She is a problem solver and sees the positive in every situation. She focuses on everyone getting a powerful education, along with her family. Elisa cares about all of her students and wants each one to develop a love of reading and writing.
We wouldn’t allow our children to play with an unsafe toy, nor would we use a household item that was deemed dangerous. But, when it comes to our autos and trucks, many Americans continue driving one that has been recalled because of a safety concern.
It’s More Than You Might Think
The statistics are a bit unsettling – the number of recalled vehicles reached 51 million in 2015, second only to 2014’s record of 60 million vehicles.
What do you need to be worried about?
Auto experts say the bulk of the recalls were for faulty airbags, which have been linked to injuries and deaths. However, other recalls were for hazards involving steering, cruise control, engines and seat belts. These failures have led to sudden loss of control of the vehicle, parts failures in a crash, or caused vehicle fires.
Many Are Not Getting Fixed
Despite a major effort by automakers, only 75 percent of vehicles that might have issues are being looked at or repaired.
And that’s the concern; a recent Carfax survey found that tens of millions of vehicles that have been recalled the past few years have never been fixed. By their estimate, one-out-of-five vehicles on the roads today is in need of a repair for a defect. Even more troubling is that the type of vehicle with the highest rate of unfixed safety issues is a family-owned minivan. SUVs and pickup trucks are a close second and third. Often, this means the drivers of those cars or trucks, maybe someone you know, is at significant risk if a part should fail.
So Why Wouldn’t Someone Get the Fix?
There are many reasons why drivers aren’t getting defective vehicles to a dealer or mechanic:
So Has Your Vehicle Been Recalled?
The government maintains an excellent website where you can check, for free:
https://www.safercar.gov/CheckForRecalls
If you find your vehicle on the recall list, safety groups recommend that you contact the car dealer immediately to set up an appointment to have it looked at. Keep in mind, you should not have to pay for any parts or labor because of a recall. Not all vehicles may need a fix, but finding out will bring you peace-of-mind. And, if you think your vehicle has a defect, but hasn’t been recalled yet, save any receipts; you should be reimbursed if the recall occurs later.
What Does a Recall Mean for My Insurance?
While driving a recalled vehicle shouldn’t affect your insurance, the quicker you have it checked out or repaired, the safer you and others will be.
However, you should contact your insurance company if the dealer gives you a loaner car while yours is being repaired; you’ll want to make sure you have enough coverage if it’s more valuable than your vehicle.
It’s also a good idea to check your auto insurance to make sure you are fully protected and that you are getting all the discounts you deserve. Call a California Casualty advisor today for a free policy review or comparison at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com.
Sources for this article:
https://ohsonline.com/articles/2016/01/22/51-million-vehicles-recalled.aspx?admgarea=news
https://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/recalled-but-unrepaired-cars-are-a-safety-risk-to-consumers.html
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2016/02/11/398362.htm
Most of us love to get the morning (or evening if you work shifts) started with a good cup of coffee or tea. As you go through your day, have you noticed just how many mugs have a slogan or saying on them. It seems that what’s on our cup often gives a glimpse of who we are and what we think.
After doing a little research, we’ve assembled a list of some of the best sayings we’ve found on nurse’s mugs:
What’s on your favorite mug? Feel free to share it with us.
And, just like a comforting cup of hot coffee, California Casualty is a perfect complement to your day. We’ve been protecting American heroes for over 60 years providing auto and home insurance matched to your professional lifestyle. That means these exclusive benefits not available to the general public:
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all attend the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas? We could see the vendors showing off new interactive watches, the latest in cell phones, driverless cars, home WiFi based appliances and new technological wonders that can be applied in schools.
Yes, it would be nice to get super-geeked and tech-overloaded, but it’s just not practical. The second half of the year has just begun and there are classes to manage, tests to grade and new projects to challenge students.
If you are an educator, there is good news; Leila Meyer, an education tech writer went to the show. Here are the 10 Products From CES that she predicts will have the most potential to make it to the classroom:
But having and using the latest technology for technology’s sake may not get the results many educators desire. It’s important to put it into a context of learning, as the tech-instructor at Meyer Elementary School in Lexington, Michigan found out. Jeff Dahl is teaching technology through various content areas, presenting it as something purposeful, connected to learning and relevant to real-world situations. He recommends:
While there are many benefits to integrating new technology into the classroom, often times, the cost is out of reach for many school districts. That’s why California Casualty created the $2,500 Academic Award, to help educators purchase the materials and gadgets they need to help their students. Give your students the advantage they deserve, apply now for the California Casualty Academic Award at www.calcasacademicaward.com.
Sources for this article:
https://www.edutopia.org/practice/tech-literacy-making-it-relevant-through-content-learning
It’s one of those bitter cold days. As you head out to start your car, you’re conflicted about just how long you should warm it up before you drive off. If you are like me, your dad or grandfather may have told you that it was best to let it run a few minutes to make sure the engine was properly lubricated and enough gas was getting into the engine. But a lot of us have also been hearing that’s no longer necessary. In fact, how long anyone should warm their car has been the topic of national auto call in shows and many automotive blogs and articles.
The bottom line is that times have changed and the advice to warm the car a few minutes is apparently no longer valid. The modern answer is that warming your vehicle (unless it’s a diesel) wastes gas, pollutes the air and may actually be bad for your engine, not to mention illegal in many states if you leave it unattended. Here is what the experts are saying.
First, modern fuel injected vehicles adjust to the cold and don’t need warming. The idea of warming a vehicle is a throwback to cars and trucks that had carburetors.
Second, modern oils and lubricants are now designed to maintain their viscosity even in abnormally cold weather. The days of warming the oil to coat important moving parts are over.
Third, it now only takes 10 to 30 seconds to warm a car or truck.
Fourth, the engines in most autos actually warm quicker when they are being driven. Idling actually works the engine and its components harder than when it is moving.
Fifth, idling costs you money in wasted fuel. Unnecessarily running your vehicle for just a few minutes a day can add up to hundreds of gallons of gas.
Sixth, warming the car in a garage can be deadly. Even if the garage door is open, dangerous carbon monoxide can seep into your home which can cause serious health problems or even death.
Seventh, idling engines produce more pollution. Nobody wants to breathe that stuff in.
Now, that we know it’s not a good idea to over-warm your car, let’s not forget the places where it’s illegal to leave it running unattended. Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin have passed so called “puffing” laws, fining owners of unattended cars left running. Cities including New York, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and Reno have also enacted ordinances against cars left idling. The only exception is if you have a remote starter and the car remains locked. That’s because it’s too easy for criminals to climb in and steal it.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates that a vehicle is stolen every 33 seconds; many of those were cars or trucks that were left running or had the keys left in them. That adds up to 6.4 billion dollars, which we all pay for in higher automobile insurance rates.
To help prevent auto theft, the NICB advises to:
Another way to protect your vehicle is with insurance. Don’t forget to purchase comprehensive coverage in case it catches fire, it’s damaged by a falling tree, or someone breaks in or steals it. Before that happens, contact a California Casualty advisor today for a no hassle policy comparison or review at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com. It just might warm your day.
Resources for this article:
https://knowhow.napaonline.com/tips-for-warming-up-your-car-on-a-cold-morning/
https://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/08/warm-up-car/
https://www.nicb.org/newsroom/news-releases/theft-stats-with-keys-left-inside-vehicle
https://www.wnd.com/2014/01/cold-shock-warming-up-your-car-illegal/