Regular readers may recall that this blog doesn't do recalls, like today's re-do on 1.1m 1997 – 2003 model year Ford vehicles equipped with 7.3-liter diesel engines, including the E-Series van, Excursion, and F-450 Super Duty and F-550 Super Duty trucks. They're too damn many recalls, and we risk incurring the wrath of the bias bashers if we cover one brand's recall and neglect another's. But this little non-recall GM gem caught our editorial eye. Trading Markets reports "General Motors Corporation (GM) has determined that certain model year 2005, 2006 & 2007 Cadillac STS passenger cars equipped with sunroofs do not fully comply with paragraph S4(e) of 49 CFR 571.118, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems." That's because "for 60 seconds after the vehicles are started, if the engine is turned off and a front door is opened, the sunroof module software allows the sunroof to be closed if someone in the vehicle activates the control switch." Which is no biggie because "the following sequence of actions must occur: Driver starts engine, driver turns off engine, and driver or front passenger opens a front door. After this sequence of actions and still within the 60 second time frame, occupants must take additional actions: Push the sunroof close switch and position an occupant to create the risk of sunroof entrapment." Still, you have been warned.

As if diabetes, cardiac problems and the inability to tie one's shoes aren't enough, DAIJIWORLD (West India's gate to the rest of the World) reports that obesity increases a persons chance of fatal injury while in a car. According to a study led by the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the obese tend to have a lower rate of seat belt usage– which translates directly into a higher fatality rate where accidents are concerned. The report could reignite the debate over seat belt extenders, which some manufacturers provide free of charge and some don't, for insurance reasons. (Reported by our own RF for The Detroit News/AP back in '04.) Not surprisingly, one of the sponsors of this research was State Farm. How long before we have to divulge our body-mass-index on insurance forms? 

Don Norman thinks cars are too safe. In an interview with BusinessWeek re: his new book, The Future Design of Things, the design guru says he's changed his view of technology. Previously, Norman said machines should adapt to their users. Now he says humans are much more adaptable than machines, so human should take the time to learn to use a machine properly– instead of blaming the machine when it doesn't work as expected. iDriving home the point, he zeroed-in on all the technology aimed at making cars safer: "…a problem with automation in cars is that we can forget that driving is dangerous. How can we ask car drivers to be alert when it seems like not much is happening when they're in an automated car?" Normal wants automakers to provide "natural feedback" of hazards in the environment– instead of isolating the driver from them. For example, when it's raining, the sound system should amplify the noise instead of muffling it, alerting the driver to be more alert. He's also of the opinion that technology needs to be simpler to use and more intuitive, obviating the need for a thick user manual to figure it out. Which contradicts his first point, which, in Norman's circles, is called an enigma. 

A British driver was killed after his Volvo literally flew into a first floor (American translation: second floor) flat (American translation: apartment). The Daily Mail reports that John Gordon entered a roundabout on the A15 in Werrington, Peterborough and somehow clipped a tree. His car became airborne, bounced, somersaulted then crashed backward into the flat's lounge (American translation: living room) which 19-year-old Laura Stevens had vacated literally seconds before. Gordon died of his injuries later that day, but his nine-year-old son escaped with cuts and bruises. There weren't any details about how fast he was going or other contributory factors that would explain how the Volvo managed to achieve liftoff. [Click through for a truly mind-boggling photo. And thanks to Starlightmica for the link.]

Pistonheads reports that the UK's anti-speeding Holy War continues apace. Actually, it continues to gather force. "The [above] figures were released by the Government in response to a parliamentary question and showed that in some areas speeding fines had increased tenfold." In general, the '05 stats represent a doubling of the number of speeding camera tickets issued from '97, and slightly more than a fourfold increase in ticket revenues over the same time period. Ostensibly, that's not the point. Supposedly, the cameras are designed to improve road safety (as if you didn't know). On that score, The Department for Transport clings to its pro-camera rationale like an eighteenth century English bureaucrat defending America's tea tax. "The best safety camera is the one which takes no fines at all, but succeeds in making everyone slow down. Independent research shows a 42 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured at camera sites – that means more than 100 fewer deaths each year." To which Paul Smith of the SafeSpeed anti-camera pressure group says bollocks [paraphrasing]. "We have only seen a seven percent improvement in [road deaths in] the last eight years. This is absolutely terrible performance and it is perfectly clear to me that 'bad road safety policy' is responsible."

