The Insurance Insider

My hat goes off to S.A.D.D. and the students of R. Nelson Snider High School (my alma mater!) for their mock accident Wednesday morning. 

Full Story:
Mock Crash Sobering for Snider Students
News-Sentinel 05/03/07

Kudos too go out to the Fort Wayne Fire and Police Departments, TRAA and the city’s 911 Communications Department for staging the event to graphically illustrate the dangers of drinking and driving.  While always a concern, the Prom and graduation season is a particularly good time to revisit the issue.

Over 300 students attended the accident in which one student was “killed” and another “arrested” for OWI.  Students experienced first-hand the graphic reality of drinking and driving.

Statistics: 

In Indiana in 2004, 32 percent of traffic fatalities were alcohol-related.  There were 16,694 alcohol-related fatalities in the United States in 2004, accounting for 39 percent of all traffic fatalities.

Note: The data includes individuals involved in an alcohol-related crash; they were not necessarily at the wheel of the vehicle causing the crash.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

This is the first in a series of safe driving tips we’ll be profiling. Large commercial vehicles are ever present and your relation to them on the road must always be respected. Driver education is a key element in keeping your family safe.

(NewsUSA) - Passenger vehicle operators - not truck drivers - cause approximately 70 percent of all fatal crashes involving a car and commercial truck, according to federal government statistics.

Most accidents are the result of an unsafe driving act, such as following a truck too closely or lingering in its blind spot.

The following precautions will help you safely share the road with large trucks:

* Beware of blind spots. Approximately 35 percent of truck-related auto fatalities occur in a truck’s blind spots. Tractor trailers have very large blind spots -; as much as 30 feet behind the truck. Always try to pass on the left side; the blind spot on the right side is much larger (running the length of the truck and extending out nearly three lanes).

* Stay back. When following a truck, try to maintain a distance of 20 to 25 car lengths. Driving too closely behind a truck gives you little or no time to react to changing conditions.

* When passing a truck, do not loiter in the blind spot. Before moving back into the truck’s lane, be sure you can see its headlights in your rearview mirror. Most fully-loaded semi trucks driving at highway speeds need 100 yards - that’s one football field - to come to a safe stop. Leave them plenty of space.

* Pay attention. Driver inattentiveness is the most common unsafe driving act that results in a truck-related auto fatality.

* Heed the weather. Poor conditions make it more difficult to drive safely around big trucks. Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC reminds you that statistics show nearly 1 million vehicle accidents a year occur in wet weather.

When it’s raining, slow down, turn on your lights, drive smoothly and maintain a safe distance. If you start to hydroplane, take your foot off the accelerator (if manual transmission, engage the clutch) and don’t slam on your brakes.

* Properly maintain your tires. A tire cannot provide good traction on wet roads once the tread is worn below 2/32 of an inch tread depth. Check your tires regularly and replace them at the proper time. Don’t forget to maintain the proper air pressure in your tires; tire pressure should be checked monthly.

For more information, visit http://www.tiresafety.com.

Take the time to learn the rules of the road.  If it’s been a while since you reviewed your state laws, now is as good a time as any to brush up on them.

Young drivers can be dangerous drivers.  That’s why it’s important for parents to inform themselves properly educating their children regarding the potential risks of sitting behind the wheel. 

(NewsUSA) - Teens’ lack of driving experience means they are at a greater risk of becoming involved in a collision or experiencing an automotive breakdown.

Accordingly, there are many factors parents need to consider before their teenage children get behind the wheel. AAA offers the following tips for parents as they hand their children their first set of car keys:

* Choose the right car. Consider a moderately powered mid-sized sedan with plenty of standard safety features such as antilock brakes, high-intensity headlamps, front and side air bags, electronic stability control, traction control and automatic seat belt tensioners. Sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks are less desirable as they have a greater likelihood of rolling over during an incident. Compact cars with poor safety ratings should also be avoided.

* Use caution when buying used. While purchasing a used vehicle may make economic sense, it is important to recognize that used vehicles are more likely to suffer roadside breakdowns. Consult the Kelly Blue Book and NADA price guides to determine the true market value of the vehicle. Then, have a pre-purchase mechanical inspection performed at an AAA Approved Auto Repair facility.

* Teach proper maintenance. Spend time helping your young adult become familiar with the vehicle owner’s manual and preventive maintenance schedule. This includes checking tire pressures, fluid levels, hoses, battery and windshield wipers, as well as keeping the car’s exterior and interior clean and polished.

