car insurance and text driving

Auto insurance news :
Auto insurance news : Texting and driving, ban cellphone use when driving ? Missouri tragedy raises questions on teen safety and teen car insurance. Raises questions on US transportation decision.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said he won’t back a proposal to prohibit drivers from talking on cellphones, even hands-free devices, giving a boost to car makers and mobile-phone companies that stand to lose if regulators impose a ban.

Do you agree with this as a teenager, student driver or even an adult after knowing about the Missouri news? Today, lets forget about getting cheap car insurance or cheap teen car insurance the consequences of this on car insurance rates, since obviously some or the other insurance company is going to bear the brunt for paying auto insurance claims… high amounts, which is going to increase the car insurance rates for young drivers or teen auto insurance- since the accident below is going to be put under this age group. Lets focus on should talking on cellphone be banned since this is also a distraction?

Here is the incident :

WASHINGTON (AP) — A texting pickup truck driver who caused a deadly highway pileup in Missouri last year has federal accident investigators taking a hard look at the use of distracting devices behind the wheel.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lay out information gathered in its investigation over the past year and a half at a meeting Tuesday to decide the cause of the accident and make safety recommendations.

The board says a 19-year-old driver was texting just before his pickup crashed into the back of a tractor truck, beginning a chain collision. The pickup was rear-ended by a school bus, which in turn was rammed by a second school bus.

The pickup driver and a 15-year-old student on one of the school buses were killed. Thirty-eight other people were injured in the Aug. 5, 2010, accident near Gray Summit, Mo.

Nearly 50 students, mostly members of a high school band from St. James, Mo., were on the buses heading to the Six Flags St. Louis amusement park.

Investigators are seeing texting, cell phone calls and other distracting behavior by operators in accidents across all modes of transportation with increasing frequency, NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said. It has become routine for investigators to immediately request the preservation of cell phone and texting records when they launch an investigation, she said.

In the last few years the board has investigated a commuter rail accident that killed 25 people in California in which the train engineer was texting; a marine accident in Philadelphia in which a tugboat pilot was talking on his cellphone and using a laptop; and a Northwest Airlines flight that flew more than 100 miles past its destination because both pilots were working on their laptops.

“This is trending very hot and it’s a growing concern for the NTSB,” Hersman told The Associated Press.

The board has previously recommended bans on texting and cell phone use by commercial truck and bus drivers and beginning drivers, but it has stopped short of calling for a ban on the use of the devices by adults behind the wheel of passenger cars.

The problem of texting while driving is getting worse despite a rush by states to ban the practice, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said last week. In November, Pennsylvania became the 35th state to forbid texting while driving.

About two out of 10 American drivers overall — and half of drivers between 21 and 24 — say they’ve thumbed messages or emailed from the driver’s seat, according to a survey of more than 6,000 drivers by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

And what’s more, many drivers don’t think it’s dangerous when they do it — only when others do, the survey found.

At any given moment last year on America’s streets and highways, nearly 1 in every 100 car drivers was texting, emailing, surfing the Web or otherwise using a handheld electronic device, the safety administration said. And those activities spiked 50 percent over the previous year.

The agency takes an annual snapshot of drivers’ behavior behind the wheel by staking out intersections to count people using cellphones and other devices, as well as other distracting behavior.

Teen car insurance and distraction
What is important is any distraction is dangerous for new drviers, teen drivers or student drivers since the lack of expereience would slow down the reflexes. Teen safety is in danger and teen car insurance would be high.

Would appreciate your views and comments on whether cellphones should be banned when driving- not to use at all – you would not text or talk?

Stay safe and have a safe and Merry Christmas.
Kamlesh

johnny knox : I am worried about my 16 year old son behind the wheel. Getting cheap car insurance is one thing, but I do not want him to become a crash test dummy. Yes, more anxious about this since I work for Highway safety and the crash test dummy team.

How to avoid letting your teen driver become a crash test dummy?

Response : Hey, Johnny, you I think are in a better position to guide your son and us all for this. Teen safety is very important – more than getting cheap teen auto insurance. Here are some clues- will appreciate if you would add your own points to them.

The first 30 days solo behind the wheel are the most dangerous for teen drivers, who are 50 percent more likely to crash during that time than they are after a year of experience on the road, according to a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

They’re also twice as likely to get into a wreck in that first month as they are after two years of driving on their own, the study says. The most common mistakes causing an accident during the first month in which teens were at least partially responsible include speeding, not paying attention and failure to yield.

