Automotive News - May 26, 2008 - (Page 14)

14 • MAY 26, 2008 Safety efforts must focus on the driver Cars and trucks are overregulated; it’s the operator’s turn Kevin M. McDonald Every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 42,000 people die and more than 2.5 million people are injured in vehicle crashes in the United States. Overregulation of vehicle performance has reached a point of diminishing returns. To attain a marked reduction in lives lost, transportation policy must now focus on driver performance. Whether measured by deaths per registered vehicle or deaths per distance traveled, the U.S. auto safety record has fallen far behind that of many other countries in the developed world. That’s according to Leonard Evans’ 2004 book, Traffic Safety. Using the first metric, the United States fell from first place, or the best, in the mid-1960s to 16th place out of 30 developed countries by 2002. Using the second metric, it has fallen from first place in the mid-1960s to 10th place by 2002. (The safest countries for motorists now are Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.) The United States hasn’t kept up with progress made elsewhere. To achieve meaningful reductions in fatalities and injuries, the next administration’s transportation policy should address driver behaviors such as these: Drunken driving. Distracted driving. Improperly using child seats. EDITORIAL STAFF 313-446-0361 E-mail autonews@crain.com Web site www.autonews.com Keith E. Crain Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Peter Brown Associate Publisher and Editorial Director DETROIT 313-446-0361 Fax: 313-446-0383 1155 Gratiot Ave. Detroit, MI 48207-2997 David Sedgwick Editor dsedgwick@crain.com Edward Lapham Executive Editor elapham@crain.com Richard Johnson Managing Editor rjohnson@crain.com John K. Teahen Jr. Senior Editor Mary Beth Vander Schaaf Deputy Managing Editor Charles Child International Editor David Kushma Retail Editor Dave Guilford News Editor Philip Nussel Special Projects Editor James B. Treece Industry Editor Karen Faust O’Rourke Insight Editor COPY EDITORS: Bob Allen, Tom Fetters, Patricia C. Foley, Kenn Jones, Gregory Skwira Susan Zavela Bamford/Graphics Editor Rick Kranz/Product Editor REPORTERS: Leslie J. Allen, David Barkholz, Mary Connelly, Ralph Kisiel, Jamie LaReau, Arlena Sawyers, Robert Sherefkin, Richard Truett, Bradford Wernle, Amy Wilson Mary Raetz Director, Automotive News Data Center Debi Domby, Camille Pippen Research Assistants Dan Jones Office Manager Robertta Savage Editorial Assistant Corinne M. Price, Michael Garrison Information Center LOS ANGELES Mark Rechtin/Bureau Chief 310-739-8009 Fax: 310-832-6362 Kathy Jackson/Reporter 323-370-2481 Fax: 323-655-8157 6500 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048-4947 NEW YORK Diana T. 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McDonald is assistant general counsel at Volkswagen Group of America Inc. and the author of “Shifting Out of Park: Moving Auto Safety from Recalls to Reason.” Motorcyclists not wearing helmets. Owners not responding to vehicle safety recalls. Initiatives to address those concerns also will require support from the states. The next administration should consider the following: Drunken driving: Of the 42,000 annual fatalities, 18,000 involve alcohol-related crashes. That’s unacceptably high — almost 43 percent. Laws prohibiting driving under the influence have been adopted in every state, but enforcement is low and therefore ineffective. To its credit, NHTSA, under Administrator Nicole Nason, has considered technological solutions, such as an interlock that would prohibit a vehicle from being driven by an impaired motorist. To garner public acceptance, though, any such device would have to be unobtrusive, reliable and relatively inexpensive. Proponents of such devices claim they could save 9,000 lives a year. Distracted driving: A recent study conducted by Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., found that driver inattention is a factor in 78 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes. And a study by the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., found that cell phone users failed to look at the road 68 percent of the time while dialing or answering their phones. The author of a University of Utah study of cell phone use concludes that “impairments associated with using a cell phone while driving a car can be as profound as those associated with driving while drunk.” Drivers must focus on the road. At a minimum, NHTSA should give states incentives to ban texting while driving. Improper use of child seats: The misuse of child safety seats has been estimated at 80 percent nationwide. Kids sitting in incorrectly installed seats or belted improperly are at increased risk for serious injury or death in a crash. According to the Virginia Department of Health, an unrestrained child in a vehicle moving 40 mph would hit the windshield or instrument panel with the same force as if hitting the ground in a fall from a five-story building. NHTSA must devote more effort to providing parents and caregivers with the tools and information needed to protect children. Helmets for motorcyclists: Even though motorcycles account for less than 3 percent of registered vehicles, NHTSA says, motorcycle fatalities represent about 9 percent of all passenger vehicle occupant fatalities. According to the agency, improve- ments in the design of motorcycle helmets have saved lives. In 1989, helmets were 29 percent effective in preventing rider fatalities. That number is now 37 percent. Yet the number of fatal motorcycle crashes in the United States has risen partly because the number of riders who wear helmets has dropped from 71 percent to 58 percent. Responses to recalls: Finally, NHTSA must work with states to ensure that vehicles subject to recalls get repaired. Right now, the agency says, more than 25 percent of people who receive a safety recall letter never get the vehicle repaired. As a result, of the 14.5 million cars and trucks recalled last year for safety issues, more than 4 million unrepaired vehicles are still on the road — and that’s just from 2007. To fix this problem, state motor vehicle departments could require drivers to prove that any safety recall has been performed before renewing an operator’s license or vehicle registration. What do you think? We would like to hear from you. Send a letter to the editor via e-mail (autonews@crain.com) or to the Detroit address near the top of the box at right. Here’s what we need. No more than 250 words Your name and title, company name if we can print it, city and state; or tell us about your connection to the auto industry Your phone number or e-mail address Your permission to print it continued from Page 12 Don’t judge Ford quality by just one car To the Editor: Shame on Automotive News for publishing “Ford’s challenge: Longterm reliability” (Comment, May 12) pertaining to Richard Truett’s experience with his Mustang. One person’s experience with one vehicle hardly tells the complete and accurate story of reliability and dependability for any manufacturer, much less warrants three-quarters of a page in Automotive News. I had my service manager pull Ford’s technical service bulletins, or TSBs, for 2005 Mustangs, and the list of bulletins is extremely low. Truett’s exhaust rattle is listed as TSB #08-03004. Two exhaust clamps go on either side of the mounting brackets. The fix takes approximately an hour to perform. We have had only seven customers with that issue in three years (more than 300 Mustangs sold), and the TSB corrected the concern. The rack and pinion issue is not in the TSB list, and we have never had a complaint about it. As to the paint, there are no TSBs on that either, nor have we had any complaints about paint on 2005 or newer Mustangs. Ford quality is best in many years To the Editor: Richard Truett should spend a Saturday in my store. He would see that every Asian car I appraise after 50,000 miles has an array of lights lit on the dash: Check engine, ABS and whatnot. Truett’s story is not the common one when it comes to Ford quality after the new smell wears off. I have been with Ford as a manager and now a dealer for more than 30 years, and I can tell you our quality is the best I have seen in many years. Yes, we have issues, as do all manufacturers, but quality is as good as if not better than that of Toyota or Honda for sure, short and long term. JOHN MAROTTA SR. Partner and General Manager Freehold Ford Inc. Freehold, N.J. Blame the dealer for poor service To the Editor: I noticed Richard Truett did not mention the Ford dealership that performed the “shoddy” fix on his Mustang. I would have seriously questioned the dealership I was using for service instead of blaming Ford for the dealership’s poor service. The service department at a dealership can make or break a sale. Also, try as an automaker might, there will always be some vehicles that make it out of the plant with hidden problems. It doesn’t matter who makes them. CLIFFORD M. HUSEREAU De http://www.autonews.com http://www.autonews.com http://autonews.com http://www.autonews.com http://www.autonews.com/letters

