A question I face a lot is with regard to child safety seats. The problems usually come in the form of confusion. Please don’t know how to get the seat placed correctly in the car, don’t know what size seat to use and don’t know if the seat they are using is of good quality. The government is stepping in and in the article listed below from the AP you can see that the safety ratings are getting easier to understand.

Marty O’Neill, Insurance Agent

By KEN THOMAS
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — Parents who struggle to install their child safety seats or fasten their toddlers in the backseat chairs are getting new guidance from the government.

The Transportation Department said Wednesday it was revamping a consumer ratings system for child safety seats to help parents and caregivers make the best choice.

The new approach is to use a five-star rating system, based on the seats’ ability to secure a child and the ease with which the seats are installed. It also is to consider the seats’ labeling and instructions.

“We believe that the new star system will help simplify one of parents’ most important decisions: choosing the best safety seat that will protect their children,” Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said at an Arlington, Va., fire station.

Many parents can attest to the frustration found in securing a car seat or making sure their child is strapped in. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said seven in 10 child safety seats are either the wrong size or misused, reducing their ability to protect kids in a crash.

NHTSA estimates that child restraint systems reduce fatal injuries by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers in cars and by nearly 60% for infants and toddlers in SUVs, pickups and vans.

Obese Drivers Facing More Serious Injuries in Auto Accidents
Thursday, December 13th, 2007

In addition to the numerous problems our country is facing with obesity, add auto accidents to the, excuse the pun, growing list. This article by Dharam Shourie outlines an increasing issue with the reltaion between auto injuries and body weight–Marty O’Neill, Insurance Agent.

(c) 2007 Asia Pulse Pty Limited.

By: Dharam Shourie

New York, Dec 8 (PTI) Being obese may increase the risk of perilous diseases like diabetes, heart attack, stroke and cancer. And it can be fatal in one more way — it enhances the risk of dying in a car crash.

More than 42,000 deaths and three million injuries result annually from motor vehicle crashes in the United States. An estimated 26 per cent of the population or about 60 million people are obese, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The study was conducted by the Meharry-State Farm Alliance which is a joint venture of Meharry Medical College, an historically black academic health center in Nashville, Tennessee State and State Farm, which insures cars and is the leading US home insurer.

For its study, the Alliance analyzed 2002 data from the CDC’s Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Researchers divided over 230,000 people into groups based on their body mass index (BMI), a measure of how overweight an individual is. The rate of always wearing seat belts was 82.6 percent for non-obese motorists (BMI less than 25), 80.1 percent for overweight motorists (BMI 25-29), 76.6 percent for obese motorists (BMI 30-39) and 69.8 percent for extremely obese motorists (BMI 40 and above). The gap climbed from 2.5 percent for overweight, to 6.0 percent among the obese, to 12.8 percent among the extremely obese.

The Meharry analysis revealed that millions of Americans are increasing their risk for injury or death in motor vehicle crashes by failing to use seat belts.

In a study published in the November issue of journal Obesity, lead author David Schlundit, a health psychologist, reported that people who are obese have lower rates of seat belt use than their lean counterparts. “As seat belts can reduce motor vehicle crash-related morbidity and mortality by 50 percent,” Schlundt asserted, “these findings suggest that many American motorists are unnecessarily at risk for death or injury in motor vehicle crashes.” Rates of obesity and extreme obesity reportedly are higher among African Americans and Latinos in the United States, suggesting that the obesity-seat belt relationship should be of particular concern to those interested in minority health and health disparities, the study says.

“One of the main objectives of the Meharry-State Farm Alliance is to reduce disparities in seat belt use and motor vehicle injury and death in minority populations,” said Kellie Clapper, State Farm assistant vice president, community relations.

“This research provides one clue about the reason for the disparity.”

Automotive technology is meeting the insurance industry in the form of safer cars, and thus safer passengers. The article below is from Dow Jones & Company and outlines the increase in autos which now meet the highest levels of safety ratings. Obviously, this safety leads to less injuries and lower insurance rates. Marty O’Neill, Insurance Agent

(Copyright (c) 2007, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.)

Safety-minded drivers now have many more vehicles to choose from.

Thirty-four vehicles received the highest safety rating in the latest crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, up from 13 a year ago. Asian car makers had the largest number of top-rated vehicles, with 17. U.S. car makers had six vehicles on the list, while Germany and Sweden had six and five, respectively.