Since 1994, some twenty U.S. police officers have burned to death after their Crown Victoria police car was rear-ended. According to Safetyforum, that's because the Panther-platformed police car's gas tank is flawed in two critical ways. "(1) it is located in the crush zone behind the rear axle, where it is most likely to be rammed into the axle, suspension system or other components and ruptured in a crash; and (2) it lacks protective shielding." Ford continues to defend itself against fire-related Crown Vic police cruiser lawsuits and refuses to pay for fire suppression systems for the estimated 400k Crown Vics patrolling American highways and byways. The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Ohio Department of Public Safety is joining those police forces using public funds to address the weakness. The agency plans on spending $643,850 on FIRE Panels to protect its 1630 Crown Vics. Wrapped around the gas tank, the FIRE Panel shatters in a collision and releases a cloud of fire suppression powder. One problem: "Capt. Brigette Charles, chairwoman of a committee that has studied cruiser safety in Ohio since 2003, called the FIRE panel devices 'junk.'" Ford has a more active fire suppression system, but it's pricier still. 

And there you have it: Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi's rationale for switching Samoa's cars from left to right hand drive. The Prime Minister's unilateral decision has unleashed unprecedented public dissent, especially from car owners who don't care to see their vehicle's value tank overnight. Radio New Zealand reports that over a thousand motorists are set to march (not drive?) in protest at the plan. Meanwhile, as the Prime Minister's "common sense" defense didn't seem to convince his skeptical electorate, Malielegaoi recently argued that the switch to right-hand drive will help the archipelago's populace cope with global warming. The New Zealand Herald reports the spin: the switch will spur rural residents to import cheap right hand drive cars from their New Zealand relatives, making it easier for Samoa's coastal citizenry to move inland, away from rising sea levels. Needless to say, the real reason behind the move is undoubtedly financial. Samoa currently imports vehicles from America and Japan. New Zealand and Australia figure the nearby island is a natural market for their right hand drive automobiles. What's the bet Samoa's neighbors have been working behind the scenes to "open" the Samoan car market to their products? 

Now that's what I call a marketing! The Associated Press reports that Ford has settled a four-state class action lawsuit regarding the rollover dangers inherent in Ford Explorers sold from 1991 to 2001. As part of the deal, Ford has agreed to provide plaintiffs with a $300 voucher that can be applied to the purchase of any Ford, Lincoln or Mercury product; or a $500 voucher for a new Explorer. (Needless to say, the vouchers are transferable to anyone living in the same state as the plaintiff.) The settlement also requires Ford to distribute information about SUV rollover dangers and to limit safety claims in its advertising (our SUVs are safe-ish?). Safety campaigners are spinning the deal as a major win for consumer rights, albeit in their own special way. "The $300 or $500 vouchers should be enough to cover the cost of optional electronic stability control systems on new vehicles," pronounced consumer advocate Rosemary Shahan of California-based Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, blissfully unaware that Ford's stability control system is now standard on the Ford Explorer, SportTrac, Expedition, Edge, Escape; the Mercury Mountaineer and Mariner; and the Lincoln Navigator and MKX. 

Alabama state troopers were kept busy with their "Take Back Our Highways" campaign, writing almost 17.5K tickets during Thanksgiving week. According to the Birmingham News, officers wrote over 11k citations for "dangerous driving" which included 8.8k speeding tickets. They also handed out 170 citations for DUI, 245 for tailgating, 104 for improper lane changes and 2.2k seat belt or child restraint violations. In spite of their best efforts, there were still 637 crashes resulting in 253 injuries and 21 deaths in the state. While the injury rate was lower than the same time last year, the death rate was up due to an alcohol-related accident in which a drunk driver in a pickup truck hit and killed a mother and her four children in a van.

A press release from the lemon law firm Kimmel and Silverman claims that the sliding doors fitted to the 2005 and 2006 model year Chevrolet Uplander, Saturn Relay, Buick Terraza and Pontiac Montana are prone to popping open at speeds above 45mph. Attorney Bob Silverman says GM service managers blame the problem on dirt and debris fouling the soon-to-be-extinct minivans' door sensors. Luckily for Silverman (and not so lucky for his clients), "there are plenty of consumers who are returning to the dealer time and time again, only to hear that the service manager can't diagnose and/or fix the problem." Silverman claims his company has handled over 100 sliding door cases in the past two years, scoring full or partial refunds for his clients. Although the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has received more than two dozen complaints, no safety recall is planned. Meanwhile, Silverman has some sage advice for afflicted owners: "Make sure that each time you pick up your vehicle, you receive a repair invoice which clearly outlines your complaints and the repairs. Once you have three or more repair invoices for this problem, look into your rights under your State Lemon Law and/or the Federal Magnuson Moss Warranty Act."

