October 13, 2014 By Julian Aston Leave a Comment

IN: The Dangers Of Distracted Driving: Don’t Text & Drive

Dear Valued Customer,

In this issue of “——————-” we focus on the dangers of distracted driving.

There are numerous distractions that could endanger a driver and their passengers. Text messaging is by far the most alarming distraction because it requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver.

The best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses. Read on to find facts and statistics that are powerfully persuasive. If you don’t already think distracted driving is a safety problem, please take a moment to learn more. Please share these facts with others; together, we can help save lives.

We appreciate your continued business and look forward to serving you.

Kind regards,

October 13, 2014 By admin Leave a Comment

What Is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:

Texting
Using a cell phone or smartphone
Eating and drinking
Talking to passengers
Grooming
Reading, including maps
Using a navigation system
Watching a video
Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.

The best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses. On this page, you’ll find facts and statistics that are powerfully persuasive. If you don’t already think distracted driving is a safety problem, please take a moment to learn more. And, as with everything on Distraction.gov, please share these facts with others. Together, we can help save lives.

Got questions? Visit our FAQ! Want even more information? Look at sample research reports.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, “WHAT IS DISTRACTED DRIVING?” http://www.distraction.gov website. Accessed November 28, 2015. http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html

© Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.

October 13, 2014 By admin Leave a Comment

Key Facts & Statistics

The number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes decreased slightly from 3,360 in 2011 to 3,328 in 2012. An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, this was a nine percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in 2011.
As of December 2012, 171.3 billion text messages were sent in the US (includes PR, the Territories, and Guam) every month.(CTIA)
10% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.
Drivers in their 20s make up 27 percent of the distracted drivers in fatal crashes. (NHTSA)
At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010.(NOPUS)
Engaging in visual-manual subtasks (such as reaching for a phone, dialing and texting) associated with the use of hand-held phones and other portable devices increased the risk of getting into a crash by three times. (VTTI)
Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded. (2009, VTTI)
Headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use. (VTTI)
A quarter of teens respond to a text message once or more every time they drive. 20 percent of teens and 10 percent of parents admit that they have extended, multi-message text conversations while driving. (UMTRI)

October 13, 2014 By admin Leave a Comment

State Laws

For the most current information on State laws, please refer to the map below.

Click on an individual state or territory to learn more on its specific laws.

44 states, D.C. Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers.

12 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving.

Note: A primary law means that an officer can ticket the driver for the offense without any other traffic violation taking place. A secondary law means an officer can only issue a ticket if a driver has been pulled over for another violation (like speeding).

July 15, 2014 By admin Leave a Comment

If Your Child Is Headed Off To College, Remember To Study The Insurance Implications

The parents of college students moving to on-campus or off-campus housing should review their insurance policies to make sure their children’s personal possessions are covered while they are away at school, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

Before a child heads off to college the I.I.I. recommends taking the following steps:

Create a ‘dorm inventory’—a list of items the student plans to bring to school, along with its estimated value. To make this process easier, the I.I.I. has created free Web-based software, available at KnowYourStuff.org. Be sure to note specific high-value items such as a computer, camera or musical instrument and scan receipts into the system in order to document their retail value. Having an up-to-date inventory can help determine how much insurance to purchase and get insurance claims settled faster in the event of theft, fire or other types of disasters.
Contact your insurance agent or company representative—college is a major life event that may trigger the need for changes in insurance coverage, so ask about the insurance implications of a son or daughter becoming a full-time student and determine if supplemental insurance is needed. And, don’t forget to ask about discounts or ways to reduce costs.

Some homeowners and/or renters policies include protection for a college student’s personal possessions (e.g., a TV, clothing and furniture) away from home, if they live on-campus and the student’s property is stolen or damaged. Other policies may limit the amount of coverage for a college student’s belongings to 10 percent of the total amount of a policy’s overall coverage for personal possessions. So if parents have $100,000 worth of personal possessions insurance for the family’s primary residence, for example, only $10,000 would be applicable to possessions in their youngster’s dorm room. In both cases, the student’s possessions would be covered for the same disasters that are in a standard homeowners or renters insurance policy. These perils would include, fire, theft, vandalism and natural disasters such as a hurricane. The student would not be covered for typical college type mishaps such as accidently spilling coffee on an expensive electronic device.

