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Survey: 19% admit using Internet while driving

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

Distracted driving is an ongoing problem. A new State Farm poll proves once again that the roads are full of idiots. One in five of the 912 drivers State Farm informally surveyed in November admitted to accessing the Internet on their smartphones while driving. The insurance company will conduct a deeper study soon, and the 19 percent who admitted to surfing and driving in this study may actually be low for certain groups of drivers. Teenagers and young adults are more tethered to their phones than just about everyone else, and they’re also the least experienced drivers, a recipe for danger on the roads with a likely higher percentage of smartphone use while driving.

Despite the guilty drivers acknowledging the dangers of paying attention to a device instead of the road, none seem too repentant. “I’m not saying it’s the smartest thing in the world,” says Sean Black, a 38 year old Illinois resident, “but I guess I just do it anyway.” As with texting and driving, or even concentrating more on a phone call than piloting your automobile, many feel that only a near-accident or actual crash is going to modify this behavior. Even then, it will be on a case-by-case basis, and it puts the lives and well-being of innocents at the mercy of those too indolent to change their habits.

[Source: USA Today | Image: Corbis]

Survey: 19% admit using Internet while driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mazda5 priced from $19,990, hits dealerships in January

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivan/Van, Mazda

2012 Mazda5

2012 Mazda5 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We have quite the soft spot for the Mazda5 mini-minivan. It’s a taller, more capacious version of the zippy Mazda3, and it stands totally alone in a class of Americanized small MPVs (until the Ford Grand C-Max arrives on our shores, that is). Mazda has given the 5 a healthy once-over for the 2012 model year, and the automaker has just announced that the swoopy new people-mover will be priced from $19,990 (including destination and delivery).

That sub-$20,000 price point gets you the base Sport model, which has 16-inch wheels, air conditioning, power windows and mirrors, tilt/telescope steering wheel, remote keyless entry and safety features like Dynamic Stability Control and traction control. The $21,990 Touring model adds 17-inch alloys, a five-speed automatic transmission, Bluetooth, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The top-rung Grand Touring ($24,670) will net you a moonroof, automatic xenon headlamps, heated mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, heated leather front seats and an upgraded audio system with Sirius satellite radio.

The entire Mazda5 range is powered by the automaker’s 2.5-liter inline-four (found in the Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-7) that produces 157 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. Base Sport models come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, while a five-speed autobox is the only transmission available on Touring and Grand Touring models.

Look for the 2012 Mazda5 to hit dealerships in January of 2011. For the full details, follow the jump for Mazda’s press release.

Gallery: 2012 Mazda5

2012 Mazda5

[Source: Mazda]

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2012 Mazda5 priced from $19,990, hits dealerships in January originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda prices 2011 Fit Hybrid at $19,310; cheapest gas-electric in Japan

European 2011 Honda Jazz Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

Despite the fact that Honda has no plans – at least not yet – to export its 2011 Honda Fit (Jazz) Hybrid to the U.S., we’ve still kept a close eye on the automaker’s subcompact gas-electric. From the rumors that swirled around back in 2006 to its on-stage debut at the Paris Motor Show, we’ve never lost sight of the Fit Hybrid and its overall importance in the gas-electric segment. Now, as the vehicle launches in Japan, we’re pleased to note that Reuters is reporting that Honda has kept its promise and priced the Fit Hybrid at a mere 1.59 million yen ($19,310 U.S. at current exchanges rate). This makes it the cheapest gas-electric car available in Japan.

Honda reports that pre-orders in Japan for the bargain-priced hybrid have reached nearly 10,000 units. Toppling the nation’s best-seller, the Toyota Prius, though, will require even more consumer interest than that. Under Japanese testing methods, the Fit Hybrid receives a 70.6 mile-per-gallon fuel economy rating, equal to that of the company’s Insight.

Gallery: European Honda Jazz Hybrid

[Source: Reuters]

Honda prices 2011 Fit Hybrid at $19,310; cheapest gas-electric in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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