Teenagers Arent Wearing Their Seatbelts

In the time honored tradition of teenagers behaving differently when adults aren't around, an NHTSA study has shown that over half of the teenage accident victims that died in night crashes werent wearing their seatbelts.

You have to wonder what the numbers would look like if they had buckled up.

Take the time to tell your teen drivers that they need to wear their seatbelts at all times, and not just when you happen to be looking.

Pay As You Go Insurance?

Progressive Insurance is offering to use the way that people actually drive to determine their rates. They plan on doing so by installing the equivalent of a "black box" that records how often you hit the brakes, how fast you accelerate, the rate of speed, etc.

While this seems like a better way of determining rates than using a credit score, level of education or race, insurance companies and software have a history of not mixing to your advantage. For years, insurers have used a program called "Collossus," which they used to artificially lower settlement rates. It isn't hard for us to imagine them figuring out how to tweak the information gathered so it skews in their favor.

It's that time of year again...

The NHTSA has released it's annual count of traffic accidents, deaths and alcohol related fatalities by space. We always take these numbers seriously, as they basically let us know whether the people of New Jersey are taking their responsibilities seriously when they get behind the wheel.

Follow this link to see how New Jersey is doing.

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811016.PDF

Avoiding New Jersey Bicycle Accidents

The State of New Jersey website has a great list of ways for New Jersey bicyclists to avoid accidents. Aside from the obvious (such as obeying traffic laws and riding on the right side of the road,) there are also many practical ways to avoid getting hurt.

Considering that there are many bicycle deaths per year in our state, learning the rules and regulations should be a priority for you if you are considering buying a bike. Follow the link below for more information.

http://www.njsaferoads.com/bike.html

Construction Work is the Equivalent of a Disease?

Well, no.

But it is interesting to note that the umbrella that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is the Center for Disease Control.

When you consider that 17,000 construction workers died in America in a fifteen year period, it somewhat makes sense that they place it in the same category as an infectious disease.

If you are a construction worker and the site managers don't place a premium on safety, either report them or find work somewhere else.

Feds Drop Case Against NJ Construction Official

NEW YORK -- Federal prosecutors have decided to drop the extortion case against a New Jersey construction official charged earlier this year in a sweeping indictment targeting the Gambino organized crime family.

A government motion to dismiss the case against Anthony Delvescovo, sent today to his lawyer, said that further investigation found "there is presently insufficient evidence to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."

The motion did not explain the decision, and a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn declined comment.

For more information, follow the link below.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/feds_drop_case_against_nj_cons.html

Don't Wait for it to Be Too Late

Nobody wants to be a snitch. That's completely understandable. But then again, nobody wants to end up crippled, or worse.

If you have spent more than a few years on jobsites, then you probably have a better idea than most as to what constitutes a needlessly dangerous situation on the job. You notice if the scaffolding isn't put together correctly. You notice if there is a danger from falling debris.

Sometimes the general contractors are aware of it too, but are a little too concerned with the bottom line to make the necessary changes.

If you suspect that corners are being cut, but aren't sure, follow this link to the OSHA website. If you do a little research you can probably find out exactly what is being done wrong, and who to contact to make your bosses comply with safety regulations.

Not even the lizard can help this kid.

A Canadian teenager got an insurance bill in the six figure range, and for good reason. For more information, click here. 

Money Saving Tips on Car Insurance

While the GEICO motto might be "Save a Lot of Money on Your Car Insurance," there are ways that you can save money without having to bother going to GEICO.

If you follow this link, you will go to a USA Today article that will give you six practical ways to save money on your car insurance without having to go to one of the giant insurance companies that deny claims as a matter of course.

More distracted driving

As the writer in this piece in the Washington Post says, "It was only a matter of time."

This time the culprit wasn't the cell phone or the iPod, but rather ironically, the GPS device that is supposed to tell you exactly where to go.

If you have ever used one of those things, take a moment to stop and think about how much it causes you to take your eyes off the road.

 

Supreme Court Justice Thomas on 60 Minutes

Many bloggers out there have been anticipating Justice Thomas' coming interview on 60 minutes.  There is a pretty good primer over at the Drudge Report.

Primarily, he is supposed to speak about his public and private life.  One of the issues to be discussed will be concerning his confirmation hearings, Anita Hill, and the abortion issue.  Thomas has been on the move, speaking at a dedication ceremony in Orlando previously. 

I cannot wait to see this interview which will be aired Sunday night.  What will Justice Thomas say about Anita Hill. 

Any comments?

Stay tuned.

Larry

Should whistleblowers be fined?

State Farm seems to think so.

They recently asked a judge to fine two former employees that released internal memos in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

These memos detailed the methods used by State Farm to systematically deny the claims of thousands of Gulf Coast homeowners.

Can you imagine the sort of world we would live in if conscientious employees were afraid of coming forward? Can you imagine what corporations would get away with if they could?

New Service to Automatically E-mail, Instant Message Safety Recall Information

The NHTSA has a new service where any recall information regarding tires or child safety seats will be e-mailed to you automatically.

If you have small children, it wouldn't be a bad idea to sign up. While the NHTSA does a good job in publicizing recalls, sometimes it just doesn't occur to people to check the website with regularity.