Nader Holds Four-Day Conference to Commemorate Fiftieth Anniversary Year of the Publication of Unsafe at Any Speed

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2016 -- Today, September 9, 2016, marks the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson's signing of the National Highway Traffic Safety Act, a result of Ralph Nader's landmark book Unsafe at Any Speed, which was published the previous year. The book opened with the faulty rear suspension system of the General Motors Corvair, This defect could cause the Corvair to skid violently and roll over. The corporate negligence that had produced the various Corvair defects, Nader said, was "one of the greatest acts of industrial irresponsibility." More broadly, Unsafe at Any Speed documented how Detroit habitually subordinated safety to style and marketing concerns. The main cause of automobile occupant injuries, Nader demonstrated, was not the "nut behind the wheel" so often blamed by the auto industry, but the inherent engineering and design deficiencies of motor vehicles that were woefully unsafe, especially in terms of "crashworthiness"—no seat belts, etc.

The Car Care Council announced its partnership with Family Service Day®, an award-winning organization with a mission to help independent automotive businesses do well by doing good. Family Service Day’s flagship initiative, Keeping Cars Kickin’, is a program where repair shop owners and employees across the country provide necessary preventative maintenance and car-care education at no charge to local families who need help caring for their vehicles.

“We are thrilled to welcome Family Service Day as a partner in our efforts to strengthen the automotive industry and provide services designed to make vehicles last longer, perform better and keep drivers safer,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “The Family Service Day program parallels the mission of our organization to promote the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair.”

Gas prices have fallen for eleven of the past 12 days, reaching today’s average of $2.18 per gallon. Drivers are saving two cents per gallon compared to one week ago, but are paying five cents per gallon more on the month. Overall gas prices remain lower than last year due to the relatively low price of crude oil with drivers saving an average of 18 cents per gallon compared to a year ago.

The national average price for unleaded gasoline is expected to keep moving lower as we head into fall barring any unexpected disruptions in supply or spikes in the price of crude oil. Pump prices typically decline during this time of year due to lower driving demand after the busy summer driving season has concluded and the changeover from summer-blend to a cheaper-to-produce winter-blend gasoline, which takes place in many parts of the country starting on September 15.

Penton's WardsAuto unveils its first list of best automotive user experiences, to be honored at WardsAuto UX Conference, Oct. 4

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Penton's WardsAuto announced the Wards 10 Best User Experiences list of 2016. The inaugural selection of the best "user experiences" in today's vehicle yields a list with three American automakers, three German, three Japanese and a Korean, illustrating that every major market in the world is engaged in this vital and rapidly growing aspect of vehicle development.

The evaluation drills deeply into the user-friendliness of vehicle systems designed to engage occupants while minimizing distraction and frustration, preventing accidents and improving safety in neighborhoods and on the highway.

ATLANTA, Sept. 15, 2016 -- Will you be able to get a "steal" when buying or leasing your next set of wheels? While negotiation tactics matter, experts say that timing is a bigger factor than shoppers may realize when it comes to getting a great deal on a new car.

September is an exciting month for bargain hunters with summer clearance and back-to-school sales. Likewise, car dealers are in the prime of summer selldown season, when they try to clear their lots of the outgoing model-year vehicles to make way for new inventory. Accordingly, September is an excellent time to buy or lease a new or used vehicle, and the editors at Autotrader are offering tips to guide shoppers through this process.

"To maximize your chances of getting a great deal on your next car, carefully consider the time of year, the time of the month and even the time of day that you plan to buy, as these things can really make an impact," said Brian Moody, executive editor at Autotrader. "Once you've done your homework to figure out what vehicle you want and what you should pay for it, grab your calendar and get strategic.  For a better chance at driving away in your dream car, take advantage of the leverage you have in the end-of-year car shopping season."