Latest Personal Auto Headlines
All the headlines from our Personal Auto Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Self-Driving Truck Hits the Road in Ohio
Dec 1 2016 // A self-driving truck is scheduled to hit the road in central Ohio in conjunction with an announcement about new state investments to support researching that kind of transportation technology. Officials say the vehicle...
New York Officials Warn Drivers to Watch for Pedestrians
Dec 1 2016 // The city is ramping up pedestrian safety efforts during the annual influx of holiday visitors and decreased daylight hours. Mayor Bill de Blasio, police Commissioner James P. O’Neill and other officials said Tuesday...
Tennessee Bus Driver Likely to Plead Not Guilty in Fatal Crash
Nov 30 2016 // The driver in a Chattanooga, Tenn., school bus crash last week that killed six children will likely plead not guilty to related charges, according to his lawyer. Defense attorney Amanda Dunn said she anticipates...
How to Get Teens to Take Dangers of Distracted Driving Seriously
Nov 29 2016 // A program to educate teens about distracted driving—including a tour of a hospital trauma center and testimony from a trauma survivor—can increase awareness of the dangers of texting, cell phone use, and other...
Complaints About Erratic Driving Before Tennessee Bus Wreck
Nov 28 2016 // Students and administrators raised concerns about a Tennessee school bus driver’s behavior behind the wheel in the weeks before a crash that killed six children. Police have charged driver Johnthony Walker with...
Smartphone Makers Reject Obama Call for Restrictions to Curb Distracted Driving
Nov 28 2016 // U.S. highway safety officials called on smartphone makers to add features that would keep motorists from using functions linked to a surge in deaths due to distracted driving, a proposal that drew immediate opposition from...
U.S. Senator Wants Federal Investigation Into Florida’s Use of Driver Records
Nov 23 2016 // U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson wants a federal investigation of how Florida uses the personal information of its 15 million licensed drivers. The Florida Democrat wrote U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Friday asking her to...
How Much Attention Do Drivers Need to Pay?
Nov 22 2016 // As Americans pile into their cars for Thanksgiving travel, they may wish to pay attention to some new thinking into how much, or how little, attention they should be paying to the road. Transportation safety engineers may...
Colorado Will Test out Digital Driver Licenses in 2-Year Pilot Program
Nov 21 2016 // Colorado will test digital licenses for drivers in a two-year pilot program. The Gazette reported Gemalto Inc. was awarded $2 million in August from the U.S. Commerce Department to make a driver license mobile application...
Uber Working to Settle with California Drivers over Employee Benefits
Nov 17 2016 // Uber Technologies Inc. is trying to finalize a settlement with California drivers to resolve potentially billions of dollars in claims stemming from the company’s refusal to give them the protections and benefits of...
Atlantic City Ride-Hailing Drivers Face Legal and Regulatory Hurdles
Nov 14 2016 // Joshua DeLeon earned $200 a week driving for Uber, a side job he used to buy an engagement ring for his girlfriend. Then he got a $300 ticket from Atlantic City for operating without a proper license, and he quit. “I...
3 Ways Auto Insurers Should Adapt to Drivers’ Changing Road Habits
Nov 7 2016 // For a historically slow-moving industry, changes are occurring at a rapid rate in today’s auto insurance world. Drivers’ road habits are shifting and auto insurers should adapt to the changing behavior behind...
Startup Auto Insurer Root Targets Good Drivers with Smartphones
Nov 7 2016 // Root officially debuted in the U.S. market on October 25. The fledgling auto insurer, just 18 months old, relies on telematics and a customer’s smartphone to deliver what it says will be significantly cheaper rates...
Amazon Drivers Deliver ‘Joint Employer’ Claims Against E-commerce Giant
Nov 4 2016 // Amazon.com was sued by Illinois delivery drivers who say the company failed to pay them overtime for hauling its goods. Among the questions the judge will have to answer? Whether they actually worked for...
Maryland School Bus Driver Killed in Crash Had Traffic Violation History
Nov 4 2016 // The Baltimore school bus driver who died along with five others in a collision with a commuter bus was found at fault in three traffic-related cases in the last eight years, according to civil and criminal court records...
Uber Settles Claims of Sexual Assault by Drivers
Nov 4 2016 // Uber Technologies Inc. settled a lawsuit filed by two women who sought to hold the company responsible for alleged sexual assaults by drivers. Terms of the accord weren’t disclosed in court papers. The settlement...
West Virginia Supreme Court: Driving Under the Influence on Private Property Illegal
Nov 4 2016 // The West Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that driving under the influence on private property is a crime. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that the Supreme Court’s 4-1 ruling last week reversed a Monroe County...
Few Citations Issued in Year One of Oklahoma’s Texting and Driving Ban
Nov 3 2016 // Tulsa, Okla., police say a modest number of citations have been issued in the first year after Oklahoma banned texting and driving. The Tulsa World reports 75 citations were issued by the police department between Nov. 1,...
Pennsylvania Drivers Third Most Likely in U.S. to Have Deer-Related Accidents
Nov 3 2016 // Figures compiled by State Farm Insurance show that Pennsylvania drivers are the third most likely of motorists in any state to have a collision with a deer, having a one in 67 chance of a deer-related accident. With this...
Drivers Leaving Keys for Thieves a Growing Problem, Says Insurers’ Crime Bureau
Nov 2 2016 // Last year, one out of every eight car thefts was a freebie for the thief because the driver left the keys or the car access device inside. It’s a growing problem according to a report from the insurance...
