A new report on teen driver safety by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm shows encouraging trends among teen passengers.
From 2008 to 2011, risky behaviors of teen passengers (ages 15 to 19 years) declined: the number of teen passengers killed in crashes not wearing seat belts decreased 23 percent; the number of teen passengers driven by a peer who had been drinking declined 14 percent; and 30 percent fewer teen passengers were killed in crashes involving a teen driver.
Overall, the report measured a 47 percent decline in teen driver-related fatalities over the past six years.
Still, as recent high-profile multi-fatality crashes with teen drivers illustrate, crashes remain the leading cause of death for U.S. teens.
In 2011 more than half of teen passengers (54 percent) reported “always” buckling up.
“When most people think about those affected by teen driver crashes, they think of teens behind the wheel. This report includes encouraging news about teen passengers, who are often left out of the teen driver safety picture,” says Dennis Durbin, M.D., M.S.C.E., co-scientific director of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at CHOP, and lead author of the report. “When you see the needle move, as we have in this report, it’s time to apply the gas on programs that encourage safe teen passenger behaviors, as well as those that address what causes teens to crash.”
Based on recent research which identified specific behaviors or factors associated with teen driver crashes, Dr. Durbin said there are key areas he thinks have the greatest potential to further drive down the teen crash rate: reduce distraction from passengers and technology, increase skills in scanning, hazard detection, and speed management, and increase seat belt use to improve a teen’s chance of survival in a crash.
For more information on your Auto Insurance, contact us today at Scurich Insurance Services.
This article was taken from www.insurancejournal.com, Scurich Insurance did not create this material.
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If you have Health Insurance, you’re probably all too familiar with what your plan won’t cover. The list of expenses denied when you try to file a claim can seem endless. It’s easy to wonder what actually is covered.
This February, Americans got more clarity about what Health Plans must cover starting in January 2014, when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published its list of ten “essential health benefits” under theAffordable Care Act (ACA). These categories apply to both individual and small employer insurance, as well as new plans under Medicaid.
Here are the mandatory categories of treatment and care:
- Outpatient medical care.
- Emergency care.
- Hospitalization.
- Maternity and Newborn care.
- Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder services.
- Prescription Drugs.
- Rehabilitation Services and Devices.
- Lab Tests.
- Preventative and Wellness services, and Chronic Disease Management.
- Pediatric Services, including Dental and Vision care.
In response to the release of the new standards, American Association of Health Insurance Plans spokesperson Robert Zirkelbach noted, “The minimum essential health benefits standard will still require many individuals and small businesses to purchase coverage that’s more comprehensive and more expensive than they choose to purchase today.”
This is all the more reason for people planning to buy coverage under the ACA to be well informed when the State Health Insurance exchanges open on October 1.
HHS offers an enrollment checklist for individuals, families, and small businesses that includes questions to ask about Health Plans, a primer on coverage basics, and guidelines for budgeting.
As always, our agency’s specialists stand ready to offer their advice to help you select the best value for your Health Insurance dollar. Just give us a call at Scurich Insurance Services!
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The nationwide debate over gun control in the aftermath of the Newtown massacre has raised a number of issues — including potential insurance liability for businesses in states that permit citizens to carry concealed weapons. Here’s why:
A company that allows customers or visitors on its premises has a legal obligation to exercise “reasonable care” in keeping them safe, a responsibility that includes warning them about any hidden dangerous conditions. For example, in states with “concealed carry” laws, a store owner might need to post warnings that sales clerks are armed.
Let’s say that an employee carrying a concealed weapon negligently or deliberately shoots a customer who is legitimately on the premises of the business — and the customer then sues the employer for bodily injury. On the other hand, suppose that an employer forbids workers from carrying weapons on the job. If an employee is attacked and beaten at work, he or she might sue for damages from bodily injury, claiming that the employer’s ban on firearms in the workplace impaired the employee’s ability for self-defense.
Although your Commercial General Liability (CGL) policy should provide coverage against such claims, it makes sense to minimize this risk by taking pre-emptive action. One effective approach: To seek an exemption from the scope of the concealed-weapon law (if one doesn’t already exist), giving you the authority to forbid weapons in the workplace. Make it clear to all employees and potential employees that company policy forbids bringing weapons onto the premises. You might also conduct comprehensive pre-employment screening to help hire stable, sensible people who are unlikely to settle disagreements with lethal force.
To learn more about protecting your business against the potential problems created by concealed carry laws, feel free to get in touch with us at Scurich nsurance Agency!
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