Items such as jewelry and musical instruments may be subject to dollar limits under a standard homeowners or renters policy. If these limits are too low, parents may want to consider buying a personal property floater or an endorsement to their homeowners or renters policy. This provides a higher amount of insurance and broader coverage. Most jewelry floaters, for instance, include additional coverage for “mysterious disappearance.”

It may make sense for students to leave expensive jewelry at home or store it in a safe deposit box. Floaters for storing jewelry in a safe deposit box are generally less costly and many insurers will let you take jewelry out and wear it if you let them know in advance.

Parents may want to look into acquiring stand-alone policies for desktop computers, laptops, tablets and iPads, and other electronics as they may provide coverage against accidental damage, liquid spills and other events not included under a standard homeowners or renters policy. Keep in mind that if you are using a credit card to buy such items, some insurance protection may also be available through the card itself.

Students who live off-campus may not be covered under their parents’ homeowners or renters policy and may need to purchase their own renters insurance coverage.

Other Coverages to Consider

Auto Insurance: If the student has been driving the family car and will now be away at college, at least 100 miles from home, make sure you let your insurance company know. You may be eligible for a discount on your auto insurance. If your son or daughter has their own car, it is very important to let your insurance company know if the car will be at school or left home, as the cost of the insurance will be based on where the car resides. Many auto insurance companies will also give a discount to students who get good grades at school.
Tuition Insurance: This coverage refunds a significant portion of semester tuition and on-campus room and board when a student withdraws at any time during a semesterdue to a covered medical reason, including emotional, nervous or mental disorders or the death of the student. There is no coverage if the student voluntarily withdraws from school. Student loans used to pay for college costs can also be covered by the policy. Tuition insurance is available to students through participating colleges and universities, including some graduate programs, and is provided by third-party insurers; these policies cost anywhere from 1 percent to 3 percent of tuition per semester. The average tuition cost for U.S. private schools in 2010 was $27,293 per year, according to the College Board, a nonprofit organization that keeps track of higher education information.

Source: Insurance Information Institute, “If Your Child Is Headed Off to College, Remember to Study the Insurance Implications” http://www.iii.org website. Accessed December 2, 2015. http://www.iii.org/press-release/if-your-child-headed-college-remember-study-insurance-implications

July 15, 2014 By admin Leave a Comment

Credit 101: Send Students Off To College With A Plan For Managing Debt & Building A Solid Credit History

In today’s difficult economy, many college students are turning to credit cards to finance their education, using them for everything from everyday necessities to books and tuition. Unfortunately, this can result in an excessive amount of debt that can affect their credit score, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

Students are using their credit cards more frequently and racking up more debt than in years past. According a 2009 study by Sallie Mae, a leading provider of student loans, the average undergraduate carried $3,173 in credit card debt in 2008. College seniors graduated with an average of $4,138 in credit card debt, up 44 percent from 2004, the last time the study was done. The study found that nearly 30 percent put tuition on their credit card, an increase from 24 percent in 2004. In total, 92 percent of undergraduate credit cardholders charged textbooks, school supplies, or other direct education expenses, up from 85 percent in the previous study.

“College students are finding it much harder to make ends meet because everything is more expensive in today’s economy and interest rates on credit cards have gone up. If they’re not careful, by the end of the year, many students will have dug themselves into a financial hole that will be very difficult to circumvent,” said Loretta Worters, vice president with the I.I.I.

Eighty-four percent of all incoming freshman will have a credit card when they arrive on campus and most undergraduate students will have four or more cards by the time they graduate, according to Sallie Mae.

Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of theNational Consumers League, pointed out that young people are frequently unaware that their bill paying history will affect their credit history. “Many graduates don’t think they need to worry about their credit score until they need a mortgage to buy a house. It can come as a shock when they find out that employers routinely access credit scores as part of the application process.”

According to the College Board’s Trends in Student Aid Report 2010, 65 percentof private nonprofit bachelor’s degree recipients had an average student loan debt of $26,100 in 2008-09, an increase from 63 percent, with an average debt of $22,300 (in 2009 dollars) in 1999-2000.

“Learning how to manage student loans, credit cards and other debt is essential for college students,” said Worters. “Establishing financial skills early on and working to build a good credit standing will affect their lives both now and in the future.”

