DRIVE TIME
Child safety seat warns when used improperly
By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer
Transportation notes from around the world:
• A new child safety seat is drawing lots of comments from across the country.
The seat, called the Tattle Tale, was developed as a result of industry research that suggests child seats are installed improperly by consumers as much as 90 percent of the time.
New Lenox Baby Products
The Tattle Tale uses a five-point harness system and sensors to detect when the seat is installed improperly or when the buckle is released.
The Tattle Tale safety seat uses sensors to detect improper installation.
If a child isn't sitting properly or the buckles are unfastened, a soothing woman's voice says: "Warning. Car seat is loose."
The seats are available for $189.95 and $199.95 at www.smartchildseat.com.
• Speaking of child safety, road experts say the lives of up to 2,000 children could be saved each year if parents buckled them up in the back seats of their cars instead of allowing them to ride in the front.
Research shows that rear seats are 35 percent safer than front seats, said Chuck Hurley, executive director of the Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign, a unit of the National Safety Council.
• Light trucks — pickups, sport-utility vehicles and minivans — outsold passenger cars in calendar 2002, 8.5 million to 8.3 million.
Of the top 10 industry nameplates in sales, six were trucks, sport utilities or minivans and four were cars. Three of those cars wore a Japanese nameplate — Toyota Camry and Honda Accord and Civic; only one, the Ford Taurus, was an American brand.
Information to help you get around O'ahu: • TheBus: For schedules and other information, call 848-5555 or visit www.thebus.org. • Vanpool Hawai'i: 596-8267 • Trafficam: Check out traffic conditions at more than 20 major intersections around Honolulu. • Road work:
• New York City's basic bus and subway fare will increase to $2 from $1.50 starting May 1.
Commuting
Officials said the increase is needed to close a two-year budget gap of $977.9 million.
• If you can afford one of those new BMW Z4 roadsters, maybe you'd be interested in this:
For $2,385, BMW will let you and a friend test drive one of its new Z4 roadsters on its proving grounds in the backwoods of South Carolina.
The price includes two days of driving, accommodations in a local bed-and-breakfast and meals.
Mike Leidemann's Drive Time column runs Tuesdays. Reach him at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.