According to a study by Monash University Accident Research Centre, silver vehicles are 10 percent more likely to crash than their white counterparts. While black vehicles are even more hazardous to one’s vehicular health– accident rates are 12 percent higher than white cars'– the Aussie researchers are particularly keen to diss silver. One-third of new vehicles sold Down Under sport this hazardous hue. Dr. Stuart Newstead attributes the bent silver fenders to the color’s low contrast, particularly in fading light and cloudy conditions. Newstead recommends using headlights or daytime running lights to improve visibility. Better still, buy a white car. Representatives from the Oakland Raiders and BMW designer Chris “Axles of White Power” Bangle were unavailable for comment.

Well neither does the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, apparently, as it's not going to issue a safety recall for the 3.5 million full-size GM pickups and SUVs built in 2003 and 2004 at risk of speedo failure. GM says it will repair faulty units– as long as the trucks so afflicted have less than 70k miles on the [hopefully functional] odometer. KXAS-TV tells the tale of a GM customer who disagrees– but can't do a damn thing about it. "The speedometer in Sonia Martin's truck makes her look like a speed demon. With her husband on disability, Martin said she can't afford the $400 it would cost to fix it. 'I didn't have that kind of money, and I took it to two different dealers… You have to hope and pray you're not going to get a ticket or get in a wreck or get run over by a semi.'" After learning that Ms. Martin's truck is only 1k over the limit, GM told the TV station that dealers can make free repairs in cases where the mileage is close to the limit. So… why didn't they? Once again, GM and its dealers show their true stripes. 

The United Nannies Nations has decided that all new European trucks and "tourist coaches" must be fitted with electronic stability control (ESC) to reduce the carnage on European roadways. A press release from a meeting which took place in Geneva last week states ESC in these vehicles "could ultimately save over 500 deaths and 2500 serious injuries per year in the European Union." Under the agreement, which the EU plans to enforce, ESC will be required on heavy vehicles approved under Regulation 13 of the UN Economic Commission for Europe. Reg 13 (fitting number, by the way) is "a braking regulation widely accepted not only in Europe but also in many other parts of the world." The requirements for heavy vehicles will be phased in by 2010, with agreement on requirements for light vehicles expected in 2008 "by means of a global harmonised regulation on light vehicle control." Now let's all join hands and sing "Kum-bah-ya" as we relinquish control of our vehicles to those who want total control of our lives know what's best for us.

Automakers are adding more and better safety features into new cars, right across their model lines. Needless to say, the insurance industry is down with that. According to MSNBC, the number of cars considered “safest” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has grown by nearly 300 percent. Last year, 13 vehicles made the list. This year, 34 new models can tout an IIHS “top safety pick” award. Ford joined Honda on the virtual podium to claim the largest number of vehicles garnering the gong. According to the report, Toyota could have had 10 additional vehicles on the list (and Volkswagen four) if they offered better seat- and head restraint designs. Sidestepping the criticism, Toyota spokesperson Bill Kwong diverts your attention points out that their ‘08 vehicles have active headrests, which provide a “great level of safety for the customer in the real world.” 

Provided you have "otherwise healthy habits," Scott Fruin reckons the ultra-fine particulates you inhale during your daily commute are the worst injury your body experiences on a daily basis. The assistant professor of environmental health at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) conducted a "Marco! Polo!" study of those pesky little toxic molecules that can penetrate your cell walls and disperse throughout your body. Ward's reports that the USC team jumped into a camera-equipped electric vehicle and simulated an LA commute, monitoring air quality. "In the 1.5 hours average drivers spend in their cars every day, they are exposed to 33%-45% of the harmful air pollution they breathe in," Fruin reveals. “Shortening your commute and spending less time in the car will significantly reduce your total body burden of harmful pollutants.” (Not to mention the stress of trying to get around slow-moving, taxpayer-funded EVs.) “The extent that (diesel trucks) dominated the highest concentration conditions on freeways was unexpected." But not unwelcome– at least from a legislative point-of-view. Fruin's anti-fine particle stance lines-up nicely with California's campaign to clean-up tailpipe pollutants from the diesel trucks plying its highways and byways, and the California Air Resource Board's insistence on the world's toughest diesel emissions regulations.