Teens Biggest Killer

Teenagers think they know more than adults and consider themselves invincible. Convince them otherwise.  Today’s teens are so worldly, we’re sometimes fooled into believing they are more mature than they are.  But teens are still children and they still make stupid mistakes, some of which are fatal. But adults do stupid things too.  And children notice.

Reading the headlines it might seem that the biggest killer of teenagers is drugs.  But that isn’t the case. According to a study conducted by Safe Kids Worldwide and made possible by a $2 million grant from General Motors Foundation, more teens die in motor vehicle crashes than from any other cause of death.  (The second most common cause of death is homicide and the third is suicide according to Safe Kids data from 2010.)  The toll is about 2,500 per year or 8 out of every 1,000 teens. Fatalities are split between teen drivers (56 percent) and passengers (44 percent).  In half of these fatalities, teens were not wearing seat belts.  While the number of fatalities has decreased 56 percent since 2002, behavior has not changed much.

Safe Kids found that half the teen passengers and slightly less than half of the teen drivers who die in fatal crashes are not buckled up and that hasn’t changed over the last decade.  Only about ten percent of passengers and six percent of drivers are unrestrained in non-fatal crashes.

In interviews with about 1,000 teens between the ages of 13 and 19, Safe Kids explored behaviors and thoughts when they ride in cars with other teens.  They learned that teens start riding more regularly with other teens at around age 15.  About ten percent of the 13 year olds traveled in cars with other teens every day or a few times week compared to 23 percent of 16 year olds.  Three times as many 16 year olds die in crashes as 13 year olds.  Research has been done in the past that has shown that compared to teens who are not transporting any teen passengers, having one teen passenger in a car with a teen driver increases the risk of a crash by 44 percent.  Two passengers double the risk and three or more passengers increases the risk four fold.  

Using a seatbelt is one of the easiest ways to prevent fatalities. Safe Kids found that many of the teens who did not use seat belts every time are more likely to have parents who don’t always use them.

Their top reasons for not using seat belts were that they forgot or weren’t in the habit (34 percent), they did not use them if they weren’t traveling far (16 percent), they were uncomfortable (11 percent) or they were in a hurry (five percent).  Teens interviewed think the main reason why other teens don’t buckle up is because they aren’t going far.

Teens learn these habits from their peers, but they also watch their parents behavior.  Teens reported seeing their parents unbuckled, texting while driving, talking on the phone, speeding or under the influence.  While 49 percent said they felt unsafe driving with a teen driver, 31 percent said they felt unsafe driving with an adult. 

Parents can influence their teenagers’ behaviors by driving responsibly always in front of their kids.  That means always buckling up so that it becomes a habit with children before they ever start to drive.

In addition, Safe Kids advocates for strong public policies.  The graduated driver’s license and night driving curfews have lowered risks.  Other best practices that need to be considered include zero tolerance for alcohol, a ban on texting and use of distracting technologies, limiting the number of teen passengers, no violations of mandatory seat belt laws for drivers and passengers, learner’s permit stage starting no earlier than age 16; full driving privileges at 18, at least 50 hours of driver’s education and adult-supervised driving.  Police should not be restricted from stopping drivers for these offenses.  Many states prevent them from doing so unless the driver is speeding or engaged in some other serious violation like running a red light.

Public policies will help.  But the buck stops at home.  Ask your kids to play it safe.

Review of the Honda Odyssey

http://nydn.us/1pXTRlk

Ford Mustang’s 50th birthday party swings at the World's Fair site in Queens

Here's my coverage of the New York Auto Show:


 Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/mustang-50th-birthday-party-swings-queens-article-1.1761244#ixzz2zQOy3mtA

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/auto-shows/50-years-running-horse-2015-ford-mustang-50-year-limited-edition-article-1.1758226

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/auto-shows/2014-new-york-auto-show-tweaks-new-engine-2015-volkswagen-jetta-betta-article-1.1755799

There's tons more at the New York Daily News website.

