Most people know that electronic flight data recorders -- also known as "black boxes" -- are a critical source of information to aircraft crash investigators. Yet most motorists don't realize that if they're driving a newer model car, especially from General Motors Corp. or Ford Motor Co., chances are good that their vehicle also has a device that can record accident data, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Traffic safety experts and makers of these types of devices are pushing for more widespread use of this technology, which they say can lead to safer cars, better drivers, lower insurance rates and faster accident investigations. In October a Southern California firm will go a step further by selling a black box to parents who want to monitor the driving habits of their teenage sons or daughters, according to the Chronicle.