TRENTON — New Jersey will soon be the first state to alert police when a young driver is behind the wheel.
The Motor Vehicles Commission is unveiling red decals that motorists under the age of 21 must display on their license plates.
The reflective red stickers will help police identify drivers in order to enforce restrictions on passenger limits and 11 p.m. curfews.
The stickers, which take effect May 1, are removable and will cost $4.
Attorney General Paula Dow and MVC officials will announce the implementation of "Kyleigh's Law" at an MVC office in Freehold Wednesday.
Kyleigh D'Alessio was a 16-year-old central New Jersey high school student who was killed in a vehicle driven by another teen in 2006.
Will this help to reduce teen accidents behind the wheel?
Showing posts with label teen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teen. Show all posts
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
TIWI, Creating Bad Habits?
You remember TIWI? The friendly teen driver GPS device that speaks to your teen telling them to slow down, that they've made a hard brake or hard acceleration (among other things). Read our post on TIWI from late January.
Well, TIWI has made it back in the local public spotlight with King 5 news. TIWI does most things that the other teen driver GPS devices do (tracking and reporting back to the parent with a text message or e-mail), but again, TIWI has set itself apart with a vocal alert which will continue until the teen has followed direction-- such as slowing down.
But is it this very vocal alert that might create a reliance on driving habits? For example, if 17-year-old Kayla is driving mindlessly, slowly but surely reaching speeds upwards of 80 miles per hour, TIWI will alert her to slow down when she goes 10 MPH over the speed limit! So in theory, Kayla will slow down. But take TIWI away, who is going to tell her to slow down?
Well, TIWI has made it back in the local public spotlight with King 5 news. TIWI does most things that the other teen driver GPS devices do (tracking and reporting back to the parent with a text message or e-mail), but again, TIWI has set itself apart with a vocal alert which will continue until the teen has followed direction-- such as slowing down.
But is it this very vocal alert that might create a reliance on driving habits? For example, if 17-year-old Kayla is driving mindlessly, slowly but surely reaching speeds upwards of 80 miles per hour, TIWI will alert her to slow down when she goes 10 MPH over the speed limit! So in theory, Kayla will slow down. But take TIWI away, who is going to tell her to slow down?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Insurance Study Shows Distracted Driving Bans Are Not Effective in Reducing the Number of Crashes
The Highway Loss Data Institute studied insurance claims before and after distracted driving bans took place in California, New York, Connecticut, and Washington, DC and found that driver's are not following the ban; there have been no changes in the number of crashes.They also looked at neighboring states which have not enacted such bans and found the same results.
What is it going to take for teens and adults to realize that texting or even distracted driving in general is a danger?...to themselves and others.
Or do we just need a more convenient way to communicate while we drive?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Girl vs. Boy: Gap Closing on Risky Driving Behaviors
Teen boy drivers have notoriously higher insurance rates, due to their aggressive and risky driving behavior...and the crash rates to prove it. But the gap in risky behavior between teen boys and girls seems to be closing according to a recent report from The Allstate Foundation.In the study, girls admit to speeding, texting, and acting aggressively behind the wheel more than boys. But the survey statistics haven't translated into crash statistics. But if the trend continues, it could result in higher premiums for girls.
"Experience still shows female drivers are safer than boys at this age," Allstate spokesman Raleigh Floyd said. "Until those figures change, our rating isn't going to change."
But even so, the rates have grown a little. Twenty years ago, it cost an average of 50% more to insure a young male than young female. These days it's about 20% to 30% more. "There is still a gap, but it's getting smaller all the time," said Thomas DeFalco, an actuary at the New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co.
And Sam Belden, vice president at Insurance.com, said data compiled through the online agency show that premiums for 16-year-old girl drivers have risen about $500 over the last two years, while those for boys in the same age group have been roughly flat.
Most chalk it up to distractions. DVD players, MP3 players, friends in the car...and maybe it boils down to plain boredom. Everyone is in such a hurry.
Kristen Marzano, 17, has had her license for about five months and admitted that sometimes she puts on her makeup or fixes her hair in the car or plays with her MP3 player.
"It's mostly I wait until the last minute to do everything," she said. "If I'm going to drive, I'm running out the door, dropping things. I guess it's just being disorganized."
Check out the statistics from the study below...parents and teens alike, are you one of the numbers?
Thank you to Chicago Tribune
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Another Teen Driver Tracking Device Hits the Market
Like many of the teen driver tracking devices, Tiwi will send a text, e-mail, or voice alert to the parent or guardian of the young driver.
Tiwi does have some other interesting features, however. It is situated on the windshield of the vehicle to give voice alerts when the driver violates things like speeding, hard turns, and seatbelt use. The placement of the Tiwi also allows an "e-Call" to to an emergency operator through the e-Call feature. Parents and guardians can also call directly to the unit to speak to the teen.
