Posts Tagged ‘Phoenix’
Texting Bans Impractical, Says Arizona Official
Friday, September 25th, 2009
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the dangers of distracted driving, most notably the disturbing trend in accidents caused by text messaging behind the wheel. Legislation is being passed to make the penalty for texting while driving steeper, but one Arizona highway safety official doubts that the stricter laws will provide a real solution to the problem.
“Texting and driving is a horrendous practice,” said Alberto Gutier, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “But we also need to look at the whole issue. It’s not text messaging only; it’s all distracted driving.”
Gutier said that the city of Phoenix has only issued a handful of tickets since issuing a citywide ban on texting while driving in 2007. “I’ll support anything that saves lives, but it’s almost impossible to enforce and even less easy to prove,” he said.
The Arizona state legislate rejected a bill earlier this year that would have fined drivers 50 dollars for texting or talking on a mobile phone without the use of a hands-free device. If involved in an accident, the fine would rise to 200 dollars.
“People do dumb things while driving,” Gutier told Cronkite News Service. “A national, local and state media campaign on the dangers of texting or using the phone is as important as a law on the books.”
Make sure that your drivers know the dangers of texting and driving, and promote the use of hands-free devices while talking on a cell phone.
Tags: Arizona, Governors Office of Highway Safety, Phoenix, texting
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Nitrogen Tire Inflation Becoming Available to Fleets
Friday, June 26th, 2009
Nitrogen gas is steadily overtaking standard air when it comes to inflating tires for your vehicles, and one Phoenix based company is now offering their services to companies with fleets and the trucking industry.
In an article posted on The Auto Channel, NitrogenMan just completed installation for Safeway grocery stores to fill their vehicles with nitrogen. Tests, on tires filled with nitrogen, have shown it improves handling, fuel efficiency, and up to a 40% longer tread life.
Because Nitrogen is an inert, dry gas, it allows the tire to run cooler than with normal air, which creates a more consistent tire pressure, despite the weather outside. In turn, tests show this reduces the need for maintenance and the possibility of a blowout on the road.
The Auto Channel also reports that industry studies found that “Nitrogen-inflated tires can increase fuel economy by between 4 and 10%.”
Safeway, which is one of the NitrogenMan’s first major clients, plans on completing the conversion of the grocery store’s fleet of 320 trailers and 80 tractors by August.
Nitrogen tire inflation has not only seen an increase with truck fleets, but also with auto dealers offering the service on new car purchases.
For more information on Nitrogen inflation, check out the full article here.
Tags: fleets, Nitrogen, NitrogenMan, Phoenix, Safeway, The Auto Channel, trucking industry
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