One Weird Trick, A Blissfully Short Opera

My Buddy-- The 2014 Kia Sorento

There was a girl in my high school who had a Nash Rambler and she called it her Buddy.  I think they were called "Buddies." She said she was going to live in her Buddy when she became an opera singer and travel around in it to her engagements.  Hey, she had dreams.

I thought of the classmate and her Buddy on my drive out to Detroit in the 2014 Kia Sorento for the North American International Auto Show.  The Sorento, redesigned in 2012, could not have been more accommodating on our solo road trip.  It was me traveling to an engagement in a vehicle that felt like my Buddy.  Malcolm Gladwell was on audio reading his treatise, Outliers--a blog for another day.  I had clementines and Pellegrino and a clear road.

We arrived at the Canadian Niagara Falls after dark.  I hit the roof when the hotel wanted to charge me $30 to park my Buddy.  So the desk said my other option was to self park at the Casino Hotel down the street for $5.  Seriously, how long did I need to weigh that decision? Niagara Falls.  January.  NYC parking rates.  No one there.  $30.  I had just had a amazing meal for $25 at Hillebrand Winery.  I got upgraded to a room with a great view of the Falls because of my wheel squeaking about the parking. Staring at the Falls at night with the fog and the light show is a great way to end the evening. I was rested and ready to roll to Detroit after visiting the Falls in person.


My Remington Red Kia is powered by a 3.3-liter V6 engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual capability that produces 290 horsepower and 252 lb.-ft. of torque.  A four-cylinder engine is also available.  My Sorento had all-wheel drive, which I appreciated but ended up not needing.  There's ample power for passing and with cruise control I got on average 24.8 mph.  That's what Kia promises--18 city/24 highway/20 combined.  Most of my driving except for a night of roving in downtown Detroit, was highway.

I piled a lot into the cargo space--computer, suitcase, insulated bag, other bags, a little exercise equipment.
A couple of things made me sit up and take notice.  One:  I used the navigation system relentlessly and it was easy and it got me to the door of every event I was going to without a hassle.  The eight-inch navigation screen is home  navigation, traffic with real-time road information updates, a premium audio system, available subscription to Sirius XM radio, Bluetooth^® hands-free connectivity, vehicle settings and UVO eServices, Kia's next generation of infotainment and services.  The screen has superb graphics and Kia's Uvo telematics seem to operate with a kind of simplicity that is hard to find.  I, who openly will admit that I dislike these systems and find them distracting, actually liked and appreciated this system.  (I can't tell you the number of places I went where I had no idea where I was going but it was right up there with the Amazing Race.)

I drove 1,500 miles solo.  I was completely comfortable throughout the trip.  And when I got back, yes, I was tired, but I didn't suffer back pain.   As a driver I didn't get to star gaze but the panoramic roof is fabulous.


It's always worth mentioning Kia's 10-year, 100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty because it is one of the best in the business.  The basic warranty and the roadside assistance is 5-years, 60,000 miles.

The cost with $1,000 for the split folding third row seat with A/C for this Buddy is $38,550 including destination charge.

Range Rover Sport-- Ridin' High

Amazing, isn't it?  What you can get for $104,000 and change?  I drove the Range Rover Sport V8 Autobiography, the top of the line.  The architecture is monocoque.  Think of an eggshell--the outer skin supports the whole of the egg. In a monocoque-framed vehicle the skin or exterior helps support the load.  That would be instead of a separate body and frame.  Monocoque construction first appeared on the Lancia Lamda in 1924.  The term is derived from Greek and means single shell.

I could have--but didn't have time to--rock crawl, ride the beach, go through some serious mud offroad.  I  have gleefully participated in Land Rover's off-road course at the Biltmore Hotel near Asheville, North Carolina.  But don't get any notions about the course being feather-bedded because of the location--it was a serious course that taught me a lot in a short time.