The device can be installed by the parent or can be installed for about $60, the website says; no information on operating cost was found.
Tiwi does have some other interesting features, however. It is situated on the windshield of the vehicle to give voice alerts when the driver violates things like speeding, hard turns, and seatbelt use. The placement of the Tiwi also allows an "e-Call" to to an emergency operator through the e-Call feature. Parents and guardians can also call directly to the unit to speak to the teen.
The device can be installed by the parent or can be installed for about $60, the website says; no information on operating cost was found.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Texting Ban Leaves Teens Frustrated and Targeted
New texting-while-driving laws in North Carolina, which went into effect December 1st, have some teens frustrated and feeling targeted.
The North Carolina newspaper, DailyAdvance, speaks with one girl about her texting habits. She admits to sending about 200 per day and texting while driving. But she's not the only one. The Pew Research Center released a study this month revealing that 1-in-4 American teens has sent a text message while driving.
19 states have jumped on board with the text-while-driving ban, but NC teens are feeling targeted.
Shanequa Riddick, 18, says she’s glad that law enforcement will be cracking down, but that text messaging has become a nationwide phenomenon, one that is catching on with all age groups.
“I think (the ban is) fair, because it could cause you to have an accident, but even older people do it,” Riddick says.
Kieshaih Holloway, 19, calls the focus on teen drivers “frustrating.”
“They say we have more problems with accidents and problems in the road. We’re just now learning (how to be safe drivers), but the whole texting thing (adults) make it just as big of a risk as we do,” Holloway says.
The North Carolina newspaper, DailyAdvance, speaks with one girl about her texting habits. She admits to sending about 200 per day and texting while driving. But she's not the only one. The Pew Research Center released a study this month revealing that 1-in-4 American teens has sent a text message while driving.
19 states have jumped on board with the text-while-driving ban, but NC teens are feeling targeted.
Shanequa Riddick, 18, says she’s glad that law enforcement will be cracking down, but that text messaging has become a nationwide phenomenon, one that is catching on with all age groups.
“I think (the ban is) fair, because it could cause you to have an accident, but even older people do it,” Riddick says.
Kieshaih Holloway, 19, calls the focus on teen drivers “frustrating.”
“They say we have more problems with accidents and problems in the road. We’re just now learning (how to be safe drivers), but the whole texting thing (adults) make it just as big of a risk as we do,” Holloway says.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
19 Year Old Driver Calls to Report Herself as Drunk Driver
According to a Washington State Patrol release, a 19-year-old Auburn woman was arrested for physical control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated after calling 911 to report herself as “very drunk” while stopped on the shoulder of state Route 167 in King County.
At about 5 a.m. Nov. 16, patrol communications received a cellular 911 call from Alysha McInnis claiming that she pulled to the shoulder of southbound SR 167 in Auburn because she was intoxicated and began to lose her vision. McInnis told the dispatcher that she was underage and very drunk. She advised the dispatcher that she was given alcohol at a party without her knowledge and her friends told her that she could call 911 to have the police come pick her up and take her to the hospital to detox.
When a trooper contacted McInnis, she claimed that her arm was numb and she had blurry vision. The trooper noted that McInnis had bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech and appeared extremely intoxicated. The trooper observed a 20 ounce alcohol energy drink in the cup holder which contained 12 percent alcohol. McInnis advised the trooper that she was drinking the alcohol drink while driving and that she had drank four of the same drinks at the party.
After further investigation, the trooper believed all the symptoms she was experiencing were a result of the amount of alcohol she drank both at the party and on her way home.
McInnis was processed for physical control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated and transported to Auburn Regional Medical Center where she was released for detox treatment.
Thank you to PNWLocalNews.com
At about 5 a.m. Nov. 16, patrol communications received a cellular 911 call from Alysha McInnis claiming that she pulled to the shoulder of southbound SR 167 in Auburn because she was intoxicated and began to lose her vision. McInnis told the dispatcher that she was underage and very drunk. She advised the dispatcher that she was given alcohol at a party without her knowledge and her friends told her that she could call 911 to have the police come pick her up and take her to the hospital to detox.
When a trooper contacted McInnis, she claimed that her arm was numb and she had blurry vision. The trooper noted that McInnis had bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech and appeared extremely intoxicated. The trooper observed a 20 ounce alcohol energy drink in the cup holder which contained 12 percent alcohol. McInnis advised the trooper that she was drinking the alcohol drink while driving and that she had drank four of the same drinks at the party.
After further investigation, the trooper believed all the symptoms she was experiencing were a result of the amount of alcohol she drank both at the party and on her way home.