A person’s credit history begins with their first credit card. And good credit can help savvy college graduates save money in the following situations:

Applying for a Job. Potential employers now routinely check a person’s credit history as part of the hiring process. With many applicants vying for positions in today’s tough economy, a solid credit history may provide a competitive advantage in the job market.
Renting an Apartment. Landlords often rent to the applicant with the best credit history. In many urban areas, available housing is at a premium. Those with a good credit history will more easily find an apartment to rent and may avoid a larger security deposit and/or the need to have the lease co-signed by a guarantor, such as a parent or an employer.
Signing Up for Utilities. Local phone, cable, electric and gas companies will on occasion waive cash deposits for customers with solid, established credit histories.
Securing Loans. Having a better credit history makes it easier to get a car loan or mortgage, often at a more competitive interest rate.
Insuring Your Auto or Home. Having good credit can ultimately save consumers money on auto and homeowners or renters insurance, through a stronger credit-based insurance score.

Insurance scores are different from credit scores and it is important to understand the distinction. Your credit score is a number that represents your overall credit worthiness; predicting the likelihood of delinquency or non-payment of credit obligations. It encompasses everything you have ever done credit-wise, from your very first credit card to the regular bills that you pay.

Your insurance score, on the other hand, is based in part on your credit score, but it involves other factors pertaining to your insurance history. For example, with auto insurance, information about age, gender, income, the number of car insurance claims you have made, Department of Motor Vehicles points, your timeliness with payments, etc. all factor into the equation that determines your score. Insurers use this score to determine whether you are a good risk to insure.

In order to develop a good credit rating, parents and students need to work together on a financial plan for college. Specific educational expenses including tuition, room and board, books and fees can be viewed as “good debt” and can be covered through student loans, grants and the like. Day-to-day college expenses, including personal needs, transportation costs, telephone and other incidentals, are the types of expenses that students should not charge on credit cards.

“In most cases, college is the first opportunity for young people to make independent financial judgments,” said Worters. “Carrying high, unpaid balances is one of the quickest ways to incur too much debt and fall behind in payments. If college students plan to use a credit card regularly, they should have limits and know ahead of time where the money will come from to pay the bill at the end of the month.”

When deciding on a credit card, students should read the fine print and shop around for the best terms. Look for cards that:

Have an annual percentage rate (APR) at or below 15 percent
Offer a grace period of at least 25 days
Feature no annual fee

To develop good financial habits, the I.I.I. suggests that students:

Plan and stick to a budget. Living within a budget is an important skill to master.

Pay credit card bills on time. Not only will paying bills promptly start to build a solid credit history, late payments can also be costly as they include stiff penalties and may result in an increase in the annual percentage rate (APR).

Use credit responsibly. Remember, credit is a loan—one that will need to be repaid with interest.

Keep in touch with creditors. If students change residences and forget to tell their creditors, a series of lost bills can result in a black mark on a credit report. Such black marks stay on credit reports for seven years and can significantly lower a credit score. Most students on campuses today have computers, so they can take advantage of electronic billing and payment in order to avoid lost bills.

What Can You Do to Improve Your Credit Score If It Has Been Damaged?

Do not pay someone to “fix” your credit history. Some credit repair firms promise, for a fee, to get accurate information taken out of your credit report. Accurate information cannot be deleted from your credit report. They may also promise to fix your credit report by challenging information it contains, but they charge you a fee to do so. This is something you can do for yourself without paying the fee.

Create a plan to improve your credit over time. Pay your bills on time. Pay at least the minimum balance due, on time, every month. If you cannot make a payment, talk to your creditor. Work to reduce the amount you owe, especially on revolving debt like credit cards.

Do not max-out your credit limit. As a general rule, keep limits on credit cards below 50 percent to avoid the risk of hurting your FICO® score.

Limit the number of new credit accounts you apply for.New applications for credit in a short time will generally lower your credit score.

Consider the APRs of your credit cards. APRs are not currently reported by credit card companies to the credit bureaus, and therefore they cannot be explicitly considered when computing your FICO score. However, you should know the APR of all your cards so you can add debt to a low APR card and pay it off from a high APR card. Paying off cards with higher APRs devotes less money towards interest, and leaves more money available to pay down your balances.

