by California Casualty | Calcas Connection, Good to Know, Safety |
While we worry about our teens texting while behind the wheel, what kind of example are we setting? Nearly one-third of drivers of all ages admit to texting, talking or checking a map app while on the road. With Americans spending an average of an hour a day on the road, that’s too many opportunities for a serious crash.
Technology can give us the boost we need to stay on task, avoiding texting while driving. There are a variety of apps to reduce your temptation to use a smartphone while behind the wheel. Most of us already use apps for workouts, calorie counting, music and banking – why not add one for safer driving?
Five Apps to Stop Phone Use While Driving:
- AT&T DriveMode, a free app for iOS and Android that silences incoming calls, restricts texting, and sends alerts when the app is turned off
- DriveSafe Mode, an app available for iOS and Android that prevents texting and emailing while driving and sends notifications when the phone is in use or when the driver shuts off the app
- Cell Control, a subscription service that allows businesses or families to block sending or receiving texts while driving and sends an alert if it is deactivated
- On My Way Realtime GPS (available at iOS app store), a free app that allows others to track where you are in real time without the need to send a text or make a call while driving, and lets them know when you arrive at your destination
- LifeSaver, a subscription service for both Android and iOS that blocks phone use, monitors driving behaviors, sends alerts when the driver arrives safely and allows them to earn points while using the app
Your phone may already have a Do Not Disturb While Driving feature. Search within your phone settings to activate it.
Some other tips to help drivers concentrate on the road and not on technology include:
- Mapping out the route before getting into the car
- Creating music lists at home to play on the ride
- Making calls to friends, work or relatives before the drive and after you arrive at your destination
TAKEAWAY:
Learn more about distracted driving and efforts to prevent it here.
by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info, Safety |
In the US, home break-ins occur about every 18 seconds. That’s pretty alarming. Not only can a thief steal your belongings, they can rob your peace of mind leaving you and your family feeling violated, scared and even angry.
By taking the time to educate yourself and following some simple precautions, you’ll be better prepared to protect your family and home from a break-in ever occurring.
Know it: A security system may prevent a burglar from even attempting to break in.
Do it: Have a security system installed and monitored – and display the yard signs and window stickers you are provided.
Know it: Thieves sometimes rely on the cover of night, but most burglaries happen between 10am and 3pm while many people are at work or school.
Do it: Keep bushes and shrubs trimmed back. Consider getting motion activated security. Leave on a TV or radio. A barking dog can serve as a great deterrent to thieves – while you get to enjoy a wagging tail and a wet nose when you arrive home.
Know it: Burglars are often familiar with your neighborhood or daily schedule.
Do it: Varying your routine will make it harder for the bad guys to tell when you’re not home.
Know it: Signs that you’re on vacation or out of town for an extended period can make your home an easy target for burglary.
Do it: Put your mail, newspaper and deliveries on hold. Have a trusted friend or neighbor watch your home. Put indoor lights on timers. Some police departments offer an out of town home watch. If your local authorities provide this service, be sure to sign up several days prior to going out of town. Be vigilant about what you and your family post on social media.
Know it: 34% of burglars enter through the front door. Another 30% take advantage of unlocked windows or other unlocked doors.
Do it: LOCK YOUR DOORS AND WINDOWS! Keep your garage doors closed, even when home.
Know it: The top three things a burglar is looking for are cash, prescription drugs and jewelry but don’t doubt that these criminal opportunists will take anything they can get their hands on. Unfortunately, this often includes your identity.
Do it: Don’t leave valuables, cash or items that can be used for ID theft in plain sight or hidden in obvious places. Keep an up-to-date home inventory with a record of serial numbers from electronics to aid in filing police reports and insurance claims. Be sure to have an identity theft protection and recovery service if burglars get access to your personal or banking information.
We can’t stop all criminals, but California Casualty is here to protect you with quality auto and home / renters insurance with exclusive benefits not available to the general public. Every policy also comes with free ID theft protection.
Sources for this article:
https://www.iii.org/press-release/vacation-bound-use-these-five-prevention-tips-to-protect-your-home-against-burglars-while-youre-away-070312
https://www.safewise.com/blog/8-surprising-home-burglary-statistics/
by California Casualty | Safety |
On September 7, Equifax, a nationwide credit-reporting agency, reported that a giant cyber-security breach has compromised the personal data of up to 143 million Americans.
This information may include:
– Names
– Social Security Numbers
– Birth Dates
– Addresses
– Driver’s License Numbers
In addition, credit card numbers were compromised for about 209,000 customers. Overall, this is one of the largest data breaches ever, and many consumers financial information is at risk.
What should you do now?
- Visit https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com to determine if you may have been affected
- Keep a close watch on your credit report and credit card accounts
- Freeze your credit and set up fraud alerts
You can freeze your credit report and set up fraud alerts by calling the reporting agencies:
Equifax: 1-800-349-9960
Experian: 1‑888‑397‑3742
TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872
ALL California Casualty customers have ID Defense assistance available through CyberScout as part of their policy. Click this link to learn more.
by California Casualty | Safety |
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. It’s a good reminder that we all need to be more aware of what we are doing as we motor along America’s byways and highways. However, you’re not alone if you get a pit in your stomach every time your teenager grabs the car keys and heads out on the roads. Many parent’s biggest fear is that something might happen while their teen is out driving.