McInnis was processed for physical control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated and transported to Auburn Regional Medical Center where she was released for detox treatment.
Thank you to PNWLocalNews.com
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Teens Take on the Distracted Driving Course
To help teens understand the dangers of distracted driving, Allstate Insurance brought a group of young drivers (many newly licensed), to a distracted driving course.
Watch the video here on the LasVegasNow.com website to see the distracted teen drivers in action.
Car crashes are the #1 killer of teens. In Las Vegas, more teens have already died behind the wheel this year than all of last year.
Watch the video here on the LasVegasNow.com website to see the distracted teen drivers in action.
Car crashes are the #1 killer of teens. In Las Vegas, more teens have already died behind the wheel this year than all of last year.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Firm Parents Keep Teen Drivers Safe
From HealthDay News -- Your parenting style can make a huge difference in your teen's safety once he or she gets behind the wheel of a car.
Parents who set firm rules, but do so in a helpful, supportive way, can reduce the likelihood of their teen getting into an auto accident by half and decrease rates of drinking and driving, two new studies find. Positive rule-setting can also increase the odds a teen will wear a seatbelt and lessen the likelihood of talking or texting on a cell phone while driving.
Teens who had authoritative or authoritarian parents wore seatbelts twice as often as teens with uninvolved parents. Teens with parents in these groups were also half as likely to speed as those with uninvolved parents. Teens with authoritative parents -- high support and rules -- were half as likely to get into a car accident, 71 percent less likely to drink and drive, and 29 percent less likely to talk or text on their cell phones while driving compared to teens with uninvolved parents.
Read the full article: Firm Parents Keep Teen Drivers Safe.
Parents who set firm rules, but do so in a helpful, supportive way, can reduce the likelihood of their teen getting into an auto accident by half and decrease rates of drinking and driving, two new studies find. Positive rule-setting can also increase the odds a teen will wear a seatbelt and lessen the likelihood of talking or texting on a cell phone while driving.
Teens who had authoritative or authoritarian parents wore seatbelts twice as often as teens with uninvolved parents. Teens with parents in these groups were also half as likely to speed as those with uninvolved parents. Teens with authoritative parents -- high support and rules -- were half as likely to get into a car accident, 71 percent less likely to drink and drive, and 29 percent less likely to talk or text on their cell phones while driving compared to teens with uninvolved parents.
Read the full article: Firm Parents Keep Teen Drivers Safe.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Ford Premieres "MyKey"
Ford Motor Company has debuted their own safe teen driver device with "MyKey" which allows parents to program a special key to promote safe driving habits.
Andrew Sarkisian is Ford's safety director, and one of the creators of MyKey, an invention inspired partly by the experiences of his daughter, Jennifer.
"Say I want to turn on MyKey, and I want to make sure my son or daughter's buckled up. If they're not, the radio won't operate," he said.
You can also set a speed limit with MyKey. "It has a maximum top speed that you can turn on to the vehicle. It's a fairly high one, but then there's also speed alerts, so you can have reminders about watching your speed, as well," Sarkisian explained.
MyKey is standard equipment in the brand new Taurus and will be standard on Ford's lowest-priced vehicle, the Ford Focus.
Click here to learn more about MyKey.
Andrew Sarkisian is Ford's safety director, and one of the creators of MyKey, an invention inspired partly by the experiences of his daughter, Jennifer.
"Say I want to turn on MyKey, and I want to make sure my son or daughter's buckled up. If they're not, the radio won't operate," he said.
You can also set a speed limit with MyKey. "It has a maximum top speed that you can turn on to the vehicle. It's a fairly high one, but then there's also speed alerts, so you can have reminders about watching your speed, as well," Sarkisian explained.
MyKey is standard equipment in the brand new Taurus and will be standard on Ford's lowest-priced vehicle, the Ford Focus.
Click here to learn more about MyKey.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Auto Insurance Money Saving Tips
If you haven't already added your teen driver to your insurance policy, we should warn you now, it's gonna be pricey. But we've found a few ways you can lower your cost during this new development in both of your lives.
Money Saving Tip #1) Raise your deductible. Your “deductible” is the amount you pay when you make a claim before your insurance “kicks in”. In other words, if you have a $1,000 claim and a $250 deductible, you pay the first $250 and your insurance company pays the next $750.
The disadvantage of raising your deductible is that when you make a claim, you’ll pay more. The advantage of raising your deductible is that your premium will go down, sometimes as much as 15% to 30% on your collision and comprehensive insurance.
