Cell Phones and Teen Drivers: A Dangerous Combination?
January 30, 2009 by Gary Sides
A new traffic study suggests NC teenagers have not paid much attention to state law that bans cell phone use by drivers under 18. The law went into effect in Dec. 2006.
A study was conducted by the UNC center and the Institute for Highway Safety. Researchers parked outside of 25 high schools discovered over 11% of teens were talking on cell phones while driving away from school.
Another study found 64% of teens were aware of the law forbidding cell phone use but only 39% of parents were aware of the ban.
Experts liken the use of cell phone while driving to have the same effects as being under the influence of alcohol.
NC Auto Insurers May Raise Rates on Jan 1, 2009
January 7, 2009 by Gary Sides
Auto insurers may increase premiums on NC drivers by up to 9.4& starting Jan. 1, 2009, but a court ruling will determine whether they can keep the extra money.
The NC Rate Bureau, which represents 144 auto insurers that operate in the state, had asked for its largest rate increase in 14 years–12.9%. Insurance Commissioner Jim Long turned the tables, instead ordering a 16 percent cut.
Long ruled that the insurers submitted data to back their positions that didn’t justify the increase they sought. The Insurance Department also argued that the companies skewed their depiction of NC’s market by including claims from riskier drivers who are inexperienced or who rack up insurance points against their license and other decisions. Those drivers are assigned to the NC Reinsurance Facility.
Insurers revamped their requested rate increase in their appeal to the state Court of Appeals and are now seeking 9.4%.
Under state law, insurers can charge the higher rate beginning Jan .1, but any amount collected above the 16% cut ordered by Long must be placed into escrow accounts. If insurers win their appeal, they can keep the money. If they lose, they will have to refund the money to policyholders, plus pay interest at the prime rate plus 3 percent.
A court hearing on the appeal has not been scheduled.
Driving Teens Ignore Ban, Use Cell Phones
January 7, 2009 by Gary Sides
There’s a state ban on cell phone use for drivers under 18, but they seem to use cell phones with the same frequency as before the ban, a new traffic safety study suggests.
The ban is part of the state’s graduated licensing program, designed to limit distractions and risky behavior that can get young drivers into trouble.
In spring 2007, five months after the law took effect in December 2006, reseachers saw teen drivers talking on their phones at about the same frequency as in fall 2006, before the ban was implemented. Researchers parked outside 25 high schools and watched as teens drove away in the afternoon to see how many were talking on their phones.
It’s not surprising to find that teen drivers haven’t stopped using their cell phones, says Robert D. Foss, a senior research scientist with the Highway Safety Research Center at UNC Chapel Hill. The 2006 law has not been widely publicized. Police enforcement also is sporadic, because officers, like the UNC researchers, can’t be sure whether a cell phone-using driver is 18 or younger.
Grease Clog Removal Fills Home With Sewage
January 7, 2009 by Gary Sides
On the evening of April 6, 2008, Meg McCormick says three city workers were trying to clear a sewer line in front of her southeast Charlotte house by blasting a grease clog out with a high-pressure hose.
The plan backfired, literally. It forced sewage through the home’s pipes, up through its toilets, throughout the first floor, and down into the crawl space under the house. It lasted 55 minutes.
Over the next few days, the McCormicks spoke with city risk managers, Mecklenburg County environmental engineers, and their homeowners’ insurance carrier. They were distressed to discover that their insurance didn’t cover sewage backups –then again, they’d never considered the possibility.
Four inches of sludge covered the floor. Sewage had leaked into the central air and heat system, and solid waste had collected in the heat ducts. Total estimated sewage? 3,000 gallons.
After a lengthy process, The City of Charlotte agreed to pay for the damages and repairs and for the McCormicks to stay at a hotel for as long as the work lasts.
Such back-ups aren’t uncommon, especially in a city like Charlotte, whose growth threatens to outstrip its infrastructure. Grease clogs are usually the culprits.
BE COVERED: Most homeowners’ insurance policies can be endorsed to add sewer and drain back up coverage for around just $25.00 a year in additional premium.
NC Among Deadliest for Teenage Drivers
January 7, 2009 by Gary Sides
For Trey Ward, there’s no room for argument. The No. 1 rule when you get into his 1997 Chrysler: “No seat belt, no ride.”
Nationwide, North Carolina ranks fifth in fatal car accidents involving young occupants (16 or older), according to a new study released Monday by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The study shows that young drivers and passengers around the country are more apt to not buckle up at night–males more that females. Two-thirds who died in accidents did not heed “click-it” pleas from parents and authorities.
In the 16-20 age group, 68 percent who died in car crashes at night in 2006 were unbuckled. In NC, of the 525 young people killed in nighttime accidents in 2006, 61 percent didn’t use selt belts. In all, 1,116 young NC people died in day and nighttime crashes that year. More than half weren’t buckled.
Another recent study by Allstate shows that Charlotte’s teen fatal crashes ranks ninth among the top 50 US metro areas. Speeding and not buckling up contributed to 80 percent of Charlotte’s teen driving deaths, the study showed.