Fuelishness! Feed: Holiday gas prices up from 2008; Yes, we always wanted efficient cars; Fleets use technology to save fuel; NASCAR getting greener
- Gas prices chugging higher as holidays near — Americans are paying more for gasoline than they did last year as the holidays approached – billions of dollars that could go to books, clothes and Barbie dolls instead being spent at the pump. Gas averaged nearly $2.70 a gallon Friday, the highest of the year – adding bad news to an already fragile economy and making it even less likely that people will spend their way out of the recession.
- GM Insider Admits Company Knew Consumers Demanded Efficient Vehicles Decades Ago — McManus conducted research for GM. He even admits to changing survey results to fit with corporate beliefs. As McManus said, “The survey would estimate that people would estimate fuel economy fairly highly. Being a good economist, I said, ‘No, they don’t,’ and I changed the results. [...] Our job was not to seek the truth, but to justify decisions that had already been made.”
- Truck Fleets Prioritize Fuel Savings, High-Tech Features — Fleet owner demands for fuel savings, environmental benefits and high-tech features now outweigh brand names as companies make buying decisions, according to a global IBM study. The study shows trucks will become more fuel efficient, environmentally sound and safer due to the adoption of new technologies throughout the vehicle, which will also help truck manufacturers differentiate their vehicles as brand names become less important.
- NASCAR, rooted in fossil fuels, turning over new, green leaf – The Green Challenge was developed through a joint effort by the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency to create protocols for making racing greener by promoting advanced propulsion and fuel technologies. The Department of Energy has met with NASCAR officials, and an official says the government wants racing to help develop technology that’s less polluting.
National Teen Driver Safety Week (Continued) – Impact Teen Drivers
We left last week with a message from John Henry of EcoDriveSmart that the real challenge for improving teen driver safety is one that can’t be jammed into one week a year. He’s right of course, so we’ll continue it on an ongoing basis throughout the year, adding it to the mission of FuelClinic and the Fuelishness! Blog.
I will bring you the best information I can find, as I find it. Please bring resources to my attention that you want to get highlighted here. Information like this:
Recently a comment was left by a Fuelishness! blog reader (thank you Martha!) about an outstanding public awareness campaign from California called Impact Teen Drivers. There is a collection of resources for parents and educators to help explain and teach the dangers of distracted driving to teenagers. Recently they released this excellent video…
Since 2008, Impact Teen Drivers has been working to share with teens the dangers of reckless and distracted driving through their effective campaigns online and in schools.
Our message to young people is simple, yet vital: Focus on the road ahead and get to where you are going safely.
There is a related website called “What Do You Consider Lethal” that merits a visit itself. I’ll take a closer look at it in the future.
Houston We Have a Problem – Feedback?
Back in June I took a first look at a new movie called “Houston We Have a Problem” – now there is an updated theatrical trailer (see below) and some recent screenings in select cities and film festivals (right now at the Austin Film Festival).
Houston We Have A Problem is about America’s ferocious appetite for oil from the insider’s perspective of the Energy Capital of the World – Houston Texas. The film explores our dangerous addiction to oil through candid insights from the Barons, Wildcatters, CEO’s and Roughnecks that comprise the world of Big Oil. Oilmen on oil addiction.
Has anyone been able to see the film? What did you think?
Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 5) – The Real Work of Improving Teen Driver Safety is Just Beginning
by John Henry, EcoDriveSmart, Inc.
While the The National Teen Driver Safety Week is coming to an end we should actually be thinking of it as a beginning. If we can put all this effort in to the problem of teenage crashes in one week per year, then we owe it to them to come up with a solution, after all we are the one’s giving them guidance. Most of the time, once a teen has passed the state driving test the only other updated driver education the teen receives is when he/she has to addend traffic school because of a traffic ticket.
With almost 30 years of combined law enforcement and driver training experience including being a licensed State Driving Instructor and State Approved Road Test Examiner, I have attended a large number of horrific crashes that involved inexperienced drivers, almost all of these crashes could have been avoided. Believe it or not, the Eco style of driving when taught correctly will help both inexperienced and experienced drivers; it will cut down road rage, excessive speeding and bad road judgment to name a few.
In the USA car crashes kill and injure more teens every year than guns, drugs, suicide, alcohol and violence combined. That is totally unacceptable!
Inexperienced Driver Facts:
• About 900,000 U.S. teens report they were drivers in at least one crash within a 12-month period.
• About two-thirds of fatal teen crashes involve driver error – making mistakes due to inexperience and distractions.
Our Eco and Defensive Driver Training Programs are geared toward but not limited to teenage drivers that have passed the minimum state driving test are great programs for parents that are concerned with teaching their teens to drive safely. Courses like these use the latest driver training technology to give an assessment of their training experience, provide critical ongoing monitoring of performance, and allow parents to become more involved in their teens driver training beyond the coursework and in-car sessions.