Money Saving Tip #2) Drop your collision and/or comprehensive insurance on older vehicles. Sometimes it’s just not worth paying for comprehensive and collision if your car is not worth that much to begin with. That’s because the amount you pay for the deductible plus the amount you pay for the premium may be more than the value of the car itself. A rule of thumb is that if a car is worth less than $2,000, drop these coverage’s -- but many people are comfortable with even higher figures. Go to Kelly Blue Book at KBB.com to determine the value of your vehicle.
Money Saving Tip #3) Buy a “lower profile” vehicle. Part of what determines the cost of insurance is the kind of car you own. Some cars are favorite cars for thieves. Some cars are more expensive to repair. Generally, these cars will cost more to insure. To get detailed information on your car – or car you’re thinking about buying –give our office a call for the symbol rating for a vehicle. The symbol rating can be used for comparing rates from one vehicle to another. We do this for all of our clients for free.
Money Saving Tip #4) Insure your automobile with the same company that insures your home. Most companies offer discounts when you have all your insurance with the same company. You can save up to 20% on your auto insurance premiums if you have your homeowners insurance and auto insurance with the same company. You will also get a discount on your homeowners.
Money Saving Tip #5) Keep on eye on your credit score. What does credit have to do with insurance? It has a lot to do with it today. In the past few years, insurance companies started using credit for underwriting. It is used to place people in certain pricing tiers and responsibility is why. They believe that if someone is responsible enough to keep their credit clean, they are responsible enough to drive safe. Believe it or not, the numbers prove this works in general. Insurance is a numbers game and in order to be competitive, they must save where they can.
Money Saving Tip #6) Check out other discounts. Insurance companies try to reward drivers what they think are good risks. That’s the kind of driver they want. Responsible and safety conscious drivers are going to pay lower premiums. Claims free discounts and superior credit will allow you to be insured with a company that has the lowest premiums available. There are other discounts like automatic seat belts, airbags, mature drivers, and safe drivers. Another great discount is the “Good Student” discount. Companies that specialize in insuring young drivers will offer this valuable discount. Call us about these and other discounts that are currently being offered in our area.
Money Saving Tip #7) Use an independent agent that specializes in family protection. Don’t trust your hard earned dollars to someone that works directly for one insurance company. Use someone that can “shop” your premium with several companies. This agent will look out for your interests and keep your premiums down for the long term. Insurance companies experience good times and bad times depending on their losses for a given year or years. If your insurance company has significantly increased their premiums for more than a year or two, it may be time for your agent to “shop” for you. If you are using an agent that works for just one company, they won’t be doing much “shopping”. You’ll have to cut back on your coverage and make changes that can increase your liability.
Money Saving Tip #1) Raise your deductible. Your “deductible” is the amount you pay when you make a claim before your insurance “kicks in”. In other words, if you have a $1,000 claim and a $250 deductible, you pay the first $250 and your insurance company pays the next $750.
The disadvantage of raising your deductible is that when you make a claim, you’ll pay more. The advantage of raising your deductible is that your premium will go down, sometimes as much as 15% to 30% on your collision and comprehensive insurance.
Money Saving Tip #2) Drop your collision and/or comprehensive insurance on older vehicles. Sometimes it’s just not worth paying for comprehensive and collision if your car is not worth that much to begin with. That’s because the amount you pay for the deductible plus the amount you pay for the premium may be more than the value of the car itself. A rule of thumb is that if a car is worth less than $2,000, drop these coverage’s -- but many people are comfortable with even higher figures. Go to Kelly Blue Book at KBB.com to determine the value of your vehicle.
Money Saving Tip #3) Buy a “lower profile” vehicle. Part of what determines the cost of insurance is the kind of car you own. Some cars are favorite cars for thieves. Some cars are more expensive to repair. Generally, these cars will cost more to insure. To get detailed information on your car – or car you’re thinking about buying –give our office a call for the symbol rating for a vehicle. The symbol rating can be used for comparing rates from one vehicle to another. We do this for all of our clients for free.
Money Saving Tip #4) Insure your automobile with the same company that insures your home. Most companies offer discounts when you have all your insurance with the same company. You can save up to 20% on your auto insurance premiums if you have your homeowners insurance and auto insurance with the same company. You will also get a discount on your homeowners.
Money Saving Tip #5) Keep on eye on your credit score. What does credit have to do with insurance? It has a lot to do with it today. In the past few years, insurance companies started using credit for underwriting. It is used to place people in certain pricing tiers and responsibility is why. They believe that if someone is responsible enough to keep their credit clean, they are responsible enough to drive safe. Believe it or not, the numbers prove this works in general. Insurance is a numbers game and in order to be competitive, they must save where they can.
