New Trend Signals Trouble for Drivers

A dangerous new trend signals trouble for drivers.

A study conducted by the Society of Automotive Engineers made a rather surprising claim when presented last week in Dayton, Ohio: Turn signal neglect is causing millions of crashes per year and may be more dangerous than distracted driving.
SAE observed a total of 12,000 lane-changing and turning vehicles and concluded 25 percent of drivers neglected to signal when turning and a whopping 48 percent neglected to do so when changing lanes. Applying these percentages to U.S. drivers as a whole translates to 750 billion instances of turn signal neglect per year – or more than 2 billion instances per day, according to the study.
The study estimated that approximately 2 million crashes per year are a direct result of this issue.
By comparison, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that about 950,000 crashes are the direct result of distracted driving (driving while texting, talking on the phone, eating, putting on makeup, etc.).
"This is a first-of-its-kind report on a subject that amazingly, has never been studied," said Richard Ponziana, president of RLP Engineering and author of the report. "The turn signal is one of the very original automotive crash prevention devices and this simple driver-to-driver communication device remains extremely effective, but only when it is accurately displayed as required by law."
"The turn signal can no longer be considered 'optional' and all drivers have an ongoing duty to use it, just as they have a duty to stop at a stop sign or at a red light."SAE proposed a "simple" solution in the report: The Smart Turn Signal. This system uses vehicle sensors and computer control to assist the driver in assuring that the turn signal is used regularly – in other words, it tells you when you forgot to do so – and also shuts this signal off if the driver forgets that it is on.
According to SAE, because the system uses the same sensors employed by a vehicle's stability control system (which is standard on all new cars), adding Smart Turn Signals would come at no cost to the manufacturer or, in turn, the consumer.
The report also notes that Smart Turn Signals save weight and space, as they eliminate the turn signal trip mechanism – a system that has been around since 1940 and has never really been improved upon, despite exposed defects.
"Smart Turn Signals are the perfect complement to the Stability Control System since Stability Control predominately prevents single-vehicle crashes, whereas the Smart Turn Signal prevents multi-vehicle crashes," Ponziani said.

 

Read more:  http://autos.aol.com/article/turn-signal-neglect-study/

Memorial Day Safe Driving Tips

Want to keep your car out of the shop this Memorial Day weekend? PRWeb has some great tips for avoiding accidents and keeping your family safe so you and your family can experience the most fun possible while traveling this year!


Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, which means many people will be traveling for cookouts, pool parties and vacations. With so many people on the roads this weekend, Amica Insurance reminds everyone to use extra care while on the road. 
Here are a few reminders: 


 Don’t drink and drive. Make sure you have a designated driver.


Wear your seatbelt at all times. Police in many states are cracking down on seatbelt violations.


Avoid distracted driving. Many states now ban the use of hand-held cell phones and/or texting while driving.


Don’t speed or drive carelessly.


Get plenty of rest before a long trip and stop for frequent breaks. Don’t drive when you’re tired.


Slow down for road construction and beware of detours.


Read More: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9542982.htm

More than 700 Ford volunteers went digging, chopping and hammering to complete community projects in nine states. Ford provided more than $110,000 in grants to community organizations to purchase tools and supplies to complete the environmentally focused work.

FordMedia writes:


More than 700 Ford volunteers are digging, chopping and hammering their way to complete community projects today in nine states – Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina and Washington. The Ford Accelerated Action Day projects are focused on the environment.

MODEL Teams of Ford employee and retiree volunteers are assisting at shelters, soup kitchens, parks, nature preserves and community centers. Ford volunteers are planting gardens, installing rain barrels, creating trails, building birdhouses and bee boxes, and feeding the hungry.

“Ford volunteers are making important contributions to a better world by working together with our nonprofit partners to improve the environment and promote sustainability in our communities,” said Robert Brown, vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “We’re committed to building a stronger business and a better world. It’s part of Ford’s legacy of social responsibility that has endured for more than 100 years.”

Today’s volunteer projects were selected by Ford’s nonprofit agency partners. Ford is providing more than $110,000 in grants to purchase the tools and supplies needed to complete the work by the volunteers.