The results, which are due to be released today, come as auto makers attempt to boost their safety ratings by adding air bags, crumple zones and crash-avoidance electronics — and as consumers increasingly seek out the latest safety features. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Tundra is the first pickup truck to make the list, and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.’s Subaru Impreza is the first small car since stricter criteria were introduced last year. They join Hyundai Motor Co.’s Entourage minivan, Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz M-Class sport-utility vehicle and Ford Motor Co.’s Volvo XC90 SUV, which were also on last year’s list.

To receive the top rating, vehicles have to be available with electronic stability control, or ESC, and get a top score of “good” in front-, side- and rear-impact crash tests. Other ratings in each category include “acceptable,” “marginal” and “poor.”

Drivers have long been drawn to vehicles that have more horsepower, luxury amenities or conveniences than the competition. But as creature comforts such as heated leather seats, CD changers and navigation systems have proliferated even among budget-priced cars, drivers and car makers have begun to focus on safety features. As a result, attributes such as side-curtain air bags, which cushion occupants in a side collision, and stability control systems, which help drivers avoid accidents, are now among the latest must-haves.

Stephanie Sanford says injuries she suffered from a head-on collision that destroyed her sedan earlier this year persuaded her to look more closely at safety ratings. She recently bought an Acura MDX, an SUV made by Honda Motor Co. that was named a top pick by the Insurance Institute. “I wanted to make sure it had all the stars,” says the Denver flight attendant, referring to high scores in crash tests.

Car companies have rushed to make their vehicles more crash-resistant by strengthening their bodies and adding air bags and electronic collision-avoidance systems. Some are paying particular attention to redesigning seats, seat belts and headrests to better protect passengers when the car is hit from behind, which has been a weak spot for many vehicles since the Insurance Institute began rear-impact crash tests in 2004. Indeed, another 23 vehicles would have made the top-rated list if their seats and head restraints hadn’t fallen short.

The test results also show that car makers are moving faster than ever to make vehicles more appealing to consumers through safety improvements. Some cars made the list only after their makers quickly made changes to improve their safety ratings. Making such design changes in the past could take several years.

Seats and head restraints in BMW AG’s X3 and X5 sport-utility vehicles, and the Honda Accord sedan, Element SUV and Odyssey minivan received “good” ratings for 2008, compared with “marginal” or “poor” ratings a year ago. Volkswagen AG’s Audi reworked the seat and head restraints on its midsize A3 to improve the car’s rating to “good” from “acceptable.”

There are also vehicles that received top ratings this year in categories that weren’t represented in last year’s top picks, which also helped expand the list. These include two convertibles — the Volvo C70 and General Motors Corp.’s Saab 9-3 — in addition to the Tundra and the Impreza.

The auto industry’s newfound agility in making last-minute tweaks to vehicles reflects growing consumer awareness of safety, science, marketing and even how cars are made. Consumers increasingly research a vehicle’s safety ratings along with quality and reliability records before buying. In response, car makers have recognized the appeal of safety as a marketing tool and often refer to crash-test results in their advertising.

Consumer demand and government regulations will continue to make safety more of a core element in vehicle design, says Rebecca Lindland, an analyst with research firm Global Insight in Lexington, Mass. As fuel-economy standards increase, for example, some cars will become smaller and lighter, necessitating new safety features, she says.

“Federal mandates will drive some of this, but it’s also happening because of consumer demand,” says Ms. Lindland.

The Insurance Institute, a research group funded by the insurance industry, says its ratings are designed to make it easier for consumers to identify the vehicles that provide the best protection in the most common types of crashes.

The institute’s ratings are based on frontal offset crashes at 40 miles per hour — in which part of the car’s front end is hit — and side impacts at 31 mph. The two-step rear-impact tests include measurements of the head restraints. Vehicles whose head restraints are judged “good” or “acceptable” are tested in a rear impact of 20 mph to a stationary vehicle. The group began frontal-impact testing in 1995, adding side-impact tests in 2003 and rear tests in 2004.

By Marty O’Neill, Insurance Agent

When people get ready to walk across a public road, they usually look both ways first to see if any motor vehicles are coming. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with animals, including certain large ones. Too often, the result is a motorist’s nightmare: a collision with a deer, moose or elk. The animal usually comes out second-best in this type of close encounter, but the toll on vehicles and their occupants can also be substantial.

Each year, more than 150 people die in animal-vehicle collisions, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says. The Insurance Information Institute estimates some 1.5 million such collisions cause about over $1 billion in damage annually. While animal-vehicle collisions can happen any time of year, fall is the peak season for deer-car crashes. That’s mainly because autumn is both mating season and hunting season, so deer are more active and more likely to roam beyond their normal territory.