Driver Distraction: Gas Station TV?
I’ll admit that fueling a vehicle isn’t the most exciting thing to do, however there is a certain amount of attention required. So I was surprised (not really) to see this video of at least one station making the effort to add a television set on top of their fuel pumps.
According to this video (and news to me but not really news) is that some stations (Speedway?) have installed “Gas Pump TV” – to entertain and advertise to customers while they fill their tank.
Besides being a nuisance, could it be a distraction at a time when you should be paying attention to the fact that you are pumping gallons of a highly flammable liquid into one of the most expensive things you own that also may be occupied by a few friends and family members sitting inside at the same time.
I’m wondering if anyone else has seen similar systems, if so where?
Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 4) – The Growing Problem of Texting While Driving – Finding Solutions
Utah Department of Transportation and its public safety partners have created a program called Zero Fatalities, and recently released a powerful 15-minute documentary addressing the growing problem of texting while driving today. View the video below.
The intent is to alter the public’s current perception that traffic fatalities are an inevitable reality that must be accepted. Instead, by making minor changes to our driving behaviors, our roads will become safer for drivers and passengers. We can prevent the deaths of thousands of people.
Traffic fatalities are preventable – not inevitable, yet they are the leading cause of death for children, for teens, and for everyone between 3 and 33 years old. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, your chance of dying in a car crash sometime in your life is one in 84. How many crashes can be prevented each year if everyone in the car is properly restrained, or not drunk, or drowsy, or speeding?
There are techniques and emerging technologies that can help remind drivers to ignore their phone and text messages while driving.
Washington DC has a law against cellphone use (without a hands free device) and texting while driving within the district, and has created a public awareness campaign website that includes a page full of downloadable ring tonesthat simulate a police siren closing in on your vehicle to remind you that you may be getting a ticket if you answer the phone. Another ringtone reminds you “This phone does not have a hands free device, please do not answer this phone.”
Another similar technique that is a powerful reminder to not answer the phone while driving is to record a short message from your loved ones, asking you to come home safely and not answer the phone while you are driving.
But what do you do if simply ignoring a call or email is not acceptable to you. There are a few apps you can choose from that will intercept your email and text messages and automatically reply with a short message that you are currently driving, and will respond to the message as soon as it is safe to do so. One such system is ZoomSafer (which you can try for free), and they have an excellent video online that demonstrates how this system works.
When will mobile phone and messaging device manufacturers get on-board and offer similar functionality right out-of-the-box with each handset they sell?
Many multi-function communication devices already come with a “Plane Safe” mode so that you can listen to your music from your phone while flying, why not a “Drive Safe” mode that uses the built-in GPS and G-force sensors to recognize the phone is moving at road speeds, and offer an option to defer calls and texts until later?
What are your thoughts?
Help Me Caption This Image – Win a $50 Gas Card (CLOSED)
THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED… WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY
I’m constantly looking for ways to quickly and succinctly describe the goals and objectives of FuelClinic to people who are not yet familiar with our concepts.
I’ve had an idea for a few months kicking around in the back of my mind for a graphic that shows a schematic-like “common” car illustration with a “smart” or “green” driver behind the wheel. I’ve managed to kludge together a quick mock-up, that roughly illustrates my idea:
Now I need help with the caption… I struggled with a few like the one you see above, as well as others like ”Key To Efficient Driving Exists Between the Seat and Steering Wheel” … you get the idea, but I think we can do better.
So, I’m asking you to submit your suggestions for a great caption to this illustration - one that is creative, catchy and most clearly describes the positive effect of improved driving habits in helping create safer, smarter, more efficient drivers.
Add your suggestions in the comments section of this post. Use your real email address so we can track back to you if your caption is selected. I along with a small group of judges will choose a winner from the suggestions we get. I will send a $50 gas card to the person who submits the winning caption for this illustration and your caption will be used in the final version of this image on our website and in some marketing material.
UPDATE: We will be picking a winner from all entries on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 — winner to be announced on Monday, December 7, 2009
National Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 3) – Survey Reveals Which Distractions Are Considered More Dangerous by Drivers
A recent survey by LeaseTrader.com sampling 3000 drivers provided some interesting insight into the distractions that are perceived to be most dangerous by drivers.
LeaseTrader.com polled more than 3,000 drivers nationwide and asked men and women if there are other more dangerous distractions. Texting while driving is getting all the attention right now but you might be surprised at what people had to say.
LeaseTrader.com, the nation’s most popular online marketplace for car lease transfers, set up the survey to take the pulse of American drivers.
Results for men (click to embiggen):
Results for women (click to embiggen):
What do you think of these results? An interesting opinion poll or an indication that distracted driving training and awareness programs need to address a much wider array of problems? Is texting while driving underrepresented somehow?
National Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 2) – Public awareness campaigns needed to highlight the dangers of distracted driving
This week is National Teen Driver safety week, and our youngest and most novice drivers are at greater risk of injury and death from unsafe and distracted driving. There are many stats related to teen driver accident rates. One of the most shocking is that sixteen-year-olds are involved in more than five times as many fatal crashes per mile driven as adults.
What is “Distracted Driving”?
While the ABI doesn’t have a strict definition for “distracted driving” they imply that it includes driving drowsy, talking on the phone or texting while driving, speeding or being aggressive, and basically not paying attention to the road. This is a pretty broad array of behaviors but the popularity of cell phones over the two decades and the increase in road rage certainly helped the rate of “distracted driving” fatalities shoot up.
As text messaging and cellphone addiction increases, and the availability and variety of in-car gadgets continues to grow, the potential for distracting drivers long enough to reduce reaction time and rob drivers of that critical second or two that could mean the difference between accident avoidance or tragedy.
Improving Public Awareness
Public awareness of distracted driving is gaining momentum thanks to the efforts of driver safety groups, municipal governments, the Ad Council, and the recent debate on Capitol Hill that resulted in President Obama placing a ban on all text messaging while operating a government vehicle or while operating a vehicle while on government business.
Private insurance companies as well as trade organizations are also getting involved in improving teen driver safety. The Century Council has created this excellent distracted driving poster (which you can download from their site.)
The Century Council has also created an excellent online e-card and game called “The Concentration Game” that demonstrates to driver the impact of distractions on a seemingly simple navigation task like driving home from the store. As you try to solve the maze, your concentration is broken by unexpected distractions. This is a good one to share with your family and friends.
Public awareness campaigns like these really do work. Take for instance the Safe Communities of Wright County who created a series of effective billboards that…
…according to a 2006 Star Tribune article, crashes have dropped nearly 25% since the campaign began and phone surveys found that 73% said they were more aware of the risks of distracted driving. Other states have adapted the billboards and the campaign has even been included in a recent marketing textbook.
Tomorrow we’ll talk more about distracted driving, and go over an interesting public opinion study that sheds some light on one of the biggest perceived driver distraction threats that we have not yet mentioned!
Public Awareness Resources for today:
- Safe Communities of Wright County — Safe Communities of Wright County (SCWC) is working to change the odds of crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities. Since its inception in 1997, it has sponsored innovative traffic safety initiatives throughout Wright County and its efforts are being felt for each citizen and driver who passes through. Severe injury and fatality rates have dropped 34 percent since 1997. That statistic has remained constant despite Wright County being identified as one of the fastest growing counties in the Unites States.
- Century Council Teen Drivers Initiative — As part of our involvement with teen driver safety, The Century Council has produced an interactive initiative called The Concentration Game which mimics distractions a driver may face. We encourage you to play the initiative and embed it on your website. Additionally, if you are a motor vehicle administrator or professional driving instructor and would like to download a poster to display in your place of business as a reminder to not drive distracted.
- Join the Driver Distraction Group at LinkedIn — a professional group of legistlative, legal, enforcement, engineering, sales and human factors people who discuss issues related to driver distraction study and mitigation.
If you know of any other related public awareness campaigns, please post a link and short description to their website in the comments section.
National Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 1) – The need for improved driver education for novice drivers
In 2007 the US Congress established National Teen Driver Safety Week to take place during the third week of October. This year we will work to bring you information and resources that you can use to help reduce the risk to yourself and the younger novice drivers in your family or your social groups.
Today, we’ll review the summary or facts presented by the CDC concerning the risks to young drivers, and a call for improved driver education standards in the US. As is usually the case, our children benefit greatly from the educated and responsible involvement and active participation from their parents.
From the CDC:
Motor vehicle-related injuries are the biggest health threat to teenagers in the United States, accounting for two of five deaths among teens ages 16 to 19 years. The crash risk is highest for drivers 16 years of age due to their immaturity and limited driving experience.
Most traditional driver education provides classroom training about the rules of the road and a few hours of behind-the-wheel training. Research suggests that this approach is not effective in reducing the crash risk among newly-licensed teen drivers. Driver education programs may be improved by teaching psychomotor, perceptual, and cognitive skills that are critical for safe driving, and by addressing inexperience, risky behaviors, and other age-related factors that increase the crash risk among young drivers. However, more research into these factors is needed before they can be addressed effectively.
Inexperience increases the crash risk for new drivers of all ages. However, younger novice drivers crash at higher rates than older novice drivers. These higher crash rates may be due in part to developmental factors such as peer influence, poor perception of risk, and high emotionality. Research about such developmental characteristics could increase our understanding about why young drivers have higher crash rates and could help to improve driver education programs and licensing policies.