Money Saving Tip #6) Check out other discounts. Insurance companies try to reward drivers what they think are good risks. That’s the kind of driver they want. Responsible and safety conscious drivers are going to pay lower premiums. Claims free discounts and superior credit will allow you to be insured with a company that has the lowest premiums available. There are other discounts like automatic seat belts, airbags, mature drivers, and safe drivers. Another great discount is the “Good Student” discount. Companies that specialize in insuring young drivers will offer this valuable discount. Call us about these and other discounts that are currently being offered in our area.
Money Saving Tip #7) Use an independent agent that specializes in family protection. Don’t trust your hard earned dollars to someone that works directly for one insurance company. Use someone that can “shop” your premium with several companies. This agent will look out for your interests and keep your premiums down for the long term. Insurance companies experience good times and bad times depending on their losses for a given year or years. If your insurance company has significantly increased their premiums for more than a year or two, it may be time for your agent to “shop” for you. If you are using an agent that works for just one company, they won’t be doing much “shopping”. You’ll have to cut back on your coverage and make changes that can increase your liability.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
PEMCO: Texting While Driving Rate Up
PEMCO Insurance issued a news release, August 25, that reveals more Washingtonians are texting while driving. The PEMCO Insurance Northwest Poll, conducted by FBK Research, shows that of those who use electronic devices, more of them – 18% – admit to reading or sending text messages while driving than in February 2008, when only 6% said they did so. Ironically, the same poll found that increasing numbers of drivers are concerned that texting while driving is a dangerous distraction.
Under Your Influence, a website dedicated to parents of teen drivers maintains the following:
Moral of the story? Monkey see, monkey do. It's still dangerous for you, even as a parent, to be texting while driving. It's even worse to do it in front of your teen.
Under Your Influence also gives these practice tips on driving with your teen:
Under Your Influence, a website dedicated to parents of teen drivers maintains the following:
They'd probably never tell you this but your teen really does look up to you. Under the layers of music, school activities, problems with friends, rebellion, struggles, and joys is your teen, and they need you to guide them in what they should and should not do. It's pretty clear that car crashes are the number one cause of death among teens, and if we all just ignore the problem, it's not going to go away.
Moral of the story? Monkey see, monkey do. It's still dangerous for you, even as a parent, to be texting while driving. It's even worse to do it in front of your teen.
Under Your Influence also gives these practice tips on driving with your teen:
- Don't be pushy
- You are in control
- Set some basic ground rules
- Pack your patience
- Don't talk down to your teen while you're teaching them how to drive
- Be sure to give specific praise to your teen while they drive
- Set a specific agenda for each time you take your teen out to practice
- Keep your conversations focused on driving
- Set a time limit that both you and your teen can agree on
- Keep a driving log while you practice
- Don't stop talking to your teen after they get their license
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Teenage Driver Guilty of Murder, Facing 15 Years to Life
Last Thursday, 18 year old Milad Moulayi (an unlicensed driver) had been warned not to drive, hours before a fatal crash, by a juvenile court judge. He was also told by several friends minutes before that he was too drunk to drive after an evening of rum shots.
His classmate, 16 year old MacKenzie Frazee, who lived about 2 miles away and was not wearing shoes at the time, allowed Moulayi to drive her home. Minutes later she was killed in a high speed crash. Moulayi was taken to a nearby hospital for minor injuries.
Orange County District Attorney Investigator Wes Vandiver, an accident reconstruction expert, stated that evidence shows Moulayi lost control of his mother's Mercedes Benz while driving in speeds of 100+ MPH, crossed over the center median, knocked over two road signs, and then laid down over 500 feet of skid marks before hitting a concrete pole which sliced the Mercedes in half.
Deputy District Attorney Susan Price argued that Moulayi, who was prosecuted as an adult, should be convicted of second-degree murder rather than vehicular manslaughter because he knew that driving while intoxicated was dangerous to human life but he decided to do so anyway.
Price later added that she hoped the verdict sends a message to young people that "you don't get a free murder just because you are young. … If you choose to engage in drinking and driving, you face serious consequences."
Thank you to OC Register
His classmate, 16 year old MacKenzie Frazee, who lived about 2 miles away and was not wearing shoes at the time, allowed Moulayi to drive her home. Minutes later she was killed in a high speed crash. Moulayi was taken to a nearby hospital for minor injuries.
Orange County District Attorney Investigator Wes Vandiver, an accident reconstruction expert, stated that evidence shows Moulayi lost control of his mother's Mercedes Benz while driving in speeds of 100+ MPH, crossed over the center median, knocked over two road signs, and then laid down over 500 feet of skid marks before hitting a concrete pole which sliced the Mercedes in half.
Deputy District Attorney Susan Price argued that Moulayi, who was prosecuted as an adult, should be convicted of second-degree murder rather than vehicular manslaughter because he knew that driving while intoxicated was dangerous to human life but he decided to do so anyway.
