Low Speed Vehicles: Illinois Follows Growing Trend

Source: IIHS

Illinois is following a growing trend towards favorable low speed vehicle laws. Previously, individual communities had to pass laws as to the use of low speed vehicles prior to their being legal to drive on the street. Effective January 2010, Illinois will allow low speed vehicles on any road with a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less.

This national trend towards relaxing rules for micro cars and trucks is likely due to increasing fuel costs and growing interest in green fuel efficient technologies. But what does this mean for passenger and driver safety? Will we see a spike in deaths and serious injuries as a result of a larger number of these tiny cars and trucks on the roadways? Hopefully not. Hopefully the laws restricting these vehicles to low speed roads coupled with improving vehicle safety technologies will prevent an increase in automobile accident injuries.

View low speed vehicle laws state by state here.

School Bus Company Faces Federal Fines

Source: FMCSA

Lehane’s Bus Service, Inc. a school bus company out of New Castle, Delaware, was fined by The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) earlier this month for a number of dangerous conditions. They were issued a civil penalty notice of $83,120 for the alleged violations.

According the FMCSA, Lehane's employed at least one school bus driver who tested positive for controlled substances, failed to periodically and randomly screen drivers for controlled substances, operated vehicles without the federally required level of insurance, and failed to have their vehicles inspected for defects as required by federal law.

Lehane's violations were discovered as part of FMCSA's Operation Safe Student, a strike force initiative to remove unsafe buses from the roadways. Hopefully FMCSA will keep up the good work!

2008 Fatality Facts 37,261 Die in Motor Vehicles

Source: IIHS

The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) just released fatality facts for 2008. According to their study, 37,261 people died in 2008 in motor vehicle accidents. Overall, this represents a 9.7% decrease in fatalities over 2007. Among a number of variables considered, alcohol related deaths dropped 9% to 24,175, large truck accident fatalities dropped 13.1% to 4,008, but motorcyclist fatalities increased almost 1% to 5,091.

These overall decreases in automobile accidents are likely due in part to the current economic climate and the rising fuel costs. With more drivers using their cars less and looking for cheaper forms of transportation, we will likely continue to see automobile accident fatality figures drop, but see increases in motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian fatalities.

Local School Bus Driver Ticketed in Accident for Driving too Fast

Source: Gainesville Sun

Last week, an Alachua County school bus driver, Annie Ahmed, 62, was ticketed after colliding with a tree while driving a fully loaded school bus. Officers ticked Ahmed for driving too fast on a wet graded road and hitting a tree on Southwest 122nd Street. According to the report, Ahmed lost control of the bus after it swerved back and forth, running into a tree, causing damage to the side of the bus and shattering a side window, injuring some of the children onboard. Five of the 41 children were treated on the scene for minor injuries according to Florida Highway Patrol.

2010 Subaru Legacy and Outback Earn Top Safety Pick from IIHS

The 2010 Subaru Legacy and Outback earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award.

The award requires that cars score the IIHS' top rating of good in front, side, and rear collision tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. The award further encourages top crash safety standards.

Here are links to the individual tests:

Subaru Legacy

Subaru Outback

2010 Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring Earn Top Safety Pick from IIHS

The 2010 Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring won the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award.

The award requires that cars score the IIHS' top rating of good in front, side, and rear collision tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. The award further encourages top crash safety standards.

Here are links to the individual tests:

Dodge Avenger

Chrysler Sebring