Sadly, there is a reality behind that fear; getting behind the wheel is one of the most dangerous things a young person can do. Teen drivers are much more likely to be texting or using a device while driving than any other age group. They are also more prone to dangerous interactions with their passengers. Accident rates for all drivers have gone up the past two years, but drivers aged 15-20 years old were more likely to be involved in crashes attributed to distracted driving, which is the leading cause of death for people in that age group.
Here are some startling statistics that show why:
- At any given moment, approximately 660,000 motorists are using or manipulating a cell phone
- 70 percent of people ages 16-19 and 88 percent of ages 19-24 admitted in an insurance industry survey that they regularly text while driving
- At 55 miles per hour, the average text takes a person’s eyes off the road long enough to travel the length of a football field
- 60 percent of teen crashes involve distractions behind the wheel
- Teen driving deaths increase around prom and summer season
Most of these are preventable tragedies. Sadly, they impact thousands of families every year like Amanda C., a California teen who survived a previous crash while texting and driving, but not a second similar crash a year later. Seventeen year old Alex B. from Texas lost her life when she rolled the truck she was driving while texting, and 21 year old Casey F. from Pennsylvania was killed instantly when a distracted driver hit her while she was crossing the street.
Ironically, an analysis of the last messages in fatal crashes attributed to texting found many common words such as: “love you;” “home soon;” “need to stop texting, unsafe;” “send me the directions;” and “OK.”
So what can you do to protect your teens?
- Enroll them in a safe driving course
- Follow the graduated driver licensing rules: no driving at night and no or limited passengers for the first six months or for a full year
- Require seat belts and safety restraints be worn at all times
- Enforce a no cell phone/texting policy
- Urge young drivers to observe all speed and safety regulations
- Provide a vehicle that offers the best protection in crash tests
- Set a good example for them to follow
A great resource is Impact Teen Drivers. The nonprofit educates teens about the deadly consequences of distracted driving. They offer evidence-based, peer-to-peer programs and information to empower young drivers to make good choices behind the wheel. They also hold a twice a year Create Real Impact contest, rewarding students ages 14-22 for their creative messages discouraging distracted driving. California Casualty is committed to making our roadways safer and we are a major sponsor of Impact Teen Drivers. We urge you to learn more at www.calcas.com/impact-teen-drivers.
by California Casualty | Safety |
Have you ever thought about what exactly you have in your car as far as essentials? Your idea of emergency kits and necessities may need a refresh and some new additions.
Tissues and Wipes: Even if you don’t have kids, having wipes ready can help quickly clean up drink spills, cleaning off sunglasses, or messes from the kiddos. Also, consider having a large clean rag in the trunk. If a flat tire or oil leak occurs, it would be easy to clean off your hands.
Extra Phone Chargers: Who doesn’t need more phone chargers throughout the day? Be sure to put an extra car charger or extra battery accessories in the glove compartment. This could be a big saver if you need to call for help.
Umbrella: Because who knows when it will start raining.
Recycled Shopping Bags: These bags could help with those impromptu shopping trips.
Piece of Cardboard: In case you get stuck, this small trick of putting the piece of cardboard under one tire can make a difference.
Emergency Money: Keep it handy in the glove compartment in case of emergency for gas money, or a tow.
Blanket: It doesn’t have to be just for emergencies to help keep warm, but also for fun trips to the park.
These are just some ideas to consider keeping for those surprise moments. And as they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
by California Casualty | Safety |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that traffic deaths across the U.S. jumped another 10 percent the first half of the year, following a seven percent increase the previous year. NHTSA and other safety groups fear the numbers will be even higher for the second half of 2016 due to increased driving and warm weather. NHTSA says we are at a crisis level that needs immediate action.
The crisis is more than statistics; it involves mothers, fathers, grandparents and children who will never again celebrate the holidays or the next family gathering. Some of these heart breaking stories include:
- 35 year old John T. Gordon, a law enforcement officer who was struck and killed while riding his motorcycle by a young man in a truck who was texting when he swerved into oncoming traffic
- Five year old Xzavier Davis-Bilbo who was hit and killed crossing the street by a young woman who was texting and driving
- 61 year old Linda Doyle who was killed by a young driver talking on a cell phone who ran a red light and smashed into her vehicle
- Nine year old Erica Forney who was fatally run over while riding her bike by a neighbor who had looked down at her cell phone and never saw the girl
What is surprising is that these tragedies come as new safety features – autonomous breaking, lane change warnings and rear view cameras – are now available in more vehicles. Unfortunately, human error is the cause of 94 percent of today’s crashes and it’s thought that distracted and inattentive driving continues to be a major contributor to these wrecks.
If you are a parent, that should make you shudder. That’s because motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, and drivers 15 to 19 years old are three times more likely that drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash. Teen drivers are also much more likely to be distracted by a cell phone, passengers or other electronics in the vehicle than older drivers (yet adults are catching up).
Other factors contributing to teen driving deaths are that too many don’t wear seat belts, they are less experienced behind the wheel, and they are more prone to speeding.
NHTSA has mounted a campaign to remind us of the “5 to Drive” rules we all need to observe:
- No cell phones while driving
- No extra passengers
- No speeding
- No alcohol
- No driving or riding without a seat belt
California Casualty believes safe driving for teens is a year-round effort. We are a major supporter and charter member of the non-profit Impact Teen Drivers program, proactively using peer-to-peer influencing and education to prevent the tragedy of distracted teen driving.
