As if texting and driving wasn’t bad enough, a new survey finds drivers are distracted by modern technology in numerous other ways: surfing the Internet, tweeting or taking and sharing a “selfie.”
AT&T talked with more than 2,000 people aged 16-25 across the U.S. who have a smartphone and drive at least once per day. Seventy percent acknowledged using their phone while behind the wheel. While texting and emailing were the most prevalent activities, four-in-ten were tapping into social media while driving and almost three-in-ten said the surf the net. Here is the breakdown of things people admitted they do as drivers:
61 percent text
33 percent email
28 percent surf the net
27 percent look at Facebook
17 percent snap a selfie
14 percent check Twitter or Instagram
Around one-in-ten said they conduct video chats, have shot a video or viewed a Snapchat behind the wheel.
Keep in mind that the average text takes the driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds – if they were driving 55 miles per hour that would equal driving the length of a football field blindfolded.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every day nine people are killed and more than 1,100 are injured in crashes that involve a distracted driver. Unfortunately, teen drivers are more likely to be distracted and were involved in a disproportionate amount of fatal crashes.
These are more than statistics; they involve real people and impact real families. Sydnee W. was an Ohio teen who died in a crash just shy of her 18th birthday. She was driving distracted and not wearing her seatbelt. Fourteen year old Hunter C. was the victim of a crash where the 17 year old driver was distracted. Connor L. was just 16 when he was hit and killed by a distracted, unlicensed 18 year old driver. None of the families or friends of these teens ever thought their loved one would never come home again.
Many states have now banned the use of a hand-held device behind the wheel, but much more needs to be done. That’s why California Casualty has teamed up with law enforcement agencies and education groups to form Impact Teen Drivers, a non-profit that educates young drivers about the dangers of distracted and careless driving. Much of the effort involves peer-to-peer messages about the problem, including the Create Real Impact contest, awarding prizes to the individuals and schools who produce the most creative video, music, art or essay to prevent distracted driving.
Here are other ways Impact Teen Drivers battles inattentive driving:
Providing resources to help student leaders fine-tune traffic safety messages they can spread to others
Developing curriculum for elementary and middle school students focusing on seat belt safety, being a non-distracting passenger and speaking up in unsafe driving situations
Leading Train the Trainers programs to empower first responders, educators, health professionals and community members so they can deliver high energy, fact based presentations to teens in school and community settings
Holding parent-teen workshops to discuss graduated drivers licensing laws and sharing the “What Do You Consider Lethal?” campaign
California Casualty urges everyone to put the phone down while driving and talk to their teens about the danger of inattentive driving. Learn more about our commitment at www.calcas.com/impact-teen-drivers.
There’s nothing like a cool dip in a pool on a hot summer day, but calm waters can be dangerous for children. The Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that nearly 400 children under the age of fifteen drown every year in a pool or spa. Unfortunately, the 4th of July traditionally sees an increase in the number of pool and spa drownings.
Teaching kids to swim and maintaining proper supervision are essential in preventing water tragedies. The CPSC has teamed up with USA Swimming for a concerted pool safety campaign. “Pool Safely” offers these top 10 stay safe tips around pools and spas:
Never leave children unattended near a pool or spa and watch them at all times
Teach children basic water safety
If a child is missing look for him or her in the pool or spa first
Keep kids away from pool drains, pipes and other openings that could trap them
Make sure any pool or spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal standards
Lean how to swim and teach your children to swim
Learn CPR for children and adults
Install a four-foot or taller fence around the perimeter of pools and spas and use self-closing and self-latching gates – ask your neighbors to do the same if they have pools
Install and use a locking safety cover on your spa
Have lifesaving equipment such as life rings, floats and a reaching pole available and easily accessible
Keep in mind that air filled or foam toys are not water safety devices.
There are insurance implications for those with pools. Having one is considered an “attractive nuisance,” increasing liability risk. Most companies will require it be completely fenced with a locking gate. Many companies will not cover liability from diving boards or slides, and some companies may disqualify you for homeowner insurance. Because of the increased danger, the Insurance Information Institute says pool owners may want to increase their liability coverage to at least $300,000 or $500,000.
If you have a pool, make sure you have sufficient liability coverage from your homeowner’s insurance. Call a California Casualty advisor today for a policy review, 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com.
