Safety & Accident

DEARBORN, MI - Ford will produce an all-new, purpose-built Police Interceptor specially designed and engineered to replace the Ford Crown Victoria law enforcement vehicle lineup in 2011.

Tags: Ford, Ford Crown Victoria, police cruisers

ALBANY, NY - Gov. David Paterson recently proposed penalties including jail time and confiscation of trucks to come down on drivers who use GPS to take more hazardous routes and end up striking bridges.

Tags: GPS, New York, truck drivers, vehicle accidents

ARLINGTON, VA - The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) recently sought out the impact of cell phone laws in changing patterns of driver cell phone use in New York, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia.

Tags: cell phone ban, Connecticut, distraction, District of Columbia, driver safety, IIHS, Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, New York

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Model-year 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe vehicles are being recalled because of the risk that the accelerator pedal may malfunction.

Tags: GM, NHTSA, Pontiac Vibe, Pontiac Vibe recall, Recall, sudden acceleration

TORRANCE, CA - Overall, U.S. commercial fleets have been measured in their response to 2.3 million vehicle safety recalls and sales/production suspension of eight Toyota models due to reports of sticking accelerator pedals causing sudden, unintended vehicle speed-up.

Tags: ADESA, Manheim, NAAA, Recall, ServNet, Toyota

CINCINNATI - The Cincinnati Police Department is adding Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUVs to its fleet, which will be converted into K-9 units, supporting bomb-sniffing dogs and counter-terrorism specialists.

Tags: Cincinnati Police Department, Highlander Hybrid, Toyota

PHILADELPHIA - Arrow Trucking Co. is being sued by a Philadelphia attorney on behalf of the 1,400 former employees laid off right before Christmas, many of whom were truck drivers left stranded at truck stops.

Tags: Arrow Trucking, Lawsuit, layoffs

COLUMBIA, SC - An insurance company is paying nearly $5 million to settle the case of a woman who struck and killed two bicyclists in South Carolina while driving a company vehicle.

Tags: accident, cell phone, driver safety

BOSTON --- A police investigation of a fatal Boston fire truck crash has found that a Fire Department contractor installed the wrong parts on the ladder truck's brakes several months before the crash.

Tags: Boston Fire Department, fleet maintenance, National Transportation Safety Board

ATLANTA - According to a global study unveiled at the HTUF Conference this week, 71-percent of respondents believe technology will be one of the most important external forces impacting the industry in 2020.

Tags: fuel, GPS, Productivity, Telematics, truck fleets

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Ford Motor Co. is recalling 4.5 million vehicles because a cruise control off switch poses a fire risk, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Tags: Ford recall, Ford Windstar , NHTSA, Recall, Texas Instruments

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN - A new EU project, SARTRE, is being launched to develop and test technology for vehicles that can drive themselves in long road trains on motorways.

Tags: SARTRE, Telematics

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Chrysler is recalling 24,177 vehicles because of a defect that could compromise braking.

Tags: Chrysler, Chrysler recall, NHTSA, Recall

TORRANCE, CA --- In Toyota's preliminary safety recall notice aimed at addressing the risk of sudden acceleration in certain models, the company listed what steps a driver should take if the accelerator pedal becomes stuck open.

Tags: driver safety, Recall, sudden acceleration

ROMULUS, MI - AT&T recently announced a five-year, $2.6 million contract for wireless services and applications to United Road Services, Inc.

Tags: agreement, AT&T, United Road Services

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Daimler Trucks North America is recalling more than 25,300 MY 2004-2010 trucks equipped with Caterpillar C15 engines because of the risk of an oil leak.

Tags: Caterpillar C15 Engine recall, Daimler truck recall

ARLINGTON, VA - Requiring for the first time good performance in a roof strength test to measure protection in a rollover, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety named 27 Top Safety Picks this year — down from 72 models in 2008.

Tags: 2010-MY, IIHS, Top Safety Pick

LOS ANGELES --- Farmers Insurance Group of Companies has introduced eZsign, a new claims settlement option for customers with total loss claims.

Tags: CCM, Farmers Insurance

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Spartan Chassis Inc. is recalling 239 MY 2006-2009 fire truck cab and chassis vehicles manufactured between Jan. 16, 2006 and Aug. 10, 2009 that are equipped with the Rolltek supplemental side restraint system.

Tags: fire truck recall, Spartan Chassis recall

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Sprinter is recalling more than 13,500 MY 2002-2003 Dodge Sprinter 2500 and Dodge Sprinter 3500 vans sold as Dodge and Freightliner vehicles.

Tags: Chrysler LLC , Dodge, NHTSA, Recall, Sprinter

TREVOSE, PA - The CEI Group, Inc. has announced the rollout of a new DriverCare Web-Based Training lesson that teaches heavy-duty truck drivers techniques for coping safely with the hazards of winter driving.

Tags: CEI Group, Safety, training course, winter driving