Safety

Risky driving behaviors that have become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic were the primary contributor to a 10.5% increase in total fatalities during the first quarter of 2021, despite fewer vehicle miles traveled, according to an “early estimates” report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Federal regulators last month officially opened an investigation into crashes involving Tesla Inc.’s Autopilot system. Jennifer Homendy, the new leader of the government’s transportation safety watchdog, hopes that’s just the beginning.

President Joe Biden redoubled his push for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill on Sept. 7, using flood-stricken areas of New York and New Jersey as a backdrop to underscore the threat climate change poses to critical services.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — BYD North America announced two battery-electric heavy-duty trucks, the Gen3 8TT and 6F, featuring cabs styled by Wolfgang Josef Egger, the renowned former Audi chief designer.

WASHINGTON — Shaken by haunting images of surging rivers, flooded roads and subways and other damage caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, lawmakers from both parties are vowing to upgrade the nation’s aging infrastructure network.

DETROIT — The U.S. government’s road safety agency has added another fatality involving a Tesla to the list of crashes it is probing due to the use of partially automated driving systems.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has awarded a $160 million contract to widen Interstate 65, a key north-south route, the agency announced Sept. 2.

Traffic fatalities grew 10.5% in the first three months of the year even as overall driving declined, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which cited speeding and other risky behaviors that emerged when the pandemic reduced the number of cars on the road.

Trucking companies are contending with obstructed routes, power outages and fuel supply challenges in the wake of Hurricane Ida.