Distracted Driving

Prompted by the recent incident in Spain that saw a trail derailment kill 79 persons, a new report takes a look at the state of commercial distracted driving laws in the United States.  That’s because, at the time of the Spanish incident, it’s believed that the train’s operator ignored speed warnings because he was on… read more

A new report out of Salinas addresses the importance of always properly restraining a pet in a vehicle when taking a trip.  The article points to research from AAA and Kurgo from 2011 that suggests 84% of drivers don’t bother to place their pets inside of some sort of restraint system.  And while the threat… read more

A new report focuses on the anti-distracted driving efforts of police in the cities of Yuba and Marysville during an operation that took place all throughout Sacramento and the nearby area until the end of June.  Called “Phone In One Hand, Ticket In The Other,” the operation netted 600 tickets between the two cities.  All… read more

The director of such movies as “Grizzly Man” and “Rescue Dawn” is attempting to get the word out about the importance of refraining from texting while at the wheel of a vehicle.  After first directing a Public Service Announcement for AT & T’s high profile It Can Wait campaign, he has decided that he could… read more

Yesterday, we explained the steps that the Nevada Highway Patrol is taking in order to ensure the safety of Interstate 15, and in that story, the California Highway Patrol hinted that they would be stepping up their own enforcement efforts along that stretch of road.  Now, that has apparently become a reality, with the CHP… read more

Researchers from the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta explain that the key to rooting out distracted driving among some individuals is to get doctors more involved.  They believe that such medical professionals may be able to influence positive behavior among citizens. Their position is detailed in the Canada Family Physician journal. … read more

Recently, research out of the University of Utah revealed that hands-free cellphone usage at the wheel could actually be as dangerous or even more dangerous as using one’s hands to manually manipulate a cellphone.  The study was widely featured in news outlets around the country, but a new report delves further into the scale that… read more

Not long ago, we related information about how signage warning motorists in Northern California about speeding being monitored by drones was taken down by the California Highway Patrol.  The signs were illegal and some even thought they could create a distraction for drivers.  Now, the person behind those signs has come forward.  The Napa conceptual… read more

Bay Area drivers concerned that drones are monitoring their speeds should fret not.  According to the California Highway Patrol, recently erected signs along Highway 37 and other environs proclaiming “Speed Monitored By Drones” are fraudulent.  The CHP neither uses drones as a part of their enforcement efforts nor were they responsible for installing the signage. … read more

No one would question the human toll that a collision related to distracted driving would take.  After all, it only takes one moment of looking at a text instead of the road to create a crash situation that can cause severe injuries or even take a life.  But a new report attempts to provide an… read more

Lawmakers in Massachusetts are still pushing for a ban on cellphone usage at the wheel.  At the moment, texting while driving is illegal within the state and has been for nearly three years.  Although a previous measure that would have outlawed all handheld cell activities failed to make it out of the Transportation Committee, proponents… read more

Distracted driving may prove to be the defining topic of this decade’s highway safety efforts, but a new study reveals that some drivers may finally be getting the message that distraction has no place at the wheel. The AutoTECHCAST poll from Harris carried out in April and May of this year sought to acquire the… read more