Teen drivers are inexperienced, which often equates to high teen car insurance rates or young drivers car insurance for parents. But fortunately, teens learn fast.

The AAA study analyzed specific types of collisions in relation to how long the driver had been licensed and found that some types of crashes significantly decreased as experience increased. For instance, wrecks involving left-hand turns were common during the first few months, but declined almost immediately thereafter, according to the study.

“We know that young drivers’ crash rates decrease quickly as they gain experience. What our new study tells us is that there are a few specific abilities that we could do a better job of helping teens develop before they begin driving independently,” Peter Kissinger, AAA Foundation president and CEO, said in a statement.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death among teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths for this demographic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Teen Driver Safety Week kicks off this week, with the theme this year focusing on ways to help parents teach their teens to drive.

“This research serves as a great reminder for parents to stay involved in the learning process even after the law allows teens to drive without a parent in the car,” Kissinger said in a statement. “Continued parent engagement can help teens gain needed driving experience and shape their habits for a lifetime of safe driving.”

There are a few tips parents can use to help inexperience teen drivers stay safe, says Bill Wade, national program manager of Street Survival, a group that teaches teen driving safety. Tips you can use include:

Limiting the number of passengers your teen is allowed to have in the carContinuing to chaperone practice driving sessionsInstructing your teen to wear a safety belt Prohibiting your teen from driving at night

Many states already set limits on new teen drivers by enacting graduated driver’s license rules that include curfews and passenger limits, Wade says. However, parents still need to be vigilant. 

“For a 16-year-old driver, the incident rate goes up 35 [percent] when there’s another 16-year-old in the car, and when there are two passengers that age, it goes up 70 percent, so things like limiting passengers, these things are important,” says Wade. “These kids are not drinking, they’re not necessarily doing anything wrong, they’re just 16-year-olds driving.”

Johnny, your views would be appreciated.

Thanks and do not forget to get your cheap teen auto insurance quote here.

Best deals, the car insurance for your teenager

Yes, this is the christmas season the season of deals, offers, gifts ….. the list goes one. Among the other deals, here is the best deal the car insurance for your teenager so that you can buy him or her the dream car your teenager wants. 

The teens are really a very crucial period not only in the teen personal and private life, but also in their journey. At the moment, which these young people started their own abilities use car insurance, guaranteed to drive them, is required. The Member States have different laws accompanying teenage driving but the side would go without insurance is a no-no.

The fact that young drivers apply they receive higher prices high risks for the company as well. In the face of serious crashes driver can be killed teen three times more likely than drivers between 25 and 64 years. Young people are also more risky driving behavior as adult link driver. Therefore assure teens a huge amount in the family would really add costs. Female young people can their families double auto insurance prices can triple the cost during male teenagers.

The different rate teenage driver is given they statistically worse driving and higher probability of accidents associated with major and minor versions is really justified. The way to a lower rate is however still open, also for the cases of teenage drivers.

Young people start driver, so that they need not actually expensive flashy cars for their journey. Older models drive will be a lower price the young driver. Luxury cars would already high only a teenager sky rate to add. Older models are safe to drive and the fact that they are less expensive means lower costs if it is to be repaired in accidents. In addition to older cars save a teenager of expenditure for collision and comprehensive coverage required by a new car.

Cars with safety devices would also help would lower a teen vote car insurance for you reduce the damage that can cause both the car and the driver of an accident or thief.

The magic number young people must look forward, is not only 25 years old, that they pay much would rid for their car insurance. During this time to wait, young people can their insurance rates will charge lower driver.

Cards, avoid a teenager to drive, would reduce constantly good reason for insurance provider, its prices crashes and compliance with the traffic rules and regulation record. Submission no claims for a certain span of time would open other opportunities for generous discounts, for the most automobile insurance, offer special promotions on this matter. Also filing any claims put your reputation as a low risk driver despite your age.

Get your cheap car insurance quote now.

Cheap car insurance for students

If you are a student or a parent of a student, you may realize that finding cheap insurance is difficult. The truth is that car insurance for youth and student drivers is at the highest rate possible. The good news, however, is that it is possible to find cheaper insurance and/or do things to help you save money on your policy.

One way to look for cheap insurance is to enter your zip code in the box on this page and you can compare car insurance quotes immediately.

