Frank Ahrens: Why it's so hard for Toyota to find out what's wrong

Members of Congress are generally lawyers and politicians, not engineers. But they are launching investigations and creating policies that have a direct impact on the designers and builders of incredibly complex vehicles -- there are 20,000 parts in a modern car -- so there are some basics they should understand. Chief among them: The only way to credibly figure out why something fails is to attempt to duplicate the failure under observable conditions. This is the engineering method.

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U.S. may require brakes that can override gas pedals in new cars

The Obama administration is considering requiring all cars and trucks sold in the U.S. to have brakes that can override gas pedals to prevent sudden acceleration problems like those that led to reports of deaths and the recall of millions of Toyotas, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told Congress on Tuesday.

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Toyota considers Corolla recall

Toyota is considering a recall of its hot-selling Corolla subcompact after complaints about power steering problems

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Feds bar commercial drivers from texting

WASHINGTON - The Transportation Department said Tuesday it is prohibiting truck and bus drivers from sending text messages on hand-held devices while operating commercial vehicles.

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States go after texting drivers

The fight against distracted driving may be at a tipping point as 23 states debate legislation to ban texting while driving, a practice 19 states already prohibit.

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Distracted Drivers Beware: A New Group Aims to Stop You

Today, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Janet Froetscher, president of the National Safety Council, announced the creation of FocusDriven, the first nonprofit organization devoted to combating distracted driving and supporting victims of distracted drivers. The group is modeled after the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving, except that it aims to stop people from driving while distracted.

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LG Mobile Phones Steps Up Battle Against Mobile Misuse With Broadened Text Education Initiatives for 2010

LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. (LG Mobile Phones) today stepped-up it programs to address the issues of safe and responsible mobile phone use. Building on its highly praised teen campaign that combats mobile phone misuse, LG is unveiling broader multi-platform program for 2010.

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Energy-Saving Traffic Lights Causing Accidents

Cities discover LED bulbs don't burn hot enough to melt the snow covering them

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Safety Coalition Calls for Stronger Traffic Safety Laws

Parents, teens, medical personnel, firefighters, insurance executives, and safety advocates join Rep. Castle to urge enactment of national STANDUP Act to accelerate state passage of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws for novice teen drivers.

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Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest

Drunk driving is one of America's deadliest crimes. In 2008, 11,773 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. The holiday season can be particularly dangerous for travelers on America's roads. This is why State Highway Safety Offices around the country are working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and their state and local partners to take part in the national Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. crackdown on impaired driving throughout the holiday season.

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