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - May 26, 2008

Automotive News - May 26, 2008 Bad times? Not for CEO paychecks GM seeks Volt tax break to avoid $40k sticker Ford's big cuts aim for a Honda-sized lineup Automotive News gets new marketing communications director Toyota pushes N.A. suppliers to match offshore prices VW predicts 5% U.S. sales gain Toyota plans 3 plants for hybrid batteries GM's American Axle strike tab: $2.82 billion Lawsuit in Florida targets congressman's dealership Orbiting the blogosphere Kia to build small cars in U.S. plant VW Mexico exec will run North American purchasing Fiat mulls 500 minicar for U.S. GM scraps big rwd sedans for Chevrolet and Buick Hyundai spends like never before to launch Genesis luxury sedan Surprise: Suzuki slides as fuel prices rise GM paid Walter Chrysler a whopping $600,000 a year Chrysler sends mystery shoppers to dealerships Toyota owes royalties on some hybrids GM, American Axle to resume output Ford predicts bigger demand for smaller engines in Escape This is Volvo? Ads sell chic, not just safety An overnight success in 50 years Obama's comments were out of line Japan does it; why shouldn't we? 25% is high, but Chrysler is wise to revisit SCORE Safety efforts must focus on the driver Blame the dealer for poor service Don't judge Ford quality by just one car Ford quality is best in many years Mitsubishi considers piggybacking with Caterpillar suppliers to cut costs Nissan to make lithium ion batteries 'Boss Ket,' Connery inspire Tim Jackson Germany leads rise in Europe sales Court: Buyers must act in good faith to win lemon law damages Nissan wants suppliers to reduce utility bills Bajaj: From scooters to autos The next $2,500 car? Infiniti will look different, add engine power in Europe Lamborghini boss wants to keep the big engines Lamborghini ups ante in 'entry' supercars Continental exec: We're done selling VDO assets Honda plans Fit hybrid Outgoing Visteon CEO to receive $2.5 million Audi production chief: Cooperation with Porsche will grow Picture this RV shipments fall in March M-B will buy Chrysler studio Supplier personnel VW expects to reap big share of U.S. diesel market Valeo CEO Morin: Pass rising costs to consumers Suppliers to the 2008 Nissan Altima Dealers Auction workshops demystify Web buying April used-vehicle prices: Light trucks fall and cars rise Volvo certified plan offers free satellite radio Mulally: Full speed toward smaller Toyota plans credit card Sanfilippo switches agencies International idles plant Honda Pilot starts at $28,230 Plastech plans assets auction What counts GM's 2-pronged strategy for Calif. rules: If you can't beat 'em . . . meet 'em New wheels for the cop shop The cost of luxury? For Hyundai, it would have been $2.5 billion New tools allow early design input from consumers Lexus in the sky with carbon: How ex-Beatle's PR effort tanked Buy an '08 . . . get a .44 $4 gasoline gives new cachet to aging econo-beaters Time tips its hat to Tata Car marketers: Magazines must widen ad reach Automakers seek 'one-to-one' approach to magazine ads Auto ads go to the movies Here's the next big thing: Ads tailored to you GMC courts women with Acadia

Automotive News - May 26, 2008

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