Pedestrian-Detection Technology Could Save Millions of Dollars and Lives
Posted on April 4th, 2011
A recent Status Report newsletter published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that pedestrian-recognition technology could potentially avert thousands of vehicle crashes every year, saving lives and millions of dollars in repair costs and insurance premium increases. Developing and implementing this new kind of technology should be considered the next logical step toward greater public safety, similar to automated surveillance cameras at intersections, according to the IIHS report.
There have already been major advances in pedestrian-recognition technology by several car manufacturing companies; Volvo has integrated it into their new S60 sedan. According to Volvo’s website, “The Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection system fitted in the 2011 model S60 was first announced early last year. It
Tags: Pedestriandetection Technology, Technology
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Smaller Auto Insurance Companies Seeing Steep Growth: comScore
Posted on March 29th, 2011
The internet revolution has changed the face of modern business in an irrevocable fashion, and the auto insurance industry has not been left behind, with the major insurers using web tools to further advance their dominance of the market. However, that may be changing, according to a recent report by prominent consumer research company comScore.
Shopping for auto insurance quotes and comparing rates online has been common practice for years, but smaller insurers had not seen much increase in their traffic, until now. According to the study by comShare, smaller auto insurers are now experiencing larger customer volume, directly attributable to web-driven advertising methods.
Tags: Auto Insurance, Insurance
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Car Insurance Companies & New Car Seat Guidelines
Posted on March 28th, 2011
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Car seat guidelines have been updated for the first time since 2002 and many parents are less than thrilled with the new strict guidelines. According to Keith McCord of the Deseret News, “Parents (are) confused, upset over new car seat guidelines.” Car insurance companies have a vested interest in these new guidelines because if they really do keep kids safer in crashes, that could lower the medical bills being paid out after car accidents. The guidelines are a joint effort between the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They are based more on height and weight now and less on age.
It is now recommended that children’s car seats remain rear-facing until at least the age of 2, an increase from the age of 1. They pair this age 2 guideline with a weight of 35 pounds. Many parents argue that their smaller children did not weigh that much until well over age 3 and say that their legs were way too long to be in a rear-facing car seat. Insurers like Infinity auto insurance could then have to worry about broken legs in an accident, according to some parents. But a manager at the Primary Children’s Medical Center says that there is no record of a child breaking their legs because they were rear-facing. She also points out that a study in 2007 showed that children are five times safer when they are rear-facing than when they are forward-facing.
The other guideline ruffling some feathers is the recommendation that children remain in booster seats until they are at least 80 pounds, 4 foot 9 inches, and between 8 and 12 years old. It is said that that is when they will best fit into regular seatbelts. While many parents are up in arms about these new guidelines, they are meant with their children’s safety in mind and they are not law. Each child grows differently and could be lighter or heavier than others their size. It is best to go to an inspection station if you have any question about the safety of your children.
Tags: Car Seat, Car Seat Guidelines, Guidelines, Seat Guidelines
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DUI Convictions and their Impact on Auto Insurance
Posted on March 25th, 2011
Drinking and driving can lead to arrest for DUI (image by foreverdc.com)
Driving under the influence of alcohol is never a wise decision. At CarInsurance.org, we say if youre drinking, you shouldnt be driving, no questions asked. Zero tolerance. Driving under the influence is the leading broken traffic/driving law in terms of causing fatal accidents
While a conviction for driving under the influence (DUI or DWI) of alcohol or drugs might not be a scarlet letter that will follow you for life in terms of auto insurance, it will have both short and long term effects on drivers and car insurance. Lets look at the ways a DUI conviction can have an impact on auto insurance and driving.
Higher Cost for your Auto Premium
To say that a DUI/DWI conviction is a costly mistake is putting things mildly.
Tags: Auto Insurance, Insurance
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Gleaming pumpkin 32 years in the making
Posted on March 22nd, 2011
This story begins like thousands of others around North America. A guy begins a restoration project, then life gets in the way and the project gets put on the back burner. That is code for being stuck in the back of the garage and having stuff piled on top of it.
For Mark Bard, the story began in 1979 when he began restoring the 1970 Mustang Mach1 you see above. It got stuck in the corner just a year later. In 2006, work finally resumed on the project, which was finally completed this year. 2011.
32 years later!
They say that good things come to those who wait and Marks Mach1 is a very good thing.
This Mustang is an interesting combination of old meets new, as one can see that special attention has been paid to keeping the Seventies flavor, while adding in some modern touches.
Is insurance fraud on the rise?
Posted on March 22nd, 2011
Image courtesy of alr3d
The number of fraudulent claims has been steadily rising over the past few years and is said to get worse as the severe government cuts and the increase in VAT are likely to hit the pockets of the public. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) stated that 107,000 insurance claims made during 2008 were false. While most claims were against home insurance, fraudulent car insurance claims were number one in value.