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Fewer people being killed in car-truck collisions, study finds

Death rates in crashes between big trucks and cars dropped 64 percent in 2008-09 compared with 2000-01, according to an insurance-industry study of government data. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety cited changes in vehicle design, particularly for SUVs and pickups, as a key factor in the decline. The number of deaths for car and minivan passengers involved in crashes with larger vehicles fell from 44 per million in 2000-01 to 16 deaths per million in 2008-09, the study found.

NY Times reporter says he followed Tesla's advice

A New York Times reporter says he was following the advice of Tesla employees when he drove an electric Model S sedan beyond its indicated range in an effort to reach a recharging station. Responding to a blog post by Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk highly critical of his original article, Times reporter John Broder on Thursday said he did not set out to sabotage the test drive -- refuting one of Musk's most-damning points. Broder also refutes Musk's claim that he drove the car around a parking lot in a deliberate attempt to fully discharge the battery -- Broder says he was looking for the recharge station in a poorly lighted rest stop at night.

Tired drivers carry on at the wheel

A QUARTER of UK motorists have admitted to driving while tired in the last six months, according to a survey. Of these, 42% opted to carry on behind the wheel rather than take a break, the survey of 2,000 adults by insurance company esure found. Carrying on while fatigued was worst among 18-34-year-old drivers, while Londoners were the ones most likely to continue when tired.