National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Don't Put This on Your Steering Wheel, Regulators Warn
Don't Put This on Your Steering
Wheel, Regulators Warn
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Don't Put This on Your Steering Wheel, Regulators Warn

Decorative aftermarket decals can dislodge in crash, cause serious injury

(Newser) - US regulators are warning drivers to steer clear of aftermarket decals used to embellish a car's logo on the center of its steering wheel. Such metal or plastic emblems—which are typically adorned with rhinestones or other decorations and attached to the steering wheel with an adhesive back—can...

Another Massive Recall for Hyundai and Kia

3.4M vehicles recalled over fire risk; owners warned to park outside, away from structures

(Newser) - Hyundai and Kia are recalling nearly 3.4 million vehicles in the US and again telling owners to park them outside due to the risk of engine compartment fires. As the AP reports, the recalls cover multiple car and SUV models from the 2010 through 2019 model years, including Hyundai'...

Traffic Deaths Are Down, but It's Still a 'National Crisis'

Preliminary numbers show a 0.3% decrease

(Newser) - The number of people killed on US roadways decreased slightly last year, but government officials said the 42,795 people who died is still a national crisis, reports the AP . Estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that the number of fatalities dropped 0.3% from the 42,...

New Tesla Complaints: Steering Wheels Came Off While Driving

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probe is underway on Model Y Long Range SUV

(Newser) - US auto safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla's Model Y SUV after getting two complaints that the steering wheels can come off while being driven. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the probe covers an estimated 120,000 vehicles from the 2023 model year. The agency...

Tesla Reluctantly Recalls 363K 'Full Self-Driving' Cars

Musk argues government agency's assessment on Twitter

(Newser) - US safety regulators have pressured Tesla into recalling nearly 363,000 vehicles with its "Full Self-Driving" system because it misbehaves around intersections and doesn't always follow speed limits. The recall, part of a larger investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into Tesla's automated driving systems,...

NTSB: Put a Booze Detector in Every New Car

Congress has already required NHTSA to make automakers install systems within 3 years

(Newser) - The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending that all new vehicles in the US be equipped with blood alcohol monitoring systems that can stop an intoxicated person from driving. The recommendation, if enacted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, could reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes, one of the...

Vehicle Deaths on US Roads Climb for 7th Straight Quarter

Safety advocates suggest a change in focus

(Newser) - Many drivers fell into unsafe habits when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, such as taking advantage of less congested roads to increase speeds. "When everyday life came to a halt in March 2020, risky behaviors skyrocketed and traffic fatalities spiked," the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...

Tesla Autopilot May Have a Motorcycle Problem

Authorities investigating two fatal crashes

(Newser) - Two crashes involving Teslas apparently running on Autopilot are drawing scrutiny from federal regulators and suggest a potential new hazard on US freeways: The partially automated vehicles may not stop for motorcycles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent investigation teams to two crashes last month in which Teslas collided...

US Road Deaths Surged 10.5% Last Year

THe NHTSA says it was the deadlest year since 2005

(Newser) - Nearly 43,000 people were killed on US roads last year, the highest number in 16 years as Americans returned to the highways after the pandemic forced many to stay at home. The 10.5% jump over 2020 numbers was the largest percentage increase since the National Highway Traffic Safety...

DOT in 'Crisis' Mode Over New Stats on Road Fatalities

They've hit a 15-year high, with more than 20K dead in US during first half of 2021

(Newser) - With more people back in schools and offices, that means there are more people on the road. But time stuck at home apparently hasn't done any favors for our driving skills, based on new stats from the Department of Transportation that show the highest number of traffic fatalities in...

As We Get Back Behind the Wheel, a 'Terrible Situation'

8 states saw at least a 30% increase in driving deaths in first half of 2021

(Newser) - We're still in the midst of a pandemic, but over the past year, more of us headed back to in-person work, school, and other activities, meaning more of us were again driving. New data from two major safety groups, however, show that we could use some refresher courses behind...

How Our Car Safety Ratings Went From Best to Worthless

Motherboard takes a look at the rise and stagnation of the NCAP

(Newser) - When it comes to car safety ratings, the US was a trailblazer. Not so much anymore. In a deep dive for Motherboard , Aaron Gordon traces the fairly recent history of these ratings, which were created in the final days of the Carter administration thanks to Joan Claybrook, then the head...

GM Must Recall 6M Trucks, SUVs
GM Must
Recall 6M
Trucks, SUVs

GM Must Recall 6M Trucks, SUVs

Pricey move involves Takata air bags

(Newser) - The US is making General Motors recall and repair nearly 6 million big pickup trucks and SUVs equipped with potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators, per the AP . The decision announced Monday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will cost the automaker an estimated $1.2 billion, about one-third...

One Tesla Burst Into Flames. The Other, Sheared Off.

One possible issue is the cars' Autopilot driving system

(Newser) - A federal agency with the power to seek recalls and issue fines is investigating two fatal Tesla crashes in Florida over the past week, Reuters reports. The Friday crash in Delray Beach involved a 2018 Model 3 that had its roof cut off when it passed under a tractor-trailer; the...

Chrysler Pacifica Owners Not Thrilled When Power Just Dies

Fiat Chrysler, dealers can't find what's causing stalling issue customers are complaining about

(Newser) - Minivans aren't exactly known for inspiring fear, but that's what's happening among Chrysler Pacifica owners, with more than 50 federal complaints filed about the vehicles suddenly stalling out while in use, leading to dangerous situations in which, luckily, no one has yet been injured. Dealers are scratching...

Drowsy Drivers as Bad as Drunk Drivers: Report

Fatigue kills 5K on our roads each year, says GHSA

(Newser) - Drivers are told to "get more sleep" in an alarming new report that finds drowsy drivers are much like drunk drivers but get far less attention. A person who's been awake for 18 hours has a similar driving ability as someone with a 0.05% blood-alcohol content, while...

Feds: Air Bags in Older Hondas Are Extremely Dangerous

One senator calls the vehicles 'deathtraps'

(Newser) - The US government is urging owners of 313,000 older Hondas and Acuras to stop driving them and get them repaired after new tests found that their Takata air bag inflators are extremely dangerous, the AP reports. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that it has data showing...

'Dark Day' for Pedestrians: Fastest Jump in Death Rate Ever

Fatalities expected to spike 10% from 2014 to 2015: GHSA report

(Newser) - Traffic fatalities increased 8.1% in 2015 from the previous year, per a National Safety Council study cited by Autoblog , but one group has been especially affected: pedestrians, who are projected to show a 10% increase in fatalities compared to 2014, per a report from the Governors Highway Safety Association....

Google's 'Robot' System Can Now Be Considered Legal Driver

This could be a big step

(Newser) - Up until recently, Google's self-driving cars have been limited to real-world activity only in certain states (i.e., not on the federal level), and only under certain conditions, Quartz notes. But this week the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posted a Feb. 4 letter saying Google's self-driving system,...

Wheelchair Users Face Much Bigger Risk From Traffic

They're 36% more likely to die in collisions than walkers: study

(Newser) - Pedestrians in wheelchairs are a whopping 36% more likely to die in a traffic collision compared to those out walking, according to a new study that's raising concerns about driver awareness and the availability of crosswalks. Researchers at Georgetown University combed through news articles and data from the National...

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