Driving News Roundup: June 29, 2012
This is a weekly feature on the NMA Blog, running each Friday, where we highlight seven of the most interesting driving news stories of the week.
Missouri: Carjacker who can’t drive stick gets ride from victim
Note to budding carjackers: Learn to drive a stick shift before heading out to boost a car. Note to potential carjacking victims: If the thief can’t drive a stick, run away and call the cops.
Pennsylvania: Lawmakers to decide on red-light camera program
In the next couple of days Pennsylvania lawmakers must decide whether to extend the red-light camera program for another four years. If the lawmakers extend the program there could be more sets of eyes in the sky watching you.
Texas: Woman says she spent 12 hours in jail after warning drivers of a speed trap
A woman tried to save drivers from getting ticketed by police and instead ended up in jail herself. Now she claims she was wrongfully arrested and fears police retribution.
New York: Bloomberg suggests shame as a punishment for speeding
In a setback to traffic safety advocates, the State Legislature this week again failed to vote on a bill that would allow the Bloomberg administration to use so-called speed cameras at dangerous intersections to enforce the city’s 30-mile-per-hour speed limit. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg suggested on Friday a different tack: public shaming of those cited for speeding.
California: Opposition mounts to red-light camera bill
The opponents and proponents of red-light cameras in California appear to agree on one point, they both do not like Senate Bill 1303. A State Senator introduced the measure, which cleared the state Assembly Transportation committee on Monday by an 11 to 1 vote, to curb what he called “red-light camera abuses.”
States consider raising fines for distracted driving
Growing concern over the continued use of cellphones by drivers has some states reviewing laws against the practice and exploring stiffer fines and harsher penalties. A 2010 study by the Highway Loss Data Institute, an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, found that current texting bans are not reducing the risk or amount of crashes.
Massachusetts: Fewer motorists appeal traffic citations
Fewer Bay State drivers are appealing auto insurance surcharges for accidents or traffic violations, even though the odds of winning an appeal are favorable, a study by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting has found.
To see more stories like the ones above, check out our NMA Driving News site. Each weekday we update the site with news stories that are interesting and/or informative for drivers like you.
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It's one of the "great" American past times: complaining about unfair speeding tickets. There are two types of people when it comes to complaining about this particular type of traffic ticket. Which group are you in?
7 Stories of Speed Trap Revenge: These drivers didn't let the authorities get away with their corrupt traffic enforcement practices. See how the little guys fought back.
This collection of stories will definitely entertain you, but make sure you don't buy into the underlying message. Find out the dangerous myth that these stories perpetuate.
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Despite years of evidence showing that ticket camera companies don't care about safety and will do anything for a buck, there are few tricks that the average driver often fails to notice. You can help expose them.