Price later added that she hoped the verdict sends a message to young people that "you don't get a free murder just because you are young. … If you choose to engage in drinking and driving, you face serious consequences."
Thank you to OC Register
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Distractions Pose a Huge Threat to Teen Drivers
Car accidents remain the #1 killer of teens in the United States and studies have shown that teens that drive with other teens in the car heighten the risk of a crash.
A survey was conducted with 5000 high school students. This is the information they found:
90% of teens said friends in car distracted the driver
89% of teens said that friends used cell phones while they drove
79% of teens said passengers and/or the driver danced and sang in the vehicle
20% of 9th - 11th graders have been involved in at least one car crash within the last year
Drunk driving campaigns have been effective in teens as most teen crashes are not alcohol related. Now we all need to drive home the fact that distraction is bigger than anything.
A survey was conducted with 5000 high school students. This is the information they found:
Drunk driving campaigns have been effective in teens as most teen crashes are not alcohol related. Now we all need to drive home the fact that distraction is bigger than anything.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Teen Driver Kills Gentleman, Charged with Manslaughter
16-year-old Brooklyn, New York resident Dervish Nivokazi, was charged recently with manslaughter after he killed 65-year-old Zak Stanislaw who was waiting at a bus stop.
Police say that Nivokazi was speeding in a 2005 Mazda, hit a Toyota, and then slammed into Stanislaw who was pronounced dead minutes after the 9:20pm crash.
Nivokazi had only a junior license (similar to Washington's intermediate license) which prohibits driving after 9pm. He was treated for minor injuries at Lutheran Hospital. The driver of the Toyota was not injured.
According to Wiley Norvell of Transportation Alternatives, only 29 drivers in New York State have been charged with negligent homicide from 1994 to 2008 despite thousands of pedestrians and bicyclists that have been killed.
Police say that Nivokazi was speeding in a 2005 Mazda, hit a Toyota, and then slammed into Stanislaw who was pronounced dead minutes after the 9:20pm crash.
Nivokazi had only a junior license (similar to Washington's intermediate license) which prohibits driving after 9pm. He was treated for minor injuries at Lutheran Hospital. The driver of the Toyota was not injured.
According to Wiley Norvell of Transportation Alternatives, only 29 drivers in New York State have been charged with negligent homicide from 1994 to 2008 despite thousands of pedestrians and bicyclists that have been killed.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Teen Crashes Cost $34 Billion Per Year
A study released by the American Auto Association (AAA) estimates that crashes involving drivers 15-17 years of age accounted for over $34 billion in 2006 alone.
The study stated that these teen drivers were involved in nearly a million crashes in 2006, injuring 406,427 people and killing 2,541. Fatality costs were estimated to cost $3.841 million in lost wages, lawsuits, emergency response crew wages, and medical expenses while injury accidents post an average of $50,512 per incident.
Washington State requires liability limits of at least $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage. If you cause an accident that exceeds these limits you must pay the difference out of pocket.
With a newly licensed teen driver, we strongly suggest raising your limits...and maybe consider an umbrella policy which provides extra coverage to your home and auto in a single limit of insurance; usually $1 million or $2 million is common but some companies offer a limit of $5 million or more. Check back next week for more information on umbrella policies!
Thank you to ohmygov.com
The study stated that these teen drivers were involved in nearly a million crashes in 2006, injuring 406,427 people and killing 2,541. Fatality costs were estimated to cost $3.841 million in lost wages, lawsuits, emergency response crew wages, and medical expenses while injury accidents post an average of $50,512 per incident.
Washington State requires liability limits of at least $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage. If you cause an accident that exceeds these limits you must pay the difference out of pocket.
With a newly licensed teen driver, we strongly suggest raising your limits...and maybe consider an umbrella policy which provides extra coverage to your home and auto in a single limit of insurance; usually $1 million or $2 million is common but some companies offer a limit of $5 million or more. Check back next week for more information on umbrella policies!
Thank you to ohmygov.com
Thursday, June 11, 2009
New York Tightens Teen Driving Laws
Albany, New York is in the process of enacting new teen driving laws to bring down teen driver and passenger fatalities.
Currently, teens are able to get their license within the first 6 months of their permit with only 20 hours required of parent observation. The new bill raises that to 6 months of permit driving until even being able to schedule the road test and 50 hours or observed driving with 15 of those being night driving.
The bill would ban the use of electronic devices, handheld or other, and reduce the number of non-family drivers to one until age 21.
The bill also closes loopholes where teens were able to plea-bargain driving offenses to reduce them to non-moving violations, and thus avoiding points being added to their driving record. The only drawback to this is many parents pay for the driver's insurance so maybe having some court appointed volunteer work would actually be more appropriate.