The Sport was powered by a 5.0-liter aluminum alloy super-charged V8 with 510 horsepower and 461 lb.-ft. of torque.  In other words, "step away from my ride."   And just because I didn't have time to rock crawl, that doesn't mean that Land Rover's permanent four-wheel drive, four-wheel electronic traction control, two-speed electronic transfer box with electronic center differential and active rear locking differential wouldn't skip-hop across the Rubicon in record time.  It does.  It has.  Brakes are 4-wheel, power-assisted disc brakes with an all-terrain ABS system.  It comes with stability control, hill descent assist, emergency brake assist, roll stability control, active speed limiter, electronic park brake and gradient release control.  Think of yourself driving your Range Rover at a 30-degree angle to the ground.  Got the picture?  You're good.  No problem.  Even if you feel nauseous.  The electronic air suspension with automatic load leveling can be adjusted to three different levels--access, standard off-road and extended height. Should you get stuck in the Amazon forest at night when there's no one around to help and your windows are up, engage the anti-trap feature on all windows and go find local assistance. 

Autobiography comes with a chose of 11 extra interior colors, leather, auto-dim side mirrors, contrasting colors, mood lighting, fabulous audio, superior climate control and other comfort adjustments and a panoramic roof.  Just because it's capable off-road doesn't mean you have to suffer.

This vehicle is not for everyone.  But for the individual who wants extreme capability on both ends of the spectrum it is worth considering.  It won't mean much to that person that fuel economy is low, 14 city/16 highway/19 combined, which is about what I got.  The point of owning a Land Rover is owning a Land Rover.  Go crawl.

VW's XL1--into the Future.

Scissor doors open.

I swear, scissor doors are like catnip to guys.  You wouldn't believe how much attention we got driving VW's XL1 in midtown on December 11th.  Men behind the wheels of their Maximas and Bimmers grinning from ear to ear; workmen jumping out of their trucks to ask about the car.  "How much is that car?,"  one asked.  "$145,000, but for you, $138,000," I quipped (and I hope it is not too egotistical to say I quipped).  My colleague had a bus driver stop his bus in the middle of the street, open the bus door and start asking questions about the car--while he was on his bus route with passengers in the bus!

The XL1 looks like a space ship that was inspired by a mango--in our case a bright white mango.(VW says it's a dolphin.)  The vehicle uses everything in the automotive design and engineering toolbox to get 261 miles out of it's battery/diesel powertrain.  Carbon fiber, no mirrors mounted to the doors--these are replaced by small cameras known as e-mirrors (digital outside mirrors) that send images to two displays inside the vehicle, rear wheels fully covered to prevent turbulence, while airflow around the wheelarches is optimized by small spoilers in front of and behind the wheels.  Polycarbonate side windows weigh about a third less than conventional windows.  This two-seater can drive up to 31 miles as a zero-emissions electric vehicle.

Patrick, who showed me around the car clutching a part made of carbon fiber described the car as a technological guidepost for VW's future.  Interesting then, that it has no Nav system (it uses a Garmin--again to save weight and probably money) and it has roll-up windows.   The XL1 weighs only 1753 pounds, has exceptional aerodynamics, and has a low center of gravity. That allows the XL1 to  cruise at  62 mph using  8.3 horsepower. In all-electric mode, the XL1 requires less than 0.1 kWh to cover more than 0.6 miles.

Take a class on graceful entry and exit before getting in the car.

This is the third generation of Volkswagen’s 1-liter car strategy.   The XL1’s plug-in hybrid system consists of a 48-hp two-cylinder TDI® Clean Diesel engine, a 27-hp electric motor, a seven-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission, and a lithium-ion battery.
The 5.5kWh lithium-ion battery supplies the electric motor with 220 volts of electrical energy. The electronics system manages the flow of high voltage energy to and from the battery or electric motor and converts direct current to alternating current. Battery regeneration occurs when the car is slowing down and when the car brakes, at which point the electric motor acts as a generator. The XL1’s 12-volt electrical system is supplied via a DC/DC converter and a small auxiliary battery.  The lithium-ion battery can be charged from a conventional household electric outlet.