No foolproof way has been found to keep deer, moose and elk off highways and away from vehicles. Deer whistles have their advocates, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says there’s no scientific evidence to support claims they work as intended. Some studies suggest roadside reflectors – designed to reflect light from vehicle headlamps and cause deer to “freeze” rather than cross the road – reduce crash frequency to some extent.

There are ways you can lessen an unplanned meeting with a deer, moose or elk. Here’s how:

• Be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to “deer crossing” signs. Look well down the road and far off to each side. At night, use your high beams if possible to illuminate the road’s edges. Be especially watchful in areas near woods and water. If you see one deer, there may be several others nearby.
• Be particularly alert at dusk and dawn, when these animals venture out to feed.
• If you see a deer, moose or elk on or near the roadway and think you have time to avoid hitting it, reduce your speed, tap your brakes to warn other drivers and sound your horn. Deer tend to fixate on headlights, so flashing them may cause the animal to move. If there’s no vehicle close behind you, brake hard.
• If a collision seems inevitable, don’t swerve to avoid the animal; your risk of injury may be greater if you do. Hit it, but control the vehicle. Report the crash to the police.
• Always obey the speed limit and wear safety belts.

Being alert at all times while driving is your best defense against any type of accident.

For Teenagers, a New Car May Not Be the Wisest Choice
Friday, October 5th, 2007

This article appeared in the NY Times and addresses a question I get all the time, “my son/daughter is turning 16, what should I do about my insurance?” This article sheds light on the situation–Marty O’Neill, Insurance Agent.

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company. All Rights Reserved.

ON a recent Sunday afternoon, Barbara and Steve Skor did what many parents do when their teenagers start to drive: shop for a first car — in their case, for their 15-year-old daughter, Elise.

The Skors, who live in Scottsdale, Ariz., had considered spending $16,000 to $18,000 on a midsize used car, but after shopping they learned that for a few thousand more dollars they could have a new car with up-to-date safety features. Elise wants a sporty car, but Ms. Skor isn’t so keen on that. ”Our focus is: No. 1, safety, No. 2, price,” Ms. Skor said. They have not yet chosen a car.

Selecting a car for teenage drivers is a modern rite of passage for many families, but sometimes little attention is paid to which types of vehicles are best for teenagers.

”It’s often overlooked, but it’s a huge factor,” said Allan F. Williams, a road safety consultant and former chief scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Crash and injury risk, he said, are determined not only by the conditions under which teenagers drive but also by which vehicles they drive and how often they drive them.

Teenage drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times as likely to crash as older drivers, based on miles driven, and the risk is particularly high during the first year after getting a license, according to the Insurance Institute.

All states have some form of graduated driver licensing, through which they monitor conditions in which teenagers learn to drive. Dr. Williams said that after such rules were adopted, there was generally a drop of 20 to 30 percent in crashes involving 16-year-old drivers.

But the law does not guide the choice of vehicles. Parents and teenagers, he said, need to conduct some research.

In doing so, they may find that spending more is not necessary. Bella Dinh-Zarr, the North American director of Make Roads Safe, a nonprofit group based in London, said: ”What I usually tell parents is, you don’t have to buy the most expensive car on the lot to keep them safe. It doesn’t even have to be a new car.”

Most experts agree that parents and teenagers should look for cars with the most advanced safety equipment in their chosen price range, like the latest air bags, seat-belt reminder systems and electronic stability control, which helps prevent skidding that leads to many rollover crashes. Many cars also have antilock brakes, which can keep a driver in control, but it is important for teenagers to know how to handle them.

It is also a good idea to check crash-test ratings. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publish ratings. The tests are different, so experts advise checking both.

”I’m asked regularly, ‘What’s the cheapest new car I can buy?’ ” said John Nielsen, director of the AAA Auto Repair and Buying Network in Florida. ”You can buy a used car a few years old with as many or more safety features for less money than the least expensive new car.”

An $18,000 new car may not have side-impact air bags, though a late-model used car with a known reliability record that has the side-impact bags can cost just $13,000.

But with older-model bargains come different safety concerns.

Gail Erickson, of Clinton, Mass., bought a 1994 model-year vehicle several years ago for her son, then 14, to use when he was old enough to drive. She researched costs at the used-vehicle Web site of the National Automobile Dealers Association and ended up paying $1,500, or $2,000 less than the association’s suggested price. Her son, now 17, drives the vehicle, but it does not have air bags.