One place the bill may falter, however, is drivers will be able to get their full license at age 17 whereas the federal bill restricts a full license until age 18.
36% of teen deaths are caused by motor vehicle accidents, and teen drivers are twice as likely to die in crashes as are adult drivers, studies show.
Thank you to Buffalo News.
Currently, teens are able to get their license within the first 6 months of their permit with only 20 hours required of parent observation. The new bill raises that to 6 months of permit driving until even being able to schedule the road test and 50 hours or observed driving with 15 of those being night driving.
The bill would ban the use of electronic devices, handheld or other, and reduce the number of non-family drivers to one until age 21.
The bill also closes loopholes where teens were able to plea-bargain driving offenses to reduce them to non-moving violations, and thus avoiding points being added to their driving record. The only drawback to this is many parents pay for the driver's insurance so maybe having some court appointed volunteer work would actually be more appropriate.
One place the bill may falter, however, is drivers will be able to get their full license at age 17 whereas the federal bill restricts a full license until age 18.
36% of teen deaths are caused by motor vehicle accidents, and teen drivers are twice as likely to die in crashes as are adult drivers, studies show.
Thank you to Buffalo News.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Teen Crashes: Highest on Saturday and Sunday Night
It's important to educate yourself-- as a parent and a teen driver. Below are 2 tables of information. Look them over carefully and you'll notice 2 things. Crash rates for teen drivers are most risky on Saturday and Sunday nights. Does this come as a surprise to you? Maybe not. But the awareness alone is imporant.
Share this with your teen driver. Do they notice a difference in the way they drive on weekends? Night driving vs. day driving, in general? Are they driving friends? Are they excited to go to a party or event? What is it about night and weekend driving for teens?
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Share this with your teen driver. Do they notice a difference in the way they drive on weekends? Night driving vs. day driving, in general? Are they driving friends? Are they excited to go to a party or event? What is it about night and weekend driving for teens?
| Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by day of week, 2007 | ||
| Day of Week | Deaths | % |
| Sunday | 953 | 19 |
| Monday | 568 | 12 |
| Tuesday | 531 | 11 |
| Wednesday | 566 | 11 |
| Thursday | 571 | 12 |
| Friday | 795 | 16 |
| Saturday | 962 | 20 |
| Total* | 4946 | 100 |
| Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by time of day, 2007 | ||
| Time of Day | Deaths | % |
| Midnight-3am | 747 | 15 |
| 3am-6am | 470 | 10 |
| 6am-9am | 393 | 8 |
| 9am-noon | 301 | 6 |
| Noon-3pm | 498 | 10 |
| 3pm-6pm | 822 | 17 |
| 6pm-9pm | 776 | 16 |
| 9pm-midnight | 900 | 18 |
| Total* | 4,946 | 100 |
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Help Your Teenage Driver Make Safe Choices
Neither a borrower nor a lender be. That's a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet. Advice from a father, Polonius, to his teenage son. There are two reasons why this is good teenage driving advice.
First: Lending a car to another teen is potentially dangerous. There will be a teenage driver, which statistically means a poor driver; there will be other teenagers in the car; there will probably be elevated emotions as a result; there will probably be overconfidence about driving skill in general since teens usually lend and borrow cars after they've driven only a few months; and, by definition, the teen is not driving his or her "regular" car -- it's a borrowed car.
Second: An insurance policy typically insures the vehicle for bodily injury and property damage only if the registered owner is driving it, or if it's being driven with the permission of the registered owner. Teenagers seldom are the registered owners -- parents are. So when teens lend to teens, there might be no insurance. Zero. The parent has not given the friend permission to drive. This means that your own teenager, riding as a passenger in your car, may not have coverage, because a teenage friend is doing the driving. If your children appreciate this, they may choose not to lend the keys to their friends.
Passengers get hurt, too. At some point, your teenagers will be passengers in a car driven by another teenager. Passengers can get hurt, too, worse than drivers. So let's look at passenger safety. Here are some points to discuss with your young driver.
These are difficult things for a teenager to do. They require going against the grain, doing what isn't fun, doing what isn't emotional. That takes a lot of leadership.
That means doing what you know, inside, is the right thing to do. The smart thing to do. The responsible thing to do. Your child might even be pleasantly surprised and find out that the other occupants of the car agree-- they wanted to settle down, too, but they were afraid to say so.
Thank you to PEMCO Insurance Company
First: Lending a car to another teen is potentially dangerous. There will be a teenage driver, which statistically means a poor driver; there will be other teenagers in the car; there will probably be elevated emotions as a result; there will probably be overconfidence about driving skill in general since teens usually lend and borrow cars after they've driven only a few months; and, by definition, the teen is not driving his or her "regular" car -- it's a borrowed car.