As well as boosting the TDI engine under hard acceleration, the electric motor can also power the XL1 on its own for a distance of up to 31 miles. The driver can choose to drive the XL1 in pure electric mode, provided that the battery is sufficiently charged, by pressing a button on the instrument panel is pressed.
Restarting the TDI engine is a very smooth process. While driving, the electric motor’s rotor is sped up and is very quickly coupled to the clutch in a process known as “pulse starting”. This accelerates the diesel engine to the required speed and starts it, so the driver hardly notices the transition. In certain operating conditions, the load of the TDI engine can be shifted so that it operates at its most favorable efficiency level. The gears in the DSG transmission are also always selected with the aim of minimizing energy usage.

 It's a two-seater cabin with only one airbag (weight savings again)  The passenger's seat is as far back as it can go so that in case of an accident there would be no chance of hitting the dash or the windshield.  Still, it's a no-no in the U.S. so the car won't be sold here.  Here the XL1 is an idea --it shows the direction VW is headed technologically.  Just 250 XL1s will be produced at the Volkswagen factory in Osnabrück, Germany.

The XL1 utilizes lightweight and extremely strong molded, carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) construction for the monocoque, meaning the exterior skin provides the main structural support, all exterior body parts, and components such as the anti-roll bars. CFRP parts are as strong as comparable steel or aluminum parts, yet the exterior skin of the XL1 is just 0.05 inches thick.
  A total of 21.3 percent of the new XL1, or 373 lb, consists of CFRP.   Just 23.2 percent (406 lb) of the car being constructed from steel and iron.

In a collision, the extremely strong CFRP monocoque provides an impressive survival cell for the driver and passenger. This is achieved by intelligent design of load paths, including the use of sandwich structures in the monocoque, while the front and rear aluminum crush structures absorb a large share of energy in frontal and rear collisions. The CFRP doors have aluminum impact beams to absorb crash energy and the door frame also minimizes intrusions into the safety cell. A great deal of attention was also paid to extricating occupants in the event of a rollover collision: pyrotechnic separating screws are used to simplify opening of the doors, which ordinarily open upwards.
Compared to manufacturing CFRP in a pre-preg process, the RTM process is more economical—with lower costs at higher volumes—because it can be automated.  Lots of very interesting ideas here for the future.

Fun to drive.  Carbon brakes make noises reminiscent of dentist..

The XL1 uses scissor doors that are reminiscent of a high-end sports car’s. Because they are hinged low on the A-pillars and just above the windshield in the roof frame, they swivel upwards and slightly forwards as well. The doors also extend far into the roof. When they are opened, they create an exceptionally large amount of entry and exit space.  But because the car is low to the ground you better have carbon fiber knees and a sprightly back to enter and exit.  You also need to take a class on entering and exiting the car so that you look really cool instead of old.

Is it a mango or a dophin?  Send your votes.

The design takes an entirely new path at the rear, but the brand values of precision and quality are clearly evident. Four characteristics stand out: First, there is the dolphin body form that narrows towards the rear with highly defined trailing edges, for optimal aerodynamics. Second, there is the coupe-shaped roofline that doesn’t have a rear windshield. Merging into the roofline is the large rear trunklid/hood that covers the drive unit and4.2 cubic feet of luggage space. Third, the strip of red LEDs frames the rear section at the top and on the sides and incorporates the reversing lights, taillights, rear foglamps and brake lights. Fourth, a black diffuser exhibits a near seamless transition to the full underbody.

The car is also designed to reducing rolling resistance, with friction-optimized wheel bearings and drive shafts, as well as ultra-low rolling resistance Michelin tires, sized 115/80 up front and 145/55 R16 at the back. But all this efficiency isn’t at the expense of safety: the XL1 has an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and a stability control program (ESC).