There’s a lot of debate about the spring time change; it’s nice to get more daylight but the effects may not be worth it – kids are tired and cranky and many of us are exhausted from losing the hour of sleep. If you are feeling “out of sorts” the week after the change to Day Light Saving (DST), you are not alone. Many sleep experts say messing with our sleep can cause some real health concerns for the heart and the brain.
A 2012 University of Alabama study confirmed the results of an earlier study in Sweden that found a spike in heart attacks the first week of DST.
Students appear to be affected too. A 2009 study in the journal Sleep Medicine found that, overall, kids were sleepier than usual during the day for three weeks after the time change. The authors of the study suggested that no tests should be given during the first week or two after the switch to DST.
Shift workers – police officers, firefighters, EMTs and nurses – are not immune either.
Tired Blues for the Men and Women in Blue
A study in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) found 40 percent of law enforcement officers had a sleep disorder and just under half admitted to falling asleep while driving, a quarter of those reported doing so at least one or two times per month. The percentage of drowsy driving increased for officers on night shifts. With Daylight Saving and the loss of a precious hour of sleep, already disjointed sleep patterns can be even more affected. The JAMA study concluded that a sleep deprived mind was found to produce officers with a higher rate of reporting serious administrative errors, making safety violations attributed to fatigue, exhibiting anger, falling asleep while driving or during meetings, and absenteeism.
Fatigued Firefighters and First Responders
A study by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) warned that that “sleep deprivation [among firefighters] may be responsible for the disproportionally higher fireground injury rates observed early in the morning hours.” It also showed that fatigue when driving may increase the risk of crashes following work hours. Again, switching to DST appears to exacerbate the problem.
Nodding Nurses
Do you know a nurse who isn’t tired? In a study of hospital staff nurses, almost 600 out of 900 surveyed reported at least one episode of drowsy driving and 30 nurses admitted they experienced fatigued driving following every shift they worked. For nurses who worked only night shifts, the percentage rose to almost 80 percent. For many, the time change only makes the problem worse. A sleep deprived mind is not good for patient care and workplace harmony.
Expose yourself to bright light during waking hours and no light at nighttime
Practice good sleep “hygiene:” limit or reduce caffeine and alcohol, create calming rituals before bed to gradually relax and, exercise several hours before bedtime
Take low doses of melatonin, a substance that helps regulate cycles of sleep
Take the Monday after the time change off if you feel too sleepy to work or drive
The good news is that within a few weeks, our bodies and brains begin to adjust to the new sleep schedule.
The switch to Daylight Saving, with more tired drivers on the road, should be a reminder that now is a prudent time for a policy review to make sure you have the right auto and home insurance protection at the best value. Call today and talk to a California Casualty advisor at 1.800.800.9410, or visit www.calcas.com.
Read more about the effects of the spring time change at
It happens every fall; as the first frigid Polar air makes its plunge into the U.S., many of us are scrambling to find the hats, gloves and extra layers we put away for summer.
Hopefully you have had your HVAC system checked and replaced the filters for maximum warmth on these cold days. Here are some more simple tips from Wikihow.com to keep you warm while helping you save on the heating bill:
Warm rooms by opening window shades when the sun is shining
Hang cheap, clear shower curtains to block cold air while allowing the sun’s heat in
Close off unused rooms
Use rugs and carpets over cold floors
Cooking with the oven adds heat to your home
Drink hot liquids
Wear layers
Exercise
Snuggle with a pet
Get a heating pad or electric blanket
Remember, too, that running ceiling fans in reverse pushes warm air down to the ground.
To help keep you safe, the American Red Cross is launching a new campaign to reduce the risk of home fires that usually increase this time of year. The most essential part of the campaign is to have Americans install and check their smoke alarms and for each household to practice fire drills. The Red Cross also urges everyone to follow these common sense heating safety tips:
Keep ignition sources like paper, clothing, bedding and curtains at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves and fireplaces
Never leave heaters and fireplaces unattended
Place space heaters on a level hard surface like tile floors and away from rugs
Look for models that have automatic shut off features
Have wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys and furnaces professionally inspected and cleaned once a year
Now is also a great time to make sure your family has an emergency kit. According to Ready.gov, it should have enough food and water to survive for a minimum of three days and should also contain:
A battery powered radio
Flashlight
Lots of extra batteries
First aid kit
Formula and diapers if you have an infant
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for sanitation
Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter in place
Wrench or pliers to turn on and off utilities
A can opener
Any essential medications
Household chlorine bleach to disinfect and treat water
Now is a really good time to make sure your home or apartment is fully protected for fire, ice, wind and other winter damage. Call a California Casualty advisor today for a policy review and to see what discounts you qualify for at 1.800.800.9410 or at www.calcas.com.
