No Driver’s License because Someone Else Already Claimed It?

In their most recent newsletter “Perspective”, PEMCO Insurance describes the shocking reality that even kids face Identity Theft!  

This sort of ID theft could easily go unnoticed until your child is 16 years old and applies for a driver’s license – and gets denied because somebody else already claimed it, using your child’s Social Security Number!

And that may not be the only fraudulent activity that has affected your child’s name.  Think credit cards and bank accounts…  which could seriously damage your child’s credit report and impact his/her eligibility for student loans, when the time comes.

What can you do?  Be very carful about sharing your child’s personal information.  Doctor’s offices, preschools and other businesses often ask for a child’s Social Security Number, but may also accept different forms of identification.  Just ask.

Also, consider checking your child’s credit report once a year (along with your own) to find out if fraudulent charges have already occurred.  If so, take the necessary steps to freeze the account and get charges removed as soon as possible.

By the way, if you are insured with PEMCO Insurance, you have access to PEMCO’s ID Smart program, which provides support from ID theft specialists free of charge.  Call us for a free quote at 425.379.9200 or visit our website at www.AutoHomeBoat.com.

Postpone Your Phone (While Driving)

Last Friday, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a bill that makes talking and texting while driving a primary offense.  The law will go in effect on June 10th, 2010.

Under the previous cell phone law in Washington State, talking and texting while driving was considered a secondary offense.  This meant that law-enforcement officers could not stop a cell-phone using driver unless there was another reason, such as speeding.

The new law will allow an officer to pull over a driver for using his/her cellphone while driving, and issue a $124 citation.

The new law also completely bans any cell phone use for young drivers under 18, even if they use a hands-free device or Bluetooth.  (Talking with a hands-free device remains legal for older, more practiced drivers.)

As KOMO news recently reported, Cindy Baker-Williams was among those who supported passage of stronger rules. Her son, Billy, age 12, suffered a brain injury four years ago while walking to the school bus. Billy Williams was in a coma for nearly a month and suffered injuries to his brain’s speech centers.  Witnesses to the crash said the driver was talking on a cell phone at the time.  “It’s a very emotional time,” Baker-Williams said. “Behind this bill, we see faces of people in our community who hopefully will never have to go through a pedestrian-car accident.”  

To get an idea of just how distracting texting while driving can be, the New York Times published a game that simulates the distraction.  Please click here to play:  Gauging Your Distraction.

(For the record:  I didn’t do so well.  But no matter how high you score – please don’t text and drive in real life.)

Check Out PEMCO’s New Teen Driver Site

You may have heard that PEMCO Insurance just recently launched their new website. We think it’s great!  Especially their Teen Driver Site is definitely worth a visit!

Head on over to http://www.pemco.com/teen_driver/default.aspx  to check it out!

(Oh, and keep in mind that we here at McClain Insurance Services represent PEMCO, but also Safeco, Travelers and Progressive.  That’s right!  As independent agents we can help with all your personal insurance needs, and we specialize in insurance for families with teen drivers. 

Find us at www.TeenDriverInsurance.com/McClain or check out our brand new main website at www.AutoHomeBoat.com )

After School is a Dangerous Time for Teens

Many parents are concerned to have their teen drivers head out on the road at night.  And rightfully so!  Driving at night is a very dangerous time for teens.

But, a recent study shows that the time right after school is also a very high risk time for teen drivers.  A study by AAA indicates that weekday afternoon driving is almost as dangerous for teens as night driving. The researchers studied the number of fatal crashes involving teens between 2002 and 2005.

 

They found that 16 and 17 years olds were involved in almost as many fatal crashes between 3 and 5 pm on weekdays, as they were on Friday and Saturday nights between 9 pm and 2 am. There were 1100 weekday fatal accidents and 1237 weekend evening fatal accidents.

What causes the high number of crashes after school lets out?

-Distractions.  There are a lot of distractions after school, ranging from packed parking lots, other kids walking to their car or to the bus, school buses pulling up and leaving – not to mention friends with whom to review the day or make plans for the next.  And – did we mention cell phones, ipods, radio stations and soda cans?

- Inexperience.  Correctly evaluating and navigating the busy surroundings while navigating a car doesn’t come without practice.  It’s easy to get overwhelmed by everything that’s going on!

 

- Additional causes likely include the typical “afternoon low” that hit right around the time school lets out, the beginning of rush hour, and the hurry to get home or to the next appointment.

