What’s New: In brief (January 08, 2007)

Changes to Nova Scotia’s graduated driver licensing (GDL) program that would include a strengthening of the blood alcohol content restriction on new drivers and an extension of the learner’s stage of the program has gained applause from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).
Acting Transportation and Public Works minister Jamie Muir announced that “the program will get an overhaul in the next few months.”
Many of recommended improvements stem from a study by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) that compared graduated licensing programs in Canada and around the world to develop “the ideal GDL model,” says an IBC release.
Research has found that, in Nova Scotia, collisions involving novice drivers declined by 19% in the first year after GDL was implemented.
For a complete copy of the TIRF report visit www.ibc.ca.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has tested the smallest vehicles sold in the US for the first time.
As fuel prices rise, the popularity of these “minicars” such as the Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Chevrolet Aveo and Hyundai Accent, to name a few has also risen, says an IIHS release.
Statistics show that driver death rates in minicars on average this type of vehicle weighs 2,500 pounds or less – are more than double any other vehicle category, information from the institute notes.
“Despite the safety trade-off, more consumers are buying minicars,” says IIHS president Adrian Lund. “This is why we tested them.”
Cars were rated for comparison of occupant protection in front, side and rear crashes.
The Nissan Versa earned good ratings in all three tests while the Hyundai Accent and the Toyota Yaris did well in the first two categories, but lagged in the rear crash test.
For more information on the study visit www.hwysafety.org.