Today is America’s PrepareAthon, the culmination of FEMA’s National Preparedness Month. The idea is for individuals, communities and organizations to be prepared for six specific hazards:
It got us thinking; “How prepared is California Casualty?”
First, client and employee safety is paramount at California Casualty. Security systems are in place at all our service centers. The company conducts drills for fires and other possible occurrences – complete with trained safety personnel who help with evacuations and account for employees when safety zones are reached. These evacuation assistants are trained in first aid, CPR and the use of automatic electronic defibrillators (AED).
California Casualty has implemented a business continuity and recovery plan should an earthquake, flood, fire, tornado, power outage or winter storm adversely affect operations at one or more of our service centers. Managers carry contact information for every employee so they can be reached in an emergency. Systems are in place so that key personnel can operate remotely and phone and data systems can be shifted to service centers that have not been impacted. This minimizes inconvenience and potential disruption to policy holders.
Yearly table-top disaster scenarios are run to make sure managers know the procedures and backup systems they can utilize. In worse case scenarios, staff can be temporarily relocated to other services centers to maintain the continuity of service to clients. With service centers in Kansas, Colorado, Arizona and California, California Casualty has the redundancies and virtual call routing to maintain operations even if a service center is completely down.
California Casualty also has an emergency outreach plan for clients who may be affected by a disaster. Calls are made to areas that have been hit by flood, fire, tornado, hurricane or flood to make sure our insureds are okay and to expedite help with claims. Our Field Managers and Claims personnel respond to disaster areas to make contact with those insured with California Casualty and aid in their safety, relocation and recovery.
California Casualty works very hard to keep client information and data protected with numerous advanced data security protocols and monitoring. As an added layer of safety, every auto and home insurance policy includes free 911 ID Theft Protection.
Preventing tragedies is also a main concern. California Casualty strives to help our policy holders prepare for various disaster scenarios with many links and preparedness tips at our website’s Resources page.
Think about how many things you do using your smartphone, your laptop and your tablet. Whether it’s banking, checking on your child’s grades or shopping for new clothing, your passwords, accounts and other information are vulnerable. Now, there are two new warnings about security breaches involving computers and cell phones that highlight the real threat of criminals trying to steal our personal information.
Reuters is reporting that 90 percent of the world’s smartphones are at risk of password theft, stolen data and even allowing hackers to take over control of the device. The flaw affects Apple, Google Android and Blackberry devices prone to an obscure industry standard that controls everything from network connections to how user identities are managed. A separate threat, called “Fake ID,” targets three-quarters of older Android systems, allowing malicious applications to trick trusted software from Adobe, Google and others without any user notification.
And, if that’s not enough bad news, the New York Times recently ran an expose of a suspected Russian crime ring that may have stolen internet credentials, including 1.2 billion user names and password combinations, scoured from 420,000 websites. The criminals targeted any website they could hack from giant corporations to small businesses.
There are steps you can take to protect your personal information. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is actively involved in ID theft protection. Some of their recommendations include:
Lock your financial documents and records in a safe place at home
Keep our wallet or purse in a safe place at work
Shred all receipts, credit card offers and applications, insurance forms, physician statements, bank statements and other financial documents
Don’t open files, click on links or download programs sent by strangers
Use complex passwords on computers, laptops and websites and change them often
Credit experts like ID Theft 911 also advise consumers to check your bank statement weekly, request a receipt for any purchase you make and run a free credit check annually.
An extra sense of security comes with every auto and home insurance policy from California Casualty: Free ID theft protection and resolution services from ID Theft 911. Make sure your property and identity are protected by calling a California Casualty advisor today, 1.800.800.9410.