In these dark, dreary days of winter, many teen drivers deal with both factors:  Decreased visibility caused by weather and early darkness as well as treacherous road conditions, combined with the “after-school-stress” make for a dangerous combination.

Please talk with your teen driver about these issues, and help increase their awareness for what’s going on during this busy time of day.   You can help them avoid accidents by starting with three simple rules:

- Aim to get to school 5-10 minutes early, and wait 5-10  minutes before leaving, to allow for the “rush hour” to pass.

- Enforce the “No eating, no drinking, no cell phone while in the car” rule

- No passenger in the car for the first six months, and not more than one passenger during the first year.

Have you made your New Year resolutions yet?

Happy New Year!

Most of us start off the new year by at least considering whether we are going to make any New Year’s resolutions.  Generally these have to do with a healthier lifestyle or financial issues (paying off credit, saving more, etc.) 

Have you considered making ‘driving resolutions’ this year? 

This could positively impact both the health and financial stability of your family.  Regardless of whether you previously made any resolutions or not, consider making the following in order to reduce the chances you or someone in your family will cause or be injured in an automobile accident. 

 

 

1) When I drive I will focus my full attention on driving.  This means no texting, no cell phones, no emotional tirades with passengers, no applying makeup, no eating meals or reading papers while driving.

   

2) I will be a courteous defensive driver.  This means I will try to anticipate ways I can help other drivers be safer by yielding when necessary, by not blocking someone from passing, and by not using my car to express my emotions.

 

3) I will drive only when I am alert.  This means I will not drive if I have been drinking, drugged, sick or excessively fatigued.

 

4) I will drive a safe speed, and I will reduce my speed accordingly for less than ideal conditions, such as heavy traffic, fog, rain, snow or ice.

 

5) I will maintain a safe distance between my car and the car in front of me regardless of how slow they go or how late I am.

 

6) I will always wear my seat belt and require that all my passengers buckle up.

 

7) I will keep my car in good mechanical condition so that I can avoid accidents caused by mechanical or tire failures.

 

I will do all of these things so that I can set a good example for my new teen driver.  I will also:

 

- Make sure my teen driver has at least 100 hours of structured driving practice with a qualified adult before driving alone.

 

- Have my teen read and agree to the Teenager-Parent Teen Driving Contract before he begins driving. 

 

Please be vigilant about your teen’s safety, as well as your own, and make 2010 your best driving year ever!

Study Explains the Staggering Cost of Insuring Teen Drivers

Ask any parent who has just added a kid to the family’s insurance policy, and they’ll tell you how expensive it is to have a teen behind the wheel. But the overall cost of teen driving is as tragic as it is staggering: According to a recent report from AAA, car accidents involving drivers aged 15 to 17 cost society more than $34 billion in medical expenses, property damage and related costs. 

According to an analysis conducted for AAA, in 2006 drivers ages 15 to 17 were involved in approximately 974,000 crashes that injured 406,427 people and killed 2,541. Here are some more sobering statistics:

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among U.S. teens, accounting for 36 percent of all deaths in this age group.

The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. Also, per miles driven, teens ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash, says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Risk is highest at age 16, and the crash rate per miles driven is twice as high for 16 year olds as it is for 18 and 19 year olds, according to the IIHS.

IIHS statistics show that 16- and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger.

Please talk and practice with your teen about safety behind the wheel and on the road

It’s not just “Don’t Drink and Drive” anymore

Don’t drink and drive.  The effects of driving under the influence have been thoroughly studied.  Most of us agree that drinking and driving is a fatal combination.

But did you know that distracted driving can be just as deadly?  5,870 people lost their lives in 2008 due to being distracted, or due to another driver being too distracted to react in time.  In many cases, the at-fault distracted driver didn’t even notice the person they ended up killing!

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a study researching distracted driving just this past September.  And guess what?  “Driver distraction was reported to have been involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes…” 

The biggest culprits when it comes to distracted driving are, of course, talking on your cell phone and texting.  But activities such as eating, drinking, reading, talking, putting on makeup, or daydreaming while driving are just as disruptive to your concentration.  A conversation on a hands-free device is a distraction. Even strong emotions like anger or excitement can shift your focus off the road.

Yet, distracted driving, somehow, seems to be acceptable in today’s society.  It seems to be a sign of multitasking, of efficiency, of capability.  It is not.  Distracted driving is causing rising death-tolls.  It is irresponsible towards yourself and others.