One thing to keep in mind when you are searching for cheap car insurance is that you want to make sure you get the coverage you need, without getting more than is necessary.

When you search for car insurance, you probably notice that the rates for students are a lot higher than they are for other demographics. The insurance companies actually have a good reason for raising the costs for students.

Statistically, students and young drivers get in more accidents than any other age group. A big part of this is because of their lack of experience. It can take years of driving until you feel comfortable on the road, especially if you live in a big city.

Students are also more immature and, if they are driving with friends, they tend to be more easily distracted than more mature drivers. This often leads to a higher accident rate.

Another reason that car insurance rates are higher for college students is that college campuses tend to be a magnet for accidents and theft. Many campuses report a high rate of auto break-ins and car theft, which increases the amount that the car insurance company charges you. It is also a place with a high auto collision rate.

If you are male and a student, your rates for car insurance are even higher than your female counterparts. This is because statistics show that males are more reckless when driving and they tend to have more traffic violations as well as get in more accidents.

There are a number of ways you can search for car insurance. You can call local agencies or walk into their offices and speak to an agent face to face. Another convenient way to search is online, where you can get multiple free quotes  quickly.

The best thing to do before you start looking around for cheap policies is to know what you want in your policy. Obviously, collision and protection against theft are important, as the risks for these are high. Other optional choices are probably not as important. For example, you probably don’t need car rental insurance , roadside assistance, or other extras that car insurance companies offer.

Once you know exactly what you need for an insurance policy, you will be better able to compare car insurance quotes and make a better decision. When you are comparing companies you may want to make sure the company is legitimate and doesn’t have too many complaints against it. You can also see if they are a member of their local Better Business Bureau by looking them up on the BBB website.

Although your original insurance premium as a student will be higher, there are things you can do to decrease the amount of money you pay. There are many car insurance companies that offer discounts for certain things. If you are a safe driver and haven’t had any accidents or other traffic violations your premium will often be lower.

As a student, if you participate in and pass a defensive driving course , you will often receive a discount, as this shows the insurance company that you have more skills to drive safely. Also, focusing on your academics can pay off in regards to car insurance policies. Many companies offer a discount for those students who consistently receive good grades.

If you live close to campus and don’t drive your car very much, ask your insurance company if there is a low mileage discount.

One of the factors in determining car insurance premiums is your credit history. As a student, you may not have much of a credit history or you may have poor credit. Work on building up your credit and you will pay less in the future. For hints on how to build credit, check out the  your car insurance quote here. Grab them. You just have to put in your zip code in the box provided below.

START YOUR TEEN CAR INSURANCE QUOTE COMPARISON NOW!

When it comes to insurance for young drivers, they tend to be viewed as inexperienced by automobile insurance firms. This gives car insurance companies the opportunity to vote younger drivers as being an overly excessive risk to insure. This by no means makes companies decide not to provide insurance for your drivers, it just means that insurance does not come cheap – many insurance companies will make younger drivers pay higher premiums for their insurance; much higher than experienced drivers will pay.

While it could be several years before young drivers can see their premiums lower, there are a few measures they can keep in mind in order for their premiums to stay as low as they possibly can for the time being. Consider the following tips when looking for cheap insurance for young drivers and lower premiums, until you reach that age where you can easily benefit from lower insurance prices of your own.

It’s a good idea to stay under your parents’ insurance policy for as long as possible. While it might increase their insurance premium slightly, it’s a far cry from the premium you would pay for your own policy for insurance for young drivers. Also, when you purchase your own vehicle, it’s possible for your parents to lower your premiums by adding your automobile as a second vehicle under the policy they currently have.

Most states have a prerequisite for a driving course for young drivers. Even if it’s not mandatory, it’s a great recommendation that you take one anyhow, especially if there is a defensive driving course available in your area. Most young people take this type of course as part of their high school curriculum, as it is required by several states. There are many car insurance companies that will provide a discount to any young drivers who have taken it upon themselves to learn how to drive safely and correctly through one or more driving courses.

As part of your regimen for keeping up with your insurance for young drivers commitments, ensure your automobile is safe at all times. Whether or not the policy is your own, many insurance companies give extra credit for those who have taken extra steps to make sure their car is safe. Whether you install an alarm system, use an anti-theft device on your steering wheel or both, these will work in your favor with the insurance companies. It’s also important to remember to keep your doors locked, and ensure the location that you have chosen to park your car is secure when you aren’t driving, whether it is day or night.