Tire - Huff Post Chicago - 2 August 2012

• Toyota RAV4 And Lexus HS 250h Recall Affects 778,000 Vehicles - Huffington Post Money - 1 August 2012

  Gas pedals in the RX 350 and $X 450 H are at risk of sticking federal regulator says.

• Fight on party bus blamed for fatal crash on Hwy 17 - KTVU.com - 28 July 2012

• San Fernando Valley Pedestrian Killed By Hit-and-Run Driver - LegalInfo360 - 30 July 2012

• Shots fired after fatal car crash - L.A. Times - 30 July 2012

• Mazda recalls Tribute SUV to fix throttle problem - 28 July 2012

• Michelin Recalls 840,000 Tires - CBS 7, Spartanburg, SC - 27 July 2012

• Ford recalls 421,000 U.S. Escape SUVs - L.A. Times - 27 July 2012

• Ford Escape Recall Affects 485,000 Small SUVs - Huff Post Money - 26 July 2012

• Motorcyclist killed in Highway 101 crash is identified - SLO Tribune - 23 July 2012

• Pickup truck carrying 23 people crashes in Texas; 14 are killed - L.A. Times - 23 July 2012

• Two construction workers killed in 405 Freeway crash - L.A. Times - 23 July 2012

  A collision sends an SUV into a group of workers, killing two and injuring a third man. Police arrest both drivers on suspicion of drunk driving.

• Motorist killed in Anaheim after car veers off 5 Freeway onramp - L.A. Times - 22 July 2012

• Cows In Big Rig Overturn Truck On CA Highway, 40 Cows Dead - Huff Post Los Angeles - 21 July 2012

• Cameras Act as 'Black Boxes' When Cars and Cyclists Collide - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - 20 July 2012

  The little devices warn by cyclists are providing evidence in road-sharing cases

• High-speed chase through Cayucos ends in arrest - SLO Tribune - 20 July 2012

• Ford recalls 2013 Escapes for fire risk - warns against driving them - CNN Money - 19 July 2012

• Letter to editor: A text to die for - L.A. Times - 18 July 2012

• Porsche recalls pricy Panamera Turbo sedan over fire risk - L.A. Times - 17 July 2012

• Man killed after being hit by train was from Paso Robles - SLO Tribune - 17 July 2012

• Driver pleads no contest to felony charges in Morro Bay crash that killed passenger - SLO Tribune - 17 July 2012

• Cambria mourns ATV crash victim - SLO Tribune - 17 July 2012

  CHP says alcohol was a factor in the crash; driver was listed in fair condition Monday evening

• Big-rig driver killed in crash on 605-210 freeway transition - L.A. Times - 16 July 2012

• Malibu head-on crash may have been deliberate - KABC-TV Los Angeles - 16 July 2012

• Automakers Lay Foundation for Semi-Autonomous Driving - DesignNews - 16 July 2013

• Man killed Saturday in Highway 1 crash was from Arroyo Grande - SLO Tribune - 15 July 2012

• Fatal crash on Highway 99 in Livingston - Merced Sun-Star - 15 July 2012

• 'Hands-free' texting while driving gets OK from Gov. Jerry Brown - L.A. Times - 13 July 2012

• SOUTH AFRICA TRAIN CRASH KILLS AT LEAST 26 - Associated Press - 13 July 2012

• Sen. Grassley questions Toyota acceleration probe findings - L.A. Times - 12 July 2012

• Dramatic recounting of hit-and-run near Target in SLO - SLO Tribune - 12 July 2012

  Victim of alleged vehicle assault tells of ‘doing a double pike’ over the van that struck him in Target parking lot

• Car review: 2013 Mercedes SL550 is pedestrian-friendly excellence - L.A. Times - 12 July 2012

  Exterior of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550 makes pedestrian-safety styling concessions.

• Ohio Train Derails and Explodes!! 100 Evacuated. VIDEO of the Explosion! - Global News Views - 11 July 2012

  A pesticide chemical fire is STILL burning this morning as residents evacuate Columbus Ohio after a freight train derailed and exploded!

• Volvo: three new safety systems announced - Caradisiac.com - 11 July 2012

  See original article.

