Newsletter roundup covering such recent news as rising traffic fatalities in the U.S., the ongoing Takata airbag recall, and Toyota's recall of RAV4 SUVs over problems with the rear seatbelts.

1. NEWS You Can Use
From the Walker Advertising Research Desk 2/24/16
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Courtesy news clipping service provided to clients of Walker Advertising. All material is copyrighted by respective
publications. For copies of complete articles, contact your sales rep or Walker Advertising at 1-800-4WALKER.
1. Motor Vehicle Deaths Increase By Largest Percent In 50 Years
Adapted from National Safety Council, 2/17/16
U.S. traffic fatalities in 2015 rose 8% year-over-year to an estimated 38,300 people, according to
preliminary estimates from the National Safety Council. This is the largest year-over-year increase in
national traffic fatalities in 50 years. In addition, an estimated 4.4 million people were seriously injured
on America’s roadways, meaning 2015 was probably the deadliest year for motorists since 2008. Only
thirteen states showed a substantial decrease in traffic fatalities compared to 2014. Traffic fatalities in
California rose 5% year-over-year to 3,249. The combined cost of motor vehicle collisions—including
deaths, injuries, property damage, wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, administrative
expenses, employer costs, and property damage—amounted to $412 billion. The NSC said that while
many factors likely contributed to the increase in fatalities, lower unemployment rates and a strong
economy were probably the main drivers of the trend.
2. VW Bucked Takata Air Bag Recall
Adapted from L.A. Times, 2/13/16
According to documents posted online by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Volkswagen (VW) initially resisted U.S. government efforts to recall its cars to fix potentially faulty
Takata air bags. The automaker allegedly told safety regulators a recall was unnecessary, noting most of
its vehicles had airbag inflators made at Takata Corp.’s factory in Freiberg, Germany. That factory
allegedly did not have the problems that plagued Takata’s facilities in Mexico and the U.S. VW later
agreed to the regulators’ request, recalling 850,000 Audi and VW vehicles nationwide. A small number
of the vehicles, beginning with model year 2012, have inflators made at the Mexican facility. A letter by
Christopher Sandvig, general manager of group customer protection, to regulators expressed the
automaker’s belief testing would demonstrate the safety of Takata inflators made at the German facility
and at the Mexican facility after 2011.
3. Toyota Recalls 3 Million RAV4s Over Seatbelt Seperation
Adapted from N.Y. Times, 2/18/16
Toyota is recalling 2.87 million RAV4 SUVs globally because, in a crash, the rear seatbelts could be
severed by metal seat-cushion frames. Slightly less than half the recalled vehicles are in North America.
The recall also covers other regions such as China, Europe and Japan. The defect is the suspected cause
of seatbelt separation in two crashes, one of which included a passenger fatality.
4. Seniors Taking Prescription Sleeping Aids May Be Highway Risk
Adapted from Consumer Affairs, 2/19/16
Women and seniors taking prescription sleep medications that contain zolpidem have an elevated
motor vehicle collision rate compared to people who are not taking the drug, according to two
researchers at the University of Alabama. The researchers postulated the higher collision rate was due
to the side effects of such medications, which include impaired coordination and drowsiness upon

2. NEWS You Can Use
From the Walker Advertising Research Desk 2/24/16
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Courtesy news clipping service provided to clients of Walker Advertising. All material is copyrighted by respective
publications. For copies of complete articles, contact your sales rep or Walker Advertising at 1-800-4WALKER.
waking. In North Central Alabama, the five-year unadjusted motor vehicle collision rate for people
taking zolpidem was 46% higher than for non-users. Women had a 65% higher collision rate, while men
had a 23% higher collision rate. For drivers age 80 and older, zolpidem users had a collision rate 124%
higher than non-users.
5. Farmworker Union Activities Are Trespassing, Group Says
Adapted from L.A. Times, 2/12/16
On February 10, The Pacific Legal Foundation, a conservative land rights group, filed a constitution
challenge to a 40-year-old regulation that grants unions limited access to private property so they can
interact with workers. The suit is believed to be a response to a preliminary plan by the Agricultural
Labor Relations Board to send people into the fields to tell farmworkers about their rights. The plan has
faced strong opposition from growers, who fear the state’s farm labor watchdog will mix policing with
education.
6. Officers Accused Of Sex Assaults On Duty
Adapted from L.A. Times, 2/18/16
On February 16, the county district attorney’s office filed a complaint against two officers from the
L.A. Police Dept. for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting several women. Some of these assaults
reportedly occurred while the officers were on duty. Court records show the men allegedly threatened
their victims with arrest if they failed to comply with the officers’ demands. The complaint alleges Luis
Valenzuela and James Nichols repeatedly assaulted four women from 2008 to 2011. They face more
than a dozen felony charges. One victim settled a lawsuit against the department for $575,000.