Archive

Should collision-avoidance systems become standard issue? Part I

Some of the vehicle safety features that we now take for granted have not been around all that long. It is difficult to imagine driving a car without seat belts or air bags. But after each was invented, there was a period of time in which they were optional “luxury” items that customers had to… read more

NHTSA working on tech to eliminate drunk driving accidents

Each year, some 10,000 people are killed in drunk-driving accidents on U.S. roads and highways. And while some of the victims are the drunk drivers themselves, many are innocent individuals (including children) who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Drunk driving and DUI accident rates used to be much higher than… read more

What caused the deadly balcony collapse in CA this week?

At this point, most Roseville readers (and Californians in general) are well aware of the tragedy that occurred in Berkeley earlier this week. During a birthday party at an apartment complex near the UC-Berkeley campus, a fourth-floor balcony collapsed suddenly, dropping 13 people down about 50 feet onto the street below. Six of those victims… read more

California led the nation in 2014 dog-bite insurance claims

The idea that dogs frequently bite mail carriers has long been a cliché. But like most clichés, it is rooted in truth. According to the U.S. Postal Service, approximately 5,767 postal workers nationwide were attacked by dogs in 2014. Postal workers obviously face higher risks because their job involves walking on the properties of dog… read more

Is distracted driving really worth the risks?

Whether or not we realize it, many of our decisions in life are based on an immediate cost-benefit analysis. Behavioral rewards are weighed against risks, and we choose accordingly. And while we usually get things right, we often make the wrong decisions as well. Why do some errors leave us feeling like we did our… read more

With self-driving Google cars, speed gets traded for safety

Most Californians are well aware of Google’s project to develop fully autonomous vehicles. While many universities and private companies are working on perfecting the technology of self-driving cars, Google’s efforts are especially noticeable, as their vehicles have already logged more than 1 million miles of test driving, most of which were on California roads. So… read more