Keep at it. Your credit history will improve over time if you make changes now. If you manage your credit obligations effectively, your credit-based insurance score will improve as well.

Consider credit counseling. If you find yourself in a financial bind, consider credit and money counseling. Information is available from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or theAmerican Center for Credit Education. Students should also consider taking advantage of the financial literacy programs that are offered by many colleges and universities. Information on how to improve your credit score used by lenders is available atMyFico.com.

Review your credit report regularly. You have the right to dispute any information in your credit report. By law, the credit reporting agency must provide you with a free copy of your credit report and must correct inaccurate or incomplete information at no charge to you. The three national credit reporting agencies are:

Equifax ~ http://www.equifax.com ~ 1-800-685-1111
Experian ~ www.experian.com ~ 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion ~ www.transunion.com ~ 1-800-888-4213

For more information about credit-based insurance scores and a free copy of your credit report, you can access information from Fair Isaac® or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Source: Insurance Information Institute, “Credit 101: Send Students Off to College With a Plan For Managing Debt and Building a Solid Credit History” http://www.iii.org website. Accessed December 2, 2015. http://www.iii.org/press-release/credit-101-send-students-college-plan-managing-debt-and-building-solid-credit-history

July 15, 2014 By admin Leave a Comment

Test Your Insurance IQ: College Students

When students leave home for college, they take along their laptops, myriad electronic devices and other valuables–but are they covered by insurance?

Watch this video to take the college student quiz.

Source: Insurance Information Institute, “Test Your Insurance IQ: College Students” http://www.iii.org website. Accessed December 2, 2015. http://www.iii.org/video/test-your-insurance-iq-college-students

July 15, 2014 By Julian Aston Leave a Comment

IN: If Your Child Is Headed Off To College

Dear Valued Customer,

Around twenty million students are enrolled in college and growing due to job demands and other factors. In this issue of “—————-” we focus on ways to secure your kids while they are at college.

Read on to study the insurance implications, how to plan for the debt load they are about to take on; then test your college student insurance IQ, and more.

We appreciate your continued business and look forward to serving you.

Kind regards,

June 13, 2014 By admin Leave a Comment

Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens.1 In 2010, seven teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash.2Fortunately, teen motor vehicle crashes are preventable, and proven strategies can improve the safety of young drivers on the road.

How big is the problem?

In 2010, about 2,700 teens in the United States aged 16–19 were killed and almost 282,000 were treated and released from emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes.1

Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.3

Who is most at risk?

The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash.2

Among teen drivers, those at especially high risk for motor vehicle crashes are:

Males: In 2010, the motor vehicle death rate for male drivers and passengers ages 16 to 19 was almost two times that of their female counterparts.1
Teens driving with teen passengers: The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. This risk increases with the number of teen passengers.4
Newly licensed teens: Crash risk is particularly high during the first months of licensure.5,6

What factors put teen drivers at risk?

Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.7
Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next). The presence of male teenage passengers increases the likelihood of this risky driving behavior.8
Among male drivers between 15 and 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2010, 39% were speeding at the time of the crash9 and 25% had been drinking.10
Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2011, only 54% of high school students reported they always wear seat belts when riding with someone else.11
At all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers.12
In 2010, 22% of drivers aged 15 to 20 involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes were drinking.10
- In a national survey conducted in 2011, 24% of teens reported that, within the previous month, they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol and 8% reported having driven after drinking alcohol within the same one-month period.13
- In 2010, 56% of drivers aged 15 to 20 were killed in motor vehicle crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt.10
- In 2010, half of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight and 55% occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.2

How can deaths and injuries resulting from crashes involving teen drivers be prevented?

There are proven methods to helping teens become safer drivers. Research suggests that the most comprehensive graduated drivers licensing (GDL) programs are associated with reductions of 38% and 40% in fatal and injury crashes, respectively, among 16-year-old drivers.14

Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems are designed to delay full licensure while allowing teens to get their initial driving experience under low-risk conditions.

When parents know their state’s GDL laws, they can help enforce the laws and, in effect, help keep their teen drivers safe.

Resources

Graduated Drivers Licensing Toolkit (order a copy online)
In this Healthy States tool kit, users can find out more about GDL systems, why GDL laws are needed, and what state legislators can do to improve state GDL laws.

