-
Recent Posts
- Bye Sauber – Hi Audi Revolut F1 Team
- Pre-Owned Vehicle Marketing – Stellantis, Cox Automotive
- Chinese Junk Watch Death Risk – Luyuan Youth ATVs
- ICE Vehicle Mobile Apps – Wide Satisfaction Differences
- Sports Betting Tax Revenues Soaring
- IndyCar Cheating – New Independent Officiating for 2026 Series
- Ford Expands Mustang Cup USA Series in 2026
- GM Canada Leadership Change – Jack Uppal new President
- Toyota Enhances Arizona Proving Ground
- Happy Nightmare! Holiday Travel to Set New Record
- First Look – $34,995 Subaru Uncharted EV
- Stellantis and Bolt Partner on Driverless Mobility
- Detroit Auto Show – Official U.S. Route 66 Centennial Project
- Genesis Recall for Sudden Unintended Braking
- Road Hazard – Ford Escape Liftgate Hinge Cover Recall
Recent Comments
- Magna on its Share Repurchase Plan in reference to on Magna Posts Solid Q3 2025 Earnings Gain
- Daniel Ricciardo Global Ford Racing Ambassador on Ford Performance Rebranded as Ford Racing
- Gen 3 2026 Nissan Leaf Less than $30,000? | AutoInformed on Milestones – Nissan Begins Assembly of 2013 LEAF EV in Tennessee
- ACSI – Customer Satisfaction with Autos Dropping | AutoInformed on New DOGE Scorecard Announced to Track Trump
- Cadillac Off-Roader – Elevated Velocity | AutoInformed on Annals of Marketing – Cadillac Opulent Velocity Concept EV
Archives
Meta
Tag Archives: David Harkey
IIHS Safety Award to Use Risky Driver Behavior Tech
Vehicle technology that can detect certain types of risky driver behavior will soon be added to the requirements for a safety award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Institute’s president, David Harkey, announced today during a roundtable on impaired driving organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
“As part of our 30×30 vision to cut U.S. road deaths 30% by 2030, we are committed to addressing the risky – and often illegal – behavior that underlies most fatalities today,” Harkey said. “One way we plan to do that is to leverage our ratings and award programs to encourage automakers to adopt this new class of safety technology, just as we got them to improve vehicle structures, airbags and collision avoidance systems.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, distracted driving, electronics, engineering, insurance, litigation, milestones, news analysis, public health, safety, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David Harkey, IIHS Top Safety Pick+ criteria, insurance institute for highway safety, Intelligent speed assistance, Ken Zino, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, X @KenAutoinformed
Leave a comment
IIHS President – NHTSA Must Act Decisively on Fatal Crashes
Faster, more decisive action is required from America’s vehicle safety regulator is needed “to reverse a drastic escalation in fatal crashes on the nation’s roadways,” David Harkey, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said at a Congressional hearing today.
“The United States is in the middle of a road safety emergency, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is failing to meet the moment,” Harkey said in written testimony submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, which convened the hearing on the state of NHTSA and motor vehicle safety. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, autonomous vehicles, distracted driving, insurance, news analysis, public health, safety, shows and events, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David Harkey, insurance institute for highway safety, Ken Zino, maximum speed limit, safety features on semitrailers, Subcommittee on Commerce Manufacturing and Trade, vehicle automation, X @KenAutoinformed
Leave a comment
Dark Roadways Deadly for Cyclists, Pedestrians
The twice-yearly time change is not a major factor in America’s ongoing road safety problem that some call an emergency. However, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation yesterday held a hearing on whether to continue switching back and forth between daylight saving time and standard time every year.
“Whatever you decide to do about the clock, I hope you will also consider actions to keep pedestrians and bicyclists safe, especially after sundown,” said David Harkey president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in written testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, insurance, news analysis, public health, safety, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David Harkey, insurance institute for highway safety, Ken Zino, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation, X @KenAutoinformed
Leave a comment
Hybrid Crossing Beacons Often Ignored by Pedestrians
Traffic signals known as pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs) allow walkers who need to cross a busy road to evoke a stoplight by pressing a button. However, while the devices are great at getting drivers to yield, many pedestrians don’t bother to activate them before crossing, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. Pedestrians are more likely to activate rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs), even though they’re less effective at getting drivers to stop.
“It’s well-documented that both of these common pedestrian warning signals make drivers more likely to yield and allow walkers to cross the street safely,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “But they can only do that if pedestrians push the button to activate them. This study offers valuable lessons for how we can make that more likely.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news analysis, people, safety, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David Harkey, insurance institute for highway safety, Ken Zino, pedestrian hybrid beacons, Raul Avelar, rectangular rapid flashing beacons, X @KenAutoinformed
Leave a comment
IIHS – Lax Helmet Laws Kill More Than 20,000 Motorcyclists
More than 20,000 motorcyclists who died in crashes in the U.S. since the mid-1970s would have survived if stronger helmet laws had been in place, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. Briefly, If every state had required all riders to wear helmets from 1976 to 2022, a total of 22,058 motorcyclists’ lives could have been saved. The number represents 11% of all rider fatalities during those years.