”We are looking for a safer car,” Mrs. Erickson said. ”I wish more parents knew about these things.”

A survey released in June by the Insurance Institute found that vehicles bought in anticipation of adding a new driver to the family were more likely to be of sizes and types considered less safe than vehicles already owned.

”The message we’d like parents to know is that midsize to large is safer, all things being equal,” said Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the institute. Death rates in small cars are about twice those in large cars, she said.

Smaller cars are easier to maneuver and respond faster in an emergency, but larger cars offer more crash protection. On the other hand, very large vehicles, like vans, allow for many passengers. In the last 10 years, a number of studies have shown that the more teenagers are in a vehicle, the more likely it is that the driver will crash it.

”The type of vehicle is more important than the model year,” said Linda Gorman, public affairs manager for AAA Arizona. For teenagers, an older midsize car is better than a new S.U.V., she said, although in Arizona, S.U.V.’s and pickups are popular because off-road driving is common. Such vehicles are substantial but, because they have a high center of gravity, are more likely than cars to roll over.

A paper published last year in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention showed that many vehicles teenagers drive in their first year behind the wheel ranked low in crash protection or were more likely than other vehicles to be in crashes. Small cars were the most common. Over the year of the study, the percentage of teenagers driving small cars rose to 42 percent from 36 percent. About a quarter drove S.U.V.’s, pickups or sports cars.

The findings were based on a study of about 3,500 Connecticut teenagers and their parents that was conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Preusser Research Group.

About a third of the vehicles driven by the teenagers were at least 10 years old. Cost is thought to be a major reason that teenagers drive smaller and older vehicles, particularly for teenagers who own their own cars.

The researchers also found that teenage owners were more likely to drive more miles, drive more riskily and have more traffic violations and crashes than those who did not own vehicles.

But neither vehicle type nor ownership is the most important factor in safety for teenagers, said Dr. Dinh-Zarr, of Make Roads Safe. ”There is a safe vehicle in almost every price range,” she said, ”but there’s no car that will protect your teen if you haven’t taught them good safety habits.”

PARENTS should keep safety in mind if they are considering buying a new car for themselves and giving the old one to their teenager, which has been a trend, said David Champion, director of automobile testing for Consumer Reports. More experienced drivers may be better able to handle a vehicle that does not have the latest safety equipment, he said.

”Parents really need to stand up to teens,” he said, conceding that ”no self-respecting 16- or 17-year-old male wants to be seen driving the family sedan.”

But he advises parents to provide their teenagers with the safest car possible until they acquire more driving skills. ”Let’s keep them around so they can buy a car of their own choice,” he said. ”People always ask what to pay for a car. I say, ‘How much would you pay to have your child back?’ I’d pay anything. This is the most dangerous part of their lives.”’

By Marty O’Neill, Insurance Agent

Whether you’re a first time buyer of auto insurance or already have it but are looking for a better deal, you should be asking several questions.

First, is the person from whom you’re buying (your agent) a visible, established member of your community—someone you know and trust?

Second, is the company from whom you’re buying well known? What is its reputation? What about price? Because there are hundreds of companies competing for your business, prices vary—sometimes a lot. It may pay you to shop. Be sure the premiums you’re quoted are for equal amounts of coverage.

How about service? Price is important but saving money won’t mean much unless you get the service you need— when you need it. If possible, ask other clients of your prospective agent how they’ve been treated, especially when they’ve had a claim. Find out how the company handles claims. Is the method convenient for you, no matter where you have an accident? How about solvency? Is the company you’re considering still going to be in business when you file your claim? Your state department of insurance has financial rating information on all of the companies that do business in its state.

Once you’ve decided on a company and an agent, there are more questions to ask. How much coverage do you need? The required minimum amounts of liability coverage may not be enough for you.  Consider your needs in light of your assets and income. How much can you afford to pay if there’s a big judgement against you because of an accident?

What about deductibles? Deductibles lower your premiums—most commonly for collision and comprehensive coverages —but increase the amount of loss that comes out of your pocket.  How much additional risk are you willing to take in order to save? Should you carry collision and comprehensive coverage? As your car’s value decreases, you might consider dropping these coverages and pocketing the savings on premiums. But consider if the savings are enough to offset the risk of footing the entire cost of repairing or replacing your car.

Auto insurance is not a generic commodity. It is a product that should be tailored to each individual. Marty O’Neill can help you answer these questions and thereby help you tailor your auto insurance to your specific and unique needs.