To raise awareness of this hot topic, the Department of Transportation hosted a 2-day ‘Distracted Driving Summit’ in Washington D.C. last week.  Senators, scientists and victims spoke up to share facts and stories.  Read about it in the New York Times.

If you don’t believe just how distracting texting while driving can be, play this game by the New York Times.

Please Don’t Text and Drive.

The Consequences of Speeding

Speeding is one of the most dangerous things that your teen driver can do. There are basically four outcomes when your teenager speeds. None of these are good, and I’ll share with you what can happen:

1. Nothing
If you’re lucky, nothing will happen for the time being. You may think, “Well, that isn’t so bad”. I disagree. Why? Because, if they get away with it one time, they do it again and again, risking every time that something worse can happen.

2. Speeding Ticket
Probably the best case scenario, although this can be very expensive. In addition to the fine, your teen will collect points, which can cost as much as $3,000 to $4,000 over the next 3 years.

3. Car Accident
If they are lucky and no one gets hurt, this will also be very expensive. This can cost you $5,000 to $8,000 in insurance points and fines. It may also put you in danger of losing your insurance, especially if you are insured with a preferred carrier.

4. Car Accident with Injuries or Worse…
Most fatal car accidents that involve teens happen because the teen driver was speeding. In some cases, the teen driver survives and others are injured or worse, killed. I can’t tell you how much this will cost you because there is no way to place a value on someone’s life.

So, how can you prevent your teen from speeding?

Talk with your teen, practice with your teen, and set rules. Implement consequences if the rules are broken. And consider installing a GPS Monitoring system in the car that your teen drives – you will receive alerts if your young driver exceeds a certain speed limit. For more information about this system, please contact me at claudia@autohomeboat.com

Why You Want To Keep Your Teen Driver On YOUR Policy

One of the options that parents consider in order to save money on their auto insurance, is placing the young driver on a separate policy. They think if they buy a separate policy for their teen driver, the rates for their other cars won’t go up.

Actually, that part may be true. But the flipside is that on a separate policy, the rate for the teen driver’s car goes way up for two reasons:

First, there won’t be a multi-policy discount for the single car on the teen’s policy
Second, you will have to buy a policy from a “high-risk” insurer. “High-risk” insurance companies charge rates that are more than double of a standard company.

Not only that. Placing your teen on a separate policy can cost you much more than higher rates. The most dangerous problem when insuring your teen with a high-risk insurance company is that you can’t buy high enough limits for a teen driver. The liability limits offered by these companies are usually no higher than 100/300/50, that means $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident and $50,000 for property damage.

Some parents think that’s fine – that in case of a big claim, the other party will only sue their child’s insurance company if there’s a big claim. That’s wrong! Any good attorney will go after the parents too, as long as the child is living in the parent’s home or is a dependent. The smartest way to insure your young driver is to keep them on your own auto insurance policy, with the highest liability limits you can get.

Tips for Prom Night – Part II

Prom night is probably one of the most anticipated nights of the year for teens, and perhaps one of the most anticipated yet dreaded nights for their parents.

Prom night makes teens look and feel more grown-up, but it doesn’t necessarily make them behave more maturely. Most teens heading off to their prom will tell their parents that they know everything they need to know about drinking and driving, and any other concerns their parents may have.

Unfortunately, too often, prom night is linked with drunk-driving injuries, deaths, date rapes, and pregnancies. It has become the night where teens often demonstrate poor judgment and make dangerous choices. The following tips may ease prom anxieties:

- Know and discuss the school code of conduct before the prom with your child.

- Find out whether the school code of conduct applies to off-site functions that have been approved by the school.

- Know who your child is attending the prom with and obtain their cell phone numbers.

- Discuss the events for pre and post prom parties with other parents. Find out where they are located and who is responsible for maintaining good behavior.

- Talk with your child about the dangers of club drugs, warning signs and who to notify for assistance. Pre-plan and role-play answers that your child can use to get out of uncomfortable situations. (e.g., offered alcohol, getting a ride from an intoxicated driver, unwanted sexual advances,etc.)

- Discuss guidelines and a curfew. Discuss the consequences of violating these rules. Discuss travel plans, and if you use a limousine service, use a reputable one that will not allow alcohol in the vehicle.

- Know who is driving to the prom and who will be a passenger. Limit the number of passengers to increase safety and reduce driver distractions.

- Talk to your teenager about the serious dangers and consequences of underage drinking and driving. If your child’s plans change, confirm the change with the parents of other children.

- Remind your child that you are there for them, if they need a ride home, or to an after prom affair.