Safety & Accident

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN - GE Capital Fleet Services will host a free safety management webinar Aug. 17 to examine best practices in safety management and how those measures can deliver fleet cost reduction.

Tags: cost-cutting, GE Capital Fleet Services, safety, Webinar

BLACKSBURG, VA - General Motors is investing $5 million to help create the National Tire Research Center at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), designed to improve fuel economy and lower emissions.

Tags: General Motors, National Tire Research Center, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

LOS ANGELES - The agreement calls for Mobileye's aftermarket accident avoidance systems to be made available for purchase through the retailer's fleet distribution channel, as well as its 51 locations in metropolitan areas across the western United States.

Tags: accident management, Mobileye Inc., safety

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - Calif.-based Omega Health Systems (OHS) announced a new partnership with Advanced Drivers of America (ADA) to provide online risk assessment and e-learning systems via their Safe Driving Plus system.

Tags: Advanced Drivers of America, Driver Safety, Omega Health Systems

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA - The navigator is a universal 2/4 sensor system that can be installed on any vehicle in plastic or metal bumpers. EchoMaster also provides in-house sensor painting to color-match sensors to vehicle.

Tags: EchoMaster, parking device, safety

HARTFORD, CT - A recent survey found using a brain fitness training tool has been clinically proven to help older adults reduce their likelihood of being in a car accident, cutting crash risk up to 50 percent.

Tags: business driver, Driver Safety, survey, The Hartford Financial Services Group

COLUMBUS, OH - Nearly four out of 10 drivers say they have been hit or nearly hit by a driver distracted by their cell phone, according to a new public opinion poll.

Tags: distracted driving, Driver Safety, mobile application, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, smartphone, survey, texting

TORRANCE, CA - Lexus discovered faulty valve springs in some V-8 and V-6 engines in certain Lexus models sold in the U.S. Due to slight variations during the manufacturing process, some foreign material may have contaminated the valve springs resulting in potential breakage.

Tags: Faulty Leaf Spring, GS 350, GS 450h, GS 460, IS 350, Lexus, LS 460, LS 600h L, Recall

NEW YORK - The New York State Senate, by a 35-26 margin, passed a bill banning the use of lead wheel weights.

Tags: bill, law, lead, New York, wheel weight

DEARBORN, MI - Ford Motor Company introduced Curve Control - a new feature designed to help drivers maintain control of their vehicles when taking a curve too quickly. Curve Control debuts as standard equipment on the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer.

Tags: Curve Control, Explorer, Ford, safety, Technology

TORRANCE, CA - Lexus released a statement recently on its intent to recall certain 2010 Lexus HS 250h models.

Tags: HS 250h, Lexus, Recall

RESTON, VA - When an employee equipped with a FleetSafer- enabled smartphone starts a company-owned vehicle equipped with a Walsh Wireless DataLogger, the employee's phone will automatically enter into safe driving mode.

Tags: distracted driving, Driver Safety, Walsh Wireless, ZoomSafer

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - The J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Initial Quality Study found domestic auto brands, as a whole, have demonstrated higher initial quality than import brands for the first time.

Tags: Buick, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, General Motors, initial quality, J.D. Power and Associates, study

WASHINGTON - States are aggressively pursuing solutions to distracted driving, according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).

Tags: distracted driving, Driver Safety, Governors Highway Safety Association

ITASCA, IL - Organizations will be able to benchmark their fleet's performance against other participants on 25 fleet safety program elements, such as driver training programs, crash review practices, leadership engagement, and cell phone policies.

Tags: benchmark, National Safety Council, Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, survey

SPARKS, MD - Driving Dynamics' comprehensive Web-based driver training modules will expand PHH's suite of risk and safety services, which are designed to help companies increase the safety of their fleet drivers and improve their corporate risk profiles.

Tags: Driving Dynamics, PHH Arval, safety, Training

ITASCA, IL - EMKAY, Inc. announced it has earned I-CAR Platinum certification for the 4th year running.

Tags: accident management, certification, Emkay

HERNDON, VA - Audi of America, Inc. announced that the Q5 and A4 models earned 2010 TOP SAFETY PICK ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Tags: A4, Audi, IIHS, Q5, Top Safety Pick

WASHINGTON - A recent nationwide survey by the Rubber Manufacturers Association found 55 percent of vehicles have at least one under-inflated tire and only one in six vehicles has four properly inflated tires.

Tags: maintenance, Rubber Manufacturers Association, tire

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Nearly 1 in 5 licensed drivers — roughly 38 million Americans — would not pass a written drivers test exam if taken today, according to the results of the 2010 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test.

Tags: DMV, Driver Safety, GMAC Insurance, survey