By John Marsh, Editor & Publisher
More Bad News on Risky, Distracted Driving
Like many of you who read last month’s report from AAA on the percentage of drivers across age groups who perform risky maneuvers and drive distracted, I was chagrined to read yet more confirming news on the subject. Such reports have gotten to be a very sad drone, with driving deaths (especially those directly related to distracted driving) reaching their highest levels in a decade.
Guess what: The advent of the smart phone was 2007, and it is no coincidence that distracted driving deaths have risen in tandem with the rise of social media and ever-more-engaging uses of smart phones (and the crack-cocaine allure of the pings and other noises alerting users to yet another Instagram post or tweet that they just can’t resist looking at; or the beyond-ludicrous features in some apps that let you post the speed you’re traveling while you take a snap, and so on.)
But before pointing the finger at all young drivers, know this: Yes, drivers 19-24 and 25-39 are the two worst offending groups. But the next-worst is drivers 40-59! Interestingly, the 16-18 group is almost identical to the 75+ group in its somewhat less “offensive” percentage, while the 60-74 group is the least offensive.
It all gets even scarier when you drill down to the local level, as many local news organizations have done lately. Here’s one dispiriting article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution with the jarring take that “Last year, 1,554 people died in motor vehicle accidents in Georgia, a 33 percent increase from 2014 when 1,170 were killed.” That’s more than twice the national increase for that period. Yea, Georgia! Our already terribly unsafe roads in and around the metropolis of Atlanta just keep getting less safe. (And all of this despite rapidly increasing safety features on autos.)
If you need some ammo to educate someone (whether it’s a Millenial or a younger Baby Boomer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association has a nice distracted driving page on its site that contains some useful info.
Boa Closure System Launches New Website
Boa, the closure system now in the cycling shoes of at least 22 brands, and pretty well the de facto industry standard, just launched a new site tohighlight its technology and play up its touted lifetime guarantee. We’ve covered the technology over the years and reviewed numerous shoes that feature it. Here’s a quick search link listing all of our coverage.
The new website, TheBoaSystem.com, focuses on educating consumers about Boa, including the varying configurations across products and sports – everything from golf to snowboarding to cycling to emergency first responder gear, and more. Additionally, as the company continues to stand behind The Boa Guarantee, customers can easily request replacement parts directly from the website.
Boa promises “an increased involvement in product design and development,” working with brand partners to “develop unique fit solutions and achieve the ideal design through customized dial, lace, and guide configurations.” You can already see the evolution of Boa systems in cycling shoes, ranging from shoes that feature a combination of hook-and-loop (or buckle) and Boa to shoes that use only Boa from toe to tongue. Different approaches are surely on the way, and at Interbike this year we even saw a seat bag that uses Boa.
Of course, some shoe makers (Northwave is one) have developed their own Boa-like closure systems. (We’re in the process of reviewing some Northwave shoes right now.) But like MIPS in helmet technology, Boa remains the dominant player.
Leave a Reply