Cars and Auto Insurance

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have begun reaping the advantages of plug-in electric or electric-hybrid vehicles. They can be charged at home, eliminate the need for most or all costly gasoline fill-ups, and help the environment by refraining from spewing pollutants into the air. For many people who drive short distances in urban settings, EVs are a dream come true.

But for those who live in climate-diverse areas of the U.S., electric vehicles can present some bothersome problems.

Read More »Electric Cars and Cold Temperatures Don’t Mix

Almost all of us have heard it since we were kids: “Lying is wrong.”

But in reality, we all fib to some degree, even if it’s just a lie of omission. We tell our co-worker that we like her hideous dress. We tell an inquisitive stranger that we’re fine even when we’re angry. We neglect to mention to the guy at the next table that he has mustard on his face.

So it’s pretty clear that there are certain times when lying is okay (or at least not terrible). However, dishonesty is not a wise approach to take when dealing with your auto insurance company – even though quite a few people think so.

Read More »Why You Shouldn’t Lie to Your Auto Insurer

People who drive a passenger vehicle in a big city (or even its suburbs), usually have to concern themselves with the scourge of traffic congestion. And if you have ever been in a heavy traffic jam where there doesn’t appear to be any end in sight, it always seems like its the worst traffic in recorded history.

But unless drivers frequently travel throughout the country by car, they probably don’t have much of a sense about where traffic is heavier or lighter than anywhere else. Is there a way to determine which city has the worst traffic conditions?

One company does exactly that – and the top city on their most-congested list probably won’t surprise you.

And the “Worst U.S. Traffic Award Goes to…”

INRIX is a company that focuses on traffic patterns in congestion in all major cities in North America and Europe. Its Traffic Data Archive actually analyzes and interprets real-time traffic data for all urban areas in every quarter hour of every day all year long. The firm then expresses its findings through an INRIX Index which represents more congestion based on how large the number is.Read More »Which City Has the Worst Traffic? (Hint: It’s in California)

In recent years, people have been bombarded with messages about the dangers of texting while driving. Studies have shown that auto accident risks increase exponentially when a driver tries to use a handheld device to text, surf the web, or perform similar tasks. In fact, such behavior has now been outlawed in 42 states.

But one thing that’s still legal is texting while walking. And believe it or not, this combination is starting to cause problems across the nation.

21st Century Danger: Texting While Walking

According to research from Ohio State University, from 2004 to 2010 the number of pedestrian injuries that involved mobile phones tripled, even while all pedestrian injuries decreased during the same period. A separate study indicates that out of the 41,000 annual pedestrian injuries that require visits to emergency rooms, some 15% of them involve cellphones. Many of these injuries are caused by a motor vehicle striking a texting pedestrian who isn’t paying attention.

Historically, most pedestrian injuries were concentrated in the elderly, child, and intoxicated populations. But with the advent of mobile phones, the demographics of pedestrian injury victims are changing; with many people between the ages of 16 and 25 years of age reporting pedestrian injuries. What’s more, some experts believe that these figures are underreported, since texting while walking can lead to an injury which many people find embarrassing.

The few attempts across the country to outlaw texting while walking have been met with resistance; and practically speaking, it would probably be a difficult law to enforce. Therefore, many safety advocates are finally beginning to raise awareness about this issue. They are encouraging pedestrians to stop walking while sending or reading texts, or to use voice commands to operate their smartphones. There are even some digital apps that can lower the odds of injuries while texting and walking, such as one which utilizes smartphone cameras to help pedestrian watch for obstacles in front of them.Read More »Drivers Beware: Texting While Walking Accidents On the Rise