Read More

Laurel Toyota’s Used Car of the Week: 2003 Chevy Trailblazer

    

 

This vehicle comes equipped with features such as LTZ Preferred Equipment Group 1 (Body-Color Bodyside Moldings, Content Theft-Deterrent System, and HomeLink Wireless Control System), Premium Smooth Ride Suspension Package, 4WD,  Electric Sliding Sunroof w/Express Open, 4-Wheel Disc Brakes, 6 Speakers, ABS brakes, Air conditioning, Alloy wheels, AM/FM radio, CD player, Dual front impact airbags, Front dual zone A/C, Fully automatic headlights, Heated Driver & Front Passenger Seats, Monotone Leather Seating Surfaces, Power door mirrors, Power driver seat, Power steering, Power windows, Radio data system, Rear window wiper, Reclining High Back Bucket Seats, Remote keyless entry, Speed control, Split folding rear seat, Tilt steering wheel and more!

Our used inventory goes through a rigorous inspection process by one of our Certified Technicians. We do all we can to be sure that every used vehicle that leaves this lot is in the best mechanical shape possible. There is no cutting corner to save money, we want every one of our vehicles to be the best they can be. This means you don't have to worry.
For more information on this vehicle: http://www.laureltoyotapa.com/used/chevrolet-trailblazer-2003-2976190.html
Check out our entire collection of fine used automobiles at www.laureltoyotapa.com or https://www.facebook.com/LaurelToyotaScion?sk=app_184091278294944
Please contact:  Scott Long at (814) 659-1908 or by email at: lauford@aol.com

The EVs are Coming—Here's How We'll Plug Them In

Chrysler, Ford, and GM—whose vehicles we offer at our dealerships—have rallied around a standard for charging their forthcoming electric vehicles (EVs) in as little as 15min.  A lot of the problems associated with moving away from gasoline-fueled vehicles have originated from matters of standardization, but this seems to be a hurdle that the auto industry is in the process of clearing, as reported by CleanTechnica.com:

Standardization is the linchpin of the gasoline powered auto industry – imagine if you had to hopscotch over half a dozen gas stations to find one where the nozzle could fit into your tank – and it is even more critical for the nascent EV sector, which is in hot competition to win a foothold in the mainstream car market.

The new system is nicknamed the "combo connector" for the DC Fast Charging with a Combined Charging System. The full article by CleanTechnica has a brief history of this technology, which is worth a read if you're interested in how EVs have developed since the '90s.

GM pushed hard for the new global standard after its experience in developing the ill-fated EV1 in the 1990’s, according to the company’s Director of Infrastructure Planning, Britta Gross. EV1, which went into limited production but was soon pulled from the market, is the subject of the documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?”

The barrier to adoption worldwide as EVs gain popularity has come from Japan, which has its own standard (with the dizzying acronym of CHAdeMO). However, this all could be made moot by the development of a wireless EV charging standard, which the DOE has recently put $4 million toward.

The Johnstown Chiefs Are Dead. Long Live The Johnstown Chiefs!

Watching the Pens lose was tough. Tough enough to maybe not want to think about hockey at all for months on end. Fortunately, there's some good news to bask in: Johnstown is getting a new junior hockey team to take up the mantle of the ill-fated Chiefs.

The Ithaca Journal summarized it well:

The gritty western Pennsylvania city whose rich minor-league hockey history helped inspire the cult movie "Slap Shot" is getting another chance to support a hockey team -- this time a junior league squad that's moving from Alaska.

Johnstown Sports Partners LLC is announced the deal Thursday at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena, where the yet-to-be-named team will play.

James Bouchard, chairman and chief executive of private investment firm Esmark Inc., is leading the deal bringing the North American Hockey League's Alaska Avalanche to Johnstown, about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh.

 But things are still early in development, so there are still details to be worked out.

Although the team has yet to announce a new logo or name, Bouchard has hired two former Chiefs players to key positions. Former tough guy Rick Boyd is the general manager and director of hockey operations, while Jean Desrochers is director of business operations.

The NAHL team is steps below minor league. Players aren't paid, although the team covers some of their expenses. The new owners are hoping lower overhead will help keep ticket prices low…

And who exactly is going to play? That remains to be decided, but it will definitely bring in some fresh, young faces to the town:

The league's players are typically 16 to 20 years old and will likely board with local families and attend high schools or community colleges, all the time hoping for a shot with a major college, minor league, or higher level junior team.