A growing body of research indicates that close parental management of teen drivers can lead to less risky driving behavior, fewer traffic tickets, and fewer crashes. However, many parents tend to be less involved than they could be. A recent study indicates that parents can be motivated to increase restrictions on their newly-licensed teens, at least during the critical first few months of licensure. A model intervention, the Checkpoint Program, led to increased parental limits on teenage driving at licensure and three months after licensure.
Teen Driver Resources for today:
- Allstate Insurance Company — offers a website called Allstate Teen Driver that helps parents understand the need to get involved with their children’s driving, and gives advice on how parents can help their teen drivers understand the importance of driver safety.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — offers a collection of fact sheets, research, and activities that will help you understand the scope of real risks to young novice drivers, and links to other resources you can use to talk with your teen drivers about their safety.
- Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association — offers a collection of national teen driver statistics, with links to Colorado and Utah specific break downs of similar statistics.
Please feel free to post links to other teen driver safety resources you have found to be helpful in the comments section of this post.
FuelClinic in the Orlando Sentinel today
Today there is a nice article about FuelClinic by Steven Cole Smith in the print edition of the Orlando Sentinel (Section G2), our big hometown paper.
…In a nutshell, FuelClinic.com is “a driver-improvement system that helps create safer, smarter, more efficient drivers,” according to the company Web site. “In consumer applications this system helps families save money on fuel, reduce [carbon] emissions, find deficiencies in inexperienced or young drivers, and helps motorists become generally safer and more professional drivers.”
Bragg also is working on a professional application targeted at businesses and fleet managers that, he said, helps them train employees, reduce fuel expenses and reinforce safety initiatives.
Bragg said one of his goals is to take the idea of fuel savings more mainstream, away from the traditional dedicated, hybrid-driving environmentalist who makes a second career out of saving fuel. Bragg is not telling people that they have to buy a Toyota Prius — he still has that four-wheel-drive truck, in fact — but he is saying that by modifying your driving habits, your routes and other easily manageable changes, you can save a lot of fuel, and a lot of money… ( read the rest )
Judging from new user sign-ups, the article is a huge hit. I’d like to welcome all of the new members, and ask that you let me know what you enjoy about the site, and what you’d like to see changed or improved.
How to ensure people’s transportation and at the same time be sustainable?
by Lincoln Pavia, The MelhorAr Project
The better that the economy of a country is, the greater the demand will be for transportation and the larger the impact will be on the public transportation service and the emission of CO2, with obvious repercussions on the traffic of towns and cities.
The MelhorAr (Improve Air) Project of Sustainable Mobility arose from the need to develop a culture concerned with managing the demand for mobility in a sustainable manner in order to reduce the use of individual transportation, responsible for 70% of the occupation of the earth and for the problems arising from this option such as pollution and investments in modal infrastructure, as well as to discuss alternative, more sustainable means for cities.
Evaluating the current models of mobility of the large global urban centers, the MelhorAr Project opted to develop projects focusing on the corporate market, responsible for a large part of the transportation in cities, both of workers and of the distribution of consumer goods. This work model is unique throughout the world, as most consultancies perform with governments.
Nowadays the projects of sustainable mobility are still for the public sector, especially in Europe, where the main focus is on modal integration (interconnection between modes of transport) as a means of encouraging people to walk or cycle in order to reduce the pressure on public transportation. In developing countries where a large part of the population does not earn enough to use public transportation, the option for these cases is to get about on foot. However, to the extent that the economy becomes stronger in developing countries, these people end up opting for individual means of transport, as a large part of the public transportation does not cater efficiently for this new public of the layers D and E. Moreover, the most serious problem is the nonexistence of modal connections, so that people travel most of their route using a single mode. The challenge now in our country is to increase the options of collective means of travel without burdening towns and cities with works of infrastructure and investments in transportation which increase the social, economic and environmental impacts. In developed countries (G8), people usually choose to displacement by car, increasing pollution and affecting the quality of life of the population. Making life unbearable in the city.
The most urgent challenge is to execute an inventory count of the emissions of public and private collective transportation. It is true that while most emissions come from individual means of transport, the automotive industry is already investing millions of dollars in building more economical, hybrid and electrical models and adapting their engines to cleaner fuels, although the traffic will continue to increase. In the collective transportation sector, we do not yet have an inventory count of emissions of the journeys made. The Public Sector will have to do its homework executing an inventory count of its fleet of buses, trains subway trains, etc. The metropolitan train and subway companies will be increasing their capacity of attending to the public by increasing their networks, which will generate a greater emission of CO2 as the Brazilian and others countries generation of power depends upon thermoelectric stations. The pertinent question is how much power will these increases require? Countries has the capacity to build hydroelectric and thermoelectric stations, but will they be sufficient to cover the demand of new consumers, electric cars, collective electrical transportation?
How will the private sector of collective transportation be able to complement this demand with a quick, cheap, more efficient and sustainable public transportation?
Read more
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