• Tony Stanley, California Highway Patrol Officer, Severely Injured By Helicopter Blades While Rescuing Hiker - Huff Post News - 10 July 2012

• Isuzu recalls 11,000 SUVs for rusting parts - CARdealEXPERT - 10 July 2012

• Justin Bieber's 'reckless' driving inexcusable, official says - L.A. Times - 9 July 2012

• One dead, another injured in helicopter crash in Riverside County - L.A. Times - 9 July 2012

• Driver is sentenced in Hearst Ranch crash - SLO Tribune - 7 July 2012

  Newport Beach man to spend year in custody and four years on probation for a 2009 wreck at Hearst Ranch that killed one, injured two

• 4-year-old boy hit by SUV near Port San Luis - SLO Tribune - 6 July 2012

• U.S COMMERCE SECRETARY Off Hook in Hit-and-Run Seizure Case - TMZ - 3 July 2012

• SAFETY: Toyota recalls 2010 Lexus SUVs - L.A. Times - 30 June 2012

  Gas pedals in the RX 350 and $X 450 H are at risk of sticking federal regulator says.

• LAPD crash will cost city $6.6 million - L.A. Times - 29 June 2012

  Settlement over woman's death is the latest payout related to police driving.

• Ford studies monitoring stress of drivers, blocking distractions - Detroit Free Press - 28 June 2012

• NTSB investigating Oklahoma train crash - Associated Press - 26 June 2012

• Mexico Bus Accident Kills 32 People - INAUTONEWS - 24 June 2012

• Bus Crash in Croatia, Eight Czechs Killed - INAUTONEWS - 24 June 2012

• Chrysler 200 Engine Stall Investigated By Federal Safety Regulators - Huffpost Detroit - 22 June 2012

• Feds probe Ford Explorer power steering problems - Atlanta Journal Constitution - 22 June 2012

• NHTSA expands Toyota fire probe to 1.4M cars and trucks - autoblog - 18 June 2012

• Pedestrian dies in South L.A. after being hit by two vehicles - L.A. Times - 17 June 2012

• Buena Park Hit-and-Run Victim Describes Incident Caught on Surveillance Video - 4 NBC Southern California - 13 June 2012

• NORCO: Early morning crash kills two, stalls I-15 - The Press-Enterprise - 13 June 2012

• Honda to recall some 2012 Civics - L.A. Times - 13 June 2012

• Bryson faces tests in hit-runs - L.A. Times - 12 June 2012

• Chrysler expands Jeep Liberty SUVs recalls for rust issue - Associated Press - 11 June 2012

• Editorial: Driverless cars are an idea worth pursuing – within some clear red lines - Sacramento Bee - 10 June 2012

• California getting $1.5 million to fight distracted driving - L.A. Times - 8 June 2012

  An advertising and enforcement push will be made in the Sacramento area

• One car to another: 'Let's chat' - The Tribune - 8 June 2012

  Technology allows vehicles to communicate 10 times a second to warn each other of potential dangers

• Official: Pilot signaled trouble moments before crash that killed 163 in Nigeria - CNN - 04 June 2012

• CHP: 13-year-old girl killed by drunken driver on 60 Freeway in Hacienda Heights - San Gabriel Valley Tribune - 3 June 2012

• NTSB: Plane in fatal Long Beach crash overweight - Orange County Register - 3 June 2012

• Astronomers Predict Titanic Collision: Milky Way vs. Andromeda - NASA Science News - 31 May 2012

• Self-drive autos raise privacy concerns - L.A. Times - 31 May 2012

• BYD Releases Details About Electric Taxi Fire - N.Y. Times - 29 May 2012

• New Jersey judge rules texter not liable for driver's car crash - Associated Press - 26 May 2012

• 18-year-old crashes car during high-speed chase in SLO, police say - The Tribune - 25 May 2012

• 101-year-old man killed by 91-year-old driver - The Tribune - 25 May 2012

• Daredevil toddler rides tricycle into busy China traffic and escapes unharmed - Odd News - 23 May 2012

  A 3-year-old boy rode his bike into a busy Eastern China intersection and managed to avoid oncoming cars before being rescued by a police officer.

• Poisoning Kills More Americans Than Car Crashes, Report Says - Bloomberg - 22 May 2012

• Ferrari recalls $200,000 cars to fix faulty crankshafts - L.A. Times - 22 May 2012

• Plan for self-driving cars passes California Senate hurdle - L.A. Times - 21 May 2012

• U.S. regulators join probe into EV fire - L.A. Times - 19 May 2012

  They are investigating the cause of a garage fire that destroyed a Fisker Karma in Texas.

• Honda recalling Acura TLs to fix faulty hose - L.A. Times - 18 May 2012

• Angelenos drive EVs farther - L.A. Times - 17 May 2012

  Analysis finds electric vehicle drivers in L.A. also charge in public and at off-peak hours

• Driver in Bronx Bus Crash May Have Been Fatigued - New York NBC 4 - 17 May 2012

  The NTSB released documents Thursday about the crash

• Road-death stats hide the truth - The Japan Times (Tokyo) - 13 May 2012

• 3 Boston University Students Killed In New Zealand Crash - abc News - 12 May 2012

  Please! Everybody, ALWAYS wear your seatbelt when riding in a van. Getting ejected is what kills you.