One helpful tool is the AAA AutoManager, available at www.AAA.com. Users of this Web application system will routinely receive e-mail reminders advising them of when it is time to perform a specific service for their vehicle.

* Plan for emergencies. New drivers should plan ahead on how to respond to unexpected situations such as a car crash, a lost key, a stolen vehicle or a breakdown. Besides being enrolled in a roadside assistance program, have an emergency contact list and a written plan in the glove compartment. Make sure the vehicle is equipped with an emergency road kit that includes a flashlight with fresh batteries, reflective triangles, jumper cables and a first-aid kit.

* Set some limits. Young drivers should be aware of potentially dangerous situations such as drinking and driving, distracted driving and aggressive or reckless driving. They should also understand the importance of wearing a seat belt at all times. Because young drivers’ crash rates go up at night, their nighttime driving should be limited while they are learning and gaining experience. Novice drivers also have challenges managing distractions, so they should carry no more than one passenger and should only use a cell phone in an emergency.

For more tips and information, visit www.AAA.com.

Parents, you literally hold the key to protecting your children. Informing yourself is a vital first step.

You may have heard that drivers under the age of 25 are unable to rent a car.  We’re beginning to see a change in this trend, although it does come at a cost:

(NewsUSA) - Based on the commonly held belief that people in their early 20s are more prone to risky behavior while driving, many car rental companies have restricted renting cars to people under the age of 25 for years.

But with increased competition in the car rental market forcing companies to re-evaluate many long-held assumptions, some car rental companies are relaxing their rules to allow drivers under 25 years old to rent vehicles.

Unfortunately, to many young drivers, this comes at a cost.

During a four-day vacation with three friends to Miami, Eugene Minkin, 23, rented a vehicle from Alamo Rent A Car. Minkin was informed of a $30-per-person, per-day fee that he had to pay due to the fact that he and his passengers were all under 25. In addition, he had to purchase insurance and pay the usual four-day rental rate. The total for the rental came to over $650.

Despite the high cost, Minkin felt fortunate to be able to rent a car, where in recent years such transactions would not have been possible.

However, for some companies, renting vehicles to drivers under 25 is not a new development. For instance, at most of its rental branches, Rent-A-Wreck has welcomed young drivers for years.

“By the early ’90s most of our locations were renting to drivers under 25 years of age,” said Jason Manelli, director of public relations for Rent-A-Wreck. “We now consider ourselves to be the experts on rentals to younger drivers, with many of our locations even renting to drivers 18 to 21 years old.”

Typically, drivers under the age of 25 who are renting a vehicle from Rent-A-Wreck must have automotive insurance coverage, a credit card in their name and must make arrangements to rent a vehicle several days in advance so references and insurance coverage can be verified.

Some Rent-A-Wreck locations even run credit reports on young drivers and look at their driving records. These extra considerations help to weed out the drivers who have earned their 20- to 24-year-old counterparts a bad reputation in the rental car industry, allowing responsible young drivers to get behind the wheel of a rental car.

To learn more about Rent-A-Wreck, visit www.rentawreck.com.

Evidence suggests that homeschool students exhibit levels of maturity and responsibility exceeding peers of the same age. Unfortunately, the insurance industry has lagged behind others in addressing the unique qualities of homeschoolers. 

I’m speculating here, but I believe this is due to the variations in state law and reporting requirements for homeschooling.  It may be difficult for companies to identify the cream of the crop of this group. Some states require third party verification of a student’s progress or parents must first obtain a teaching certificate before they may homeschool their children.  Unlike most other states, Indiana is perhaps the most condusive to empowering parents to educate their own children and the least restrictive in its requirements.

My industry’s approach tends to be ”one-size-fits-all.” If a company cannot identify a factor that can be applied to all markets (i.e.,. every state in which they do business), they won’t bother.

It is encouraging to see a change in this trend.  Family-friendly, regional companies like Indiana Farmers Mutual are thinking outside the box and now reward qualifying homeschool students with the same 10% good student discount their peers in public and private school can receive.

This is one of many benefits of insuring with a regional insurance company like Indiana Farmers.  Since they only do business in Indiana, they are able to address the specific needs of this market.  They are not constrained by the one-size-fits-all standard that many national insurance companies face.

Kudos to you Indiana Farmers.  It is refreshing to see such industry leadership coming from an company in Indiana.

(Full disclosure: My insurance agency has represented Indiana Farmers Mutual since 1990 and my wife and I homeschool our four children.)