“Requiring all riders to wear helmets is a commonsense rule not that different from requiring people in cars to buckle up,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “We have an obligation to protect everyone on our roadways through smart policy.” Continue reading
Posted in motorcycles, news, news analysis, public health, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David Harkey, Eric Teoh, insurance institute for highway safety, Ken Zino, National Highway Safety Act, X @KenAutoinformed
Leave a comment
IIHS Pooh-Poohs Merits of Partial Automation Systems
“Everything we’re seeing tells us that partial automation is a convenience feature like power windows or heated seats rather than a safety technology,” said IIHS President David Harkey. Continue reading
IIHS Toughens Front Crash Prevention Testing
“This is a vital update to one of our most successful test programs,” IIHS President David Harkey claimed. “The vast majority of new vehicles now come with automatic emergency braking, and our research shows the technology prevents as many as half of all front-to-rear crashes. This new, tougher evaluation targets some of the most dangerous front-to-rear crashes that are still happening.” Continue reading
IIHS Tightens Top Safety Pick Awards Criteria
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said today that it is making it harder to earn its Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards in 2024. In a never ending battle in the quest for improved safety going back at least to the landmark 1966 National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, IIHS – not without self-interest since it is insurance company funded – wants manufacturers to offer better protection for back seat passengers and to improve their pedestrian crash avoidance systems. The latest changes will improve the prospects for people in vehicles operating in the US. If there is a regulatory debate here, it’s minor and irrelevant in AutoInformed’s view. The preservation and protection of human beings is part of an enlightened society with sound public, corporate and individual policies. The results are indisputable. Despite the more stringent requirements, 71 models qualify for 2024 awards. Of those, 22 earn Top Safety Pick+, and 49 earn Top Safety Pick from IIHS. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, blog, news analysis, people, public health, safety, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David Harkey, Ken Zino, Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com, National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, overlap front test, pedestrian front crash prevention systems, side crash tests, The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards
Leave a comment
Almost All New US Light Vehicles have Automatic Braking
All 20 participating automakers have fulfilled a voluntary pledge to equip nearly all the light vehicles they produce for the U.S. market with automatic emergency braking (AEB), according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Five new manufacturers installed AEB on more than 95% of the light vehicles they produced between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023, to meet the deadline set in a previous agreement.* General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Maserati and Porsche all dramatically increased the proportion of their vehicles equipped with the technology to meet the target. Kia, which was already close last year, also crossed the finish line.
Audi, BMW, Ford/Lincoln, Honda/Acura, Hyundai/Genesis, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan/Infiniti, Stellantis, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota/Lexus, Volkswagen and Volvo fulfilled the voluntary commitment in previous years. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, insurance, safety, transportation
Tagged aeb, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automatic emergency braking, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, consumer reports, David Harkey, insurance institute for highway safety, Ken Zino, nhtsa, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, William Wallace
Leave a comment
NHTSA Proposes Rule Expanding Seat Belt Use Warnings
In 2019, NHTSA published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on a variety of issues related to potential rear seat belt warning requirements. The feedback from the 45 comments received years ago was incorporated [Finally? Slowly?] into the development of the newly issued NPRM. Continue reading
IIHS – Small Crew Cab Pickups Flunk Crash Tests
Most small pickups fall short when it comes to protecting passengers seated in the rear, according to the latest crash test ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released today. None of the five small crew cab pickups IIHS evaluated has a good rating. The Nissan Frontier is rated acceptable. The Ford Ranger earns a marginal rating, and the Chevrolet Colorado, Jeep Gladiator and Toyota Tacoma are all rated poor. The ratings only apply to the crew cab versions. Continue reading
IIHS Toughens Musts for Top Safety Pick Ratings
The biggest change to the criteria for both awards is the replacement of the original IIHS side crash test with the updated evaluation launched in 2021. The updated test involves 82% more energy than the original test. Vehicles must earn an acceptable or good rating to qualify for Top Safety Pick, while a good rating is required for the “plus.” Notably absent from the highest Plus rating are products from what were once called the Detroit Three makers thus far. Continue reading
Posted in awards, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, David Harkey, iihs, Ken Zino, Top Safety Pick
Leave a comment
Deadly Cocktail – Marijuana and Alcohol
“Alcohol impairment is associated with almost 30% of the fatalities on our roadways, and we have made very little progress to reduce this toll over the past three decades. Now we are adding another impairing substance to the mix,” IIHS President David Harkey said ahead of his presentation at the annual meeting of the Governors’ Highway Safety Association in Louisville, Kentucky. Continue reading
Distracted Driving – Cell Phone Manipulation Persists
An Arizona law making it illegal to hold a cellphone while driving cut handheld conversations, but other problems remain, according to a study published today by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In Arizona, the number of warnings issued by state police fell by about a quarter and the number of citations fell by a third between 2021 and 2024.*
“These results are a bit of a reality check. ‘No holding’ laws are a positive step, but it will take more than better-worded legislation alone to combat cellphone distraction,” said IIHS President David Harkey. Continue reading →