• FLORIDA: Ex-Marine guilty in fatal accident - L.A.Times - 11 May 2012

• 3-VEHICLE CRASH IN PENNSYLVANIA - L.A.Times - 11 May 2012

• Bodies found at Russian jet wreckage in Indonesia - Yahoo! News - 10 May 2012

• Nevada gives Google (test) license to drive self-driving cars - L.A. Times - 9 May 2012

• Covina: Woman fatally injured in crash - L.A. Times - 7 May 2012

• Collision in Mexico kills 42 - L.A. Times - 21 April 2012

• Toyota wins dismissal of some claims - L.A. Times - 21 April 2012

• Driver safety - L.A. Times - 19 April 2012

  Letter to the editor about 4/13/12 article

• Safety agency steps up BMW 7 Series probe - L.A. Times - 17 April 2012

• Women more likely to mistake gas pedal for brakes, report says - L.A. Times - 14 April 2012

• U.S. seeks new auto safety rule - L.A. Times - 13 April 2012

  Brake-override systems in all cars are proposed to prevent sudden acceleration.

• Report: Car design makes child seats hard to install - L.A. Times - 12 April 2012

• Battery blast injures two GM workers - L.A. Times - 12 April 2012

• Gasoline tanker fire closes I34 Freeway in Glendale - L.A. Times - 9 April 2012

  A man is arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after hitting the rig late Saturday.

• Haiti: 26 killed after truck's brakes fail - L.A. Times - 9 April 2012

• Concord: Teen driver kills two bicyclists - L.A. Times - 9 April 2012

• 'Boom!' Jet crash stuns Virginia neighborhood - L.A. Times - 7 April 2012

• Photo: Precarious perch - L.A. Times - 7 April 2012

• Kaylee Weisenberg sentenced to 15 years to life for crash that killed CHP officer - The Tribune - 6 April 2012

  Kaylee Ann Weisenberg apologizes to family of Brett Oswald; widow speaks about how his loss has devastated her

• Russian plane crashes in Siberia - The Guardian - 2 April 2012

• Fires in Chevrolet Cruzes, Jeep Wranglers spark probe - L.A. Times - 2 April 2012

  Investigators focus on incidents involving 2011 model of small sedan and 2010 SUV.

• Russia: At least 32 die in Siberia crash - L.A. Times - 2 April 2012

• U.S. clears GM on Chevy Volt defect - L.A. Times - Date unknown, 2012

  Safety regulators close their inquiry and issue guidelines on handling badly damaged cars.

• Editorial cartoon - L.A. Times - Date unknown, 2012

  On crashes involving LAPD police cruisers

• BMW recalls 1.3 million cars - L.A. Times - 27 March 2012

• U.S. probes bus defect that may have caued crashes - L.A. Times - 27 March 2012

• For some, texting and walking don't mix - L.A. Times - 26 March 2012

• Crash kills motorcyclist - L.A. Times - 24 March 2012

• New tack on LAPD crash probes - L.A. Times - 14 March 2012

  Expert teams will investigate serious traffic collisions involving officers.

• Swiss Bus Crash Kills 22 Children, Six Adults on Ski Trip - BloombergBusinessWeek - 14 March 2012

• San Francisco: 5-year term for freeway death - L.A. Times - 13 March 2012

• First all-electric Coda sedan rolls off the assembly line - L.A. Times - 13 March 2012

• SLO pilot blamed for plane crash - CalCoastNews.com - 8 March 2012

• California bill would set guidelines for self-driving cars - L.A. Times - 1 March 2012

• Nissan recalls 79,000 vehicles - L.A. Times - 28 Feb 2012

• U.S. investigates side air bag problem - L.A. Times - 22 Feb 2012

• Safety regulators probe fires in Toyota Camrys, RAV-4s - L.A. Times - 2012

• BMW to pay $3-million penalty - L.A. Times - 14 Feb 2012

  Federal regulators alleged its reports on safety defects were late and incomplete

• 3 women die after car crash in South L.A. - L.A. Times - 8 Feb 2012

  The driver, critically injured when the car hit a tree, had no license, police say.