Graduated Driver Licensing Research, 2010-Present
This is the latest in a series of reviews of research on graduated driver licensing (GDL) published in the Journal of Safety Research, covering the period January 1, 2010-June 1, 2012 and works in progress.

Graduated Drivers Licensing Fact Sheets (from the 2007 International Symposium on Novice Teen Driving: GDL and Beyond)
The National Safety Council, with sponsorship from the CDC, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the GEICO Foundation, Nationwide Insurance, General Motors Corporation, and State Farm Insurance, held the second International Symposium on Novice Teen Driving in February 2007. These fact sheets summarize the current scientific findings on Graduated Driver Licensing that were presented at the Symposium in February. Information in the fact sheets is based on papers written by Symposium presenters and published in the April 2007 GDL Special Issue of theJournal of Safety Research.

The Guide to Community Preventive Services
This online guide offers recommendations about motor vehicle injury prevention issued by the Task Force on Community Preventive Services.

Parents Are The Key to Safe Teen Drivers
Through the “Parents Are the Key” campaign, CDC offers parents tools and proven steps for reducing teen driving injuries and deaths. Businesses and other groups can also help keep young drivers safe by spreading campaign message through posters, fact sheets, social media tools, and more.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [Online]. (2012). National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (producer). [Cited 2012 Sept 28].
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Fatality facts: teenagers 2010 . Arlington (VA): The Institute; 2012 [cited 2012 Sept 28]. http://www.iihs.org/research/fatality.aspx?topicName=Teenagers&year=2010
Finkelstein EA, Corso PS, Miller TR, Associates. Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States. New York: Oxford University Press; 2006.
Chen L, Baker SP, Braver ER, Li G. Carrying passengers as a risk factor for crashes fatal to 16- and 17-year old drivers. JAMA 2000;283(12):1578–82. http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=192524
Mayhew, D.R.; Simpson, H.M.; and Pak, A. 2003. Changes in collision rates among novice drivers during the first months of driving.Accident Analysis and Prevention 35:683-91.
McCartt, A.T.; Shabanova, V.I. and Leaf, W.A. 2003. Driving experiences, crashes, and teenage beginning drivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention 35:311-20.
Jonah BA, Dawson NE. Youth and risk: age differences in risky driving, risk perception, and risk utility. Alcohol, Drugs and Driving 1987;3:13–29.
Simons-Morton B, Lerner N, Singer J. The observed effects of teenage passengers on the risky driving behavior of teenage drivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention 2005;37(6):973-82.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Dept. of Transportation (US).Traffic safety facts 2010: Speeding . Washington (DC): NHTSA; August 2012 [cited 2012 Sept 28].
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Dept. of Transportation (US).Traffic safety facts 2010: Young Drivers . Washington (DC): NHTSA; May 2012 [cited 2012 Sept 28 ].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System 2011 YRBS Data User’s Guide [Online]. (2012). National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health (producer). [Cited 2012 Oct 1].ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/data/yrbs/2011/YRBS_2011_National_User_Guide.pdf
Voas RB, Torres P, Romano E, Lacey JH. Alcohol-related risk of driver fatalities: an update using 2007 data. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2012 May;73(3):341-50.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2011 [Online]. (2012). MMWR 2012; 61(4). [Cited 2012 Sept 28 ].
Baker SP, Chen L, Li G. Nationwide review of graduated driver licensing. Washington (DC): AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety; 2007.http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/NationwideReviewOfGDL.pdf

Source: CDC, “Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet” http://www.cdc.gov website. Accessed November 24, 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html

May 16, 2014 By Julian Aston Leave a Comment

IN: Tips For Keeping Your Teen Driver Safe

Dear Valued Customer,

According to the National Safety Council, the sad truth is that every day, more than 10 young drivers between 15 and 20 years old are killed in crashes, and another 745 are injured.

In this issue of the “————” we focus on protecting your teen driver. Read on to find out the types of cars which are safer for your teen to drive, the risky behavior you can discourage; speeding, cell phones, text messaging, etc. Last, but not least, read expert tips for keeping your teen driver safe, to help safeguard your teenager from a crucial, even fatal, driving error.

We appreciate your continued business and look forward to serving you.

Kind regards,