Auto »

NICE DRIVERS
LIVE LONGER

If you are a kind and considerate
driver, chances are you will live
longer, says a study conducted
by Queensland researchers. The
Australian researchers are the first
to show how aggressive driving
can have a poor long-term impact.
Aggressive drivers and those who tend
to get road rage are more susceptible to
crashes; however, the study also shows a
relationship between aggressive driving
and poor health. “Being an aggressive
driver could actually kill you in the long
term,” said researcher Paul Turner.
Researchers used a simulator to test

the reaction of the participant driver to
four types of road users — considerate,
oblivious, aggressive and distracted. The
heart rates and blood pressure prompted
high stress levels when met by an angry
driver. “What it came up with was up
to six years after aggressive road rage
behavior, that person will suffer health
impacts,” Turner said.

*

FEB. 17 HEARING ON SOUTHFIELD OIL DRILLING PLAN

A Traverse City company has applied for permission to drill a well to explore for oil on the
grounds of the Word of Faith International Christian Center at Nine Mile and Evergreen
roads in Southfield. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Oil, Gas
and Minerals (DEQ) has yet to rule on the application of Jordan Development Company.
The DEQ has set a meeting on the application for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb.17, at
Southfield High School on Evergreen Road south of 10 Mile.
Those unable to attend the meeting may submit comments by email to: DEQ-
OilandGasPermitApplications@michigan.gov, or by mail at DEQ-OOGM, P.O. Box
30256, Lansing, MI 48909-7756, by Feb.19. Contact Jennifer Ferrigan of the Office of
Oil, Gas, and Minerals at (517) 284-6826 for more information.
In a Jan. 17 press release, Word of Faith stated, “The well will not be ‘fracked,’”
although protestors joined by Southfield Mayor Ken Siver and State Rep. Jeremy Moss
have questioned the plan.

*

SPEED LIMIT ZOOMING UP

Speed limits on some rural highways in Michigan could be
as high as 75 miles per hour, according to state lawmakers,
who set the new speed limits based on studies that show
how fast most drivers already travel.
“When you look at roads like I-75, that are going to
be raised to 75 miles-an-hour in some sections, it makes
perfect sense. It helps keep traffic moving. And we believe
it’s the place to go right now,” said House Transportation
Committee Chair Peter Pettalia, R-Presque Isle.
Pettalia said he hopes higher speed limits will be in place
in time for summer tourism season this year.

2016 RAM 1500 REBEL
WINS OFFROAD TITLE

Four Wheeler magazine, a popular
off-road enthusiast publication, has
named the new 2016 Ram 1500
Rebel its Pickup Truck of the Year.
“If there’s one word to describe the
Ram 1500 Rebel, it’s balanced,” said
Four Wheeler Editor Christian Hazel.
“No matter what we threw at the Ram
1500 Rebel, it just flat-out worked with
no drama, no excuses and no compromis-
es. The Ram 1500 Rebel was the vehicle
the Four Wheeler judges overwhelmingly

chose not only as the 2016 Four Wheeler
Pickup Truck of the Year, but the vehicle
they’d most like to take home.”
The 2016 Ram 1500 Rebel starts at
$42,790, not including the $1,195 destina-
tion charge.

*

1 IN 7 SUFFER MEMORY
BLANKS ON THE ROAD

NEGATIVE DRIVERS ARE
MORE DANGEROUS

More than one in seven drivers admit
they regularly suffer memory blanks on
the road, according to a British study.
A poll of more than 27,000 motorists
found that 15 percent are quite often or
very often not able to recall the last few
moments of their journey.
Motoring organization the AA, which
commissioned the research, warned
that the figure could indicate that
drivers need to concentrate more. AA
president Edmund King said the blanks
may be due to drivers being distracted
by phone calls, passenger conversa-
tions, listening to the radio or simply
daydreaming.
The worst-affected age group was 25-
to 34-year-olds, with almost a quarter
admitting to regular memory blanks.

A Chinese study finds people who pay
more attention to what’s bad about the
world also get in more accidents.
“The behavioral results indicated that
dangerous drivers had stronger negativ-
ity biases than the safe drivers did. This
indicates that dangerous drivers were
more sensitive to negative information,”
according to the study.
Researchers say drivers with strong
negativity biases reported having been
involved in more car crashes compared
to the less-biased drivers.
“The influence of negativity bias
provides one possible explanation of
the effects of individual differences on
dangerous driving behavior and traffic
crashes,” according to the study.

*

*

*

continued on page 30

Michigan’s Number 1 Audi Retailer,

Audi of Rochester Hills,

now offering up to $3,000.00 in Conquest Discounts off
certain Audi models, to owner’s/lessee’s of 2001 or newer
BMW’s, Lexus’, Mercedes, Acura’s, Infiniti’s or Toyota’s.
Contact Sandy for details on this outstanding promotion
currently offered now through March 31st.

Sanford “Sandy” Greenberg

Certified Audi Brand Specialist, Elite
248-997-7438-Direct
Sandy.Greenberg@edmotorgroup.com
AudiofRochesterHills.com
248-997-7400-main

2050860

February 11 • 2016

29