• Victorville: 2 killed in wrong-way crash on I-15 - L.A. Times - 1 Feb 2012

• Brothers in SUV run light, killing 4 - L.A. Times - 31 Jan 2012

• CHP settles over leaked photos - L.A. Times - 31 Jan 2012

  The family of a car crash victim whose photos were posted online receive about $2.37 million

• Florida: Highway pileup kills at least 10 - L.A. Times - 30 Jan 2012

• Driver won't face charges - L.A. Times - 2012

  Woman did not break any laws on wayward ride in Verdugo Wash, Glendale police say

• Kia to recall 150,000 vehicles to fix air bags - L.A. Times - 24 Jan 2012

• LAPD targets costly crashes - L.A. Times - 23 Jan 2012

  New policies aim at reducing cop-involved collisions, many of which result in suits.

• Insight into a deadly crash - L.A. Times - 20 Jan 2012

  Letters to the editor about 1/17/12 article

• Let the Robot Drive: The Autonomous Car of the Future Is Here - Wired - 20 Jan 2012

• In LAPD crash, blame is elusive - L.A. Times - 17 Jan 2012

  In 2009 a patrol car slammed into an aging BMW, taking the life of Devin Petelski, 25. That much is certain. Much more is not.

• Traffic laws aim to fight phone use, DUI - L.A. Times - 2 Jan 2012

  A number of states are passing laws to outlaw cell phone use while driving

• JAPAN FERRARI CRASH: How the ‘World’s Most Expensive Car Crash’ happened - jalopnik.com - 5 Dec 2011

• Z Corporation 3D Printing Technology Helps Humanetics ATD Make Intelligent Crash Test Dummies - The Business Journals - 5 Dec 2011

  ZPrinting Saves Weeks and 'Hundreds of Dollars Each Time' Molds are Created for New Parts

• Who knew L.A.'s red-light camera fines were 'voluntary'? - L.A. Times - 27 July 2011

  Drivers who paid the tickets, some of which are $476, fume at the disclosure that authorities cannot force violators to pay up. But don't expect to get a refund

• Rejecting red-light cameras in L.A. - L.A. Times - 9 June 2011

  The traffic cameras cost the city of Los Angeles money while having dubious safety benefits. A civilian board has voted to eliminate them, and that makes sense.

• Challenge to red light cams refers to 6th Amendment - ABC 7, San Francisco - 14 March 2011

• LAPD defends use of red-light traffic cameras - L.A. Times - 15 December 2010

  Assistant Chief Michel Moore tells the Police Commission that the cameras, at 32 intersections in the city, are effective tools in reducing accidents. But he questions the county court system for its method of collecting fines.

• Bicycles and traffic safety - The Japan Times (Tokyo) - 17 October 2010

• Tickets from L.A.'s red-light cameras often go unpaid - L.A. Times - 30 September 2010

  Officials say almost half of photo tickets are currently not paid, in part because the DMV has not been instructed to place holds on licenses and registrations for those with outstanding citations.

• Safety regulators subpoena 'black box' data from Toyota truck involved in fatal crash - L.A. Times - 18 August 2010

  The subpoena is issued to William Rosenbluth, an expert in black boxes, who obtained the event data recorder from the family of victim Christopher Eves.

• Toyota data recorders reveal no new causes of sudden acceleration - L.A. Times - 11 August 2010

  A review of 'black box' recorders from 58 vehicles in accidents blamed on unintended acceleration did not find any new safety defects, federal regulators tell Congress.

• Arizona's Photo Radar - The Daily Show - 8 July 2010

  Olivia Munn explores the controversy over Arizona's highway safety versus invasions of privacy.

• South San Francisco reconsiders red light cameras - ABC 7, San Francisco - 15 April 2010

• Toyota Recall 2010: More Than 2 Million Cars Recalled Due To Gas Pedals Issue - Huffington Post: Business - 23 March 2010

• Page One - Protect Sonsumer Justice - 24 January 2010

  A legal website with links to stories about Toyota.

• The Toyota Recall Crisis - Motor Trend - January 2010

  A Chronology of How the World's Largest and Most Profitable Automaker Drove into a PR Disaster

• DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION: Drivers and Legislators Dismiss Cellphone Risks - New York Times - 18 July 2009

• L.A. is a loser on red light cameras - L.A. Times - 6 June 2008

  Culver City is among municipalities raking in revenue from photo enforcement systems, a Times review shows.

• Right turns and right of ways - L.A. Times - 22 May 2008

• Red-light cameras nab police in D.C. - L.A. Times - 25 February 2007

  Officers heading to emergencies get caught in red tape, union says.

• L.A. Gives Green Light to Adding Red Light Cameras at 22 Locations - L.A. Times - 17 October 2006

• Letter to Editor: Traffic Cameras - L.A. Times - 15 October 2000

• Voices: Green Light for Red-Light Photos - L.A. Times - 1 July 2000

• Letter to Editor: Traffic Cameras and Bill of Rights - L.A. Times - 24 May 2000