Second: An insurance policy typically insures the vehicle for bodily injury and property damage only if the registered owner is driving it, or if it's being driven with the permission of the registered owner. Teenagers seldom are the registered owners -- parents are. So when teens lend to teens, there might be no insurance. Zero. The parent has not given the friend permission to drive. This means that your own teenager, riding as a passenger in your car, may not have coverage, because a teenage friend is doing the driving. If your children appreciate this, they may choose not to lend the keys to their friends.
Passengers get hurt, too. At some point, your teenagers will be passengers in a car driven by another teenager. Passengers can get hurt, too, worse than drivers. So let's look at passenger safety. Here are some points to discuss with your young driver.
- Don't ride with someone again if you didn't like their driving the first time.
- Wear a seat belt, even if no one else wears theirs.
- Let the driver concentrate. Don't encourage speed, loud music, horseplay, etc.
- Avoid alcohol, even as a passenger. It increases rowdiness, noise, distractions.
These are difficult things for a teenager to do. They require going against the grain, doing what isn't fun, doing what isn't emotional. That takes a lot of leadership.
That means doing what you know, inside, is the right thing to do. The smart thing to do. The responsible thing to do. Your child might even be pleasantly surprised and find out that the other occupants of the car agree-- they wanted to settle down, too, but they were afraid to say so.
Thank you to PEMCO Insurance Company
Thursday, May 7, 2009
To Drive or Not To Drive!
To Drive or not to Drive!
And that really is the question! What age is the right age for a teenager to get their drivers license?
The age and requirements vary state-to-state and have varied laws concerning all aspects of when, where and how teens may drive.
We pose the question regarding readiness to the parents.
Even if the age to get a license in your state is 16, you must ask yourself is your teen mature enough and ready for the responsibility?
No parent wants to say no to their children but feelings and emotions involving things like peer pressure and the ability to impress their friends have no place behind the wheel of a car. Being that traffic deaths are the number 1 reason for high mortality rates in teenagers.
Let's face it, driving is all about responsibility. Are your kids good with following the rules, doing the chores, handling their emotional ups and downs sensibly? Only you know how your child will measure up to these questions.
Here are some ideas from another parent.
Many parents "basically cut their kids loose the minute they get their driver's license." That was not the case with the Cox family's oldest child, Rachel, who turned 16 in January and got her license in April. The decision to allow her to drive was tied to certain rules. Among them:
She's not allowed to use a cell phone while driving. Cox checks the itemized statement to ensure the rule is followed.
She's not permitted to have passengers (except for family) for at least a year. Cox sometimes bends this rule, depending on where her daughter is going and with whom.
Rachel must continue to drive with her parents on occasion, so they can observe. And she's required to enroll in a New Driver Car Control Clinic.
There was never any room for negotiation. Donna Cox has had the rules in mind since 1997, when she helped her best friend bury her 16-year-old son in Louisville. He had been driving just four days.
"His death notice and picture have hung on my kitchen cabinet for the last nine years," Cox says, "so it's a daily reminder."
And that really is the question! What age is the right age for a teenager to get their drivers license?
The age and requirements vary state-to-state and have varied laws concerning all aspects of when, where and how teens may drive.
We pose the question regarding readiness to the parents.
Even if the age to get a license in your state is 16, you must ask yourself is your teen mature enough and ready for the responsibility?
No parent wants to say no to their children but feelings and emotions involving things like peer pressure and the ability to impress their friends have no place behind the wheel of a car. Being that traffic deaths are the number 1 reason for high mortality rates in teenagers.
Let's face it, driving is all about responsibility. Are your kids good with following the rules, doing the chores, handling their emotional ups and downs sensibly? Only you know how your child will measure up to these questions.
Here are some ideas from another parent.
Many parents "basically cut their kids loose the minute they get their driver's license." That was not the case with the Cox family's oldest child, Rachel, who turned 16 in January and got her license in April. The decision to allow her to drive was tied to certain rules. Among them:
She's not allowed to use a cell phone while driving. Cox checks the itemized statement to ensure the rule is followed.
She's not permitted to have passengers (except for family) for at least a year. Cox sometimes bends this rule, depending on where her daughter is going and with whom.
Rachel must continue to drive with her parents on occasion, so they can observe. And she's required to enroll in a New Driver Car Control Clinic.
There was never any room for negotiation. Donna Cox has had the rules in mind since 1997, when she helped her best friend bury her 16-year-old son in Louisville. He had been driving just four days.
"His death notice and picture have hung on my kitchen cabinet for the last nine years," Cox says, "so it's a daily reminder."
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