Using Airbags Without Seat Belts Increases Risk of Spinal Cord Injury

The National Safety Council reports that significant cervical spine injuries can result from car crashes occurring at speeds as low as 5 miles an hour and that result in little or no damage to the car itself. According to a recent study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, the risk of injury increases when airbags are deployed during a crash and the driver and passengers aren’t wearing seat belts.

The cervical spine is the seven vertebrae of the spinal cord that comprise the neck. It can be damaged when it is compressed against the shoulders during a collision or when the head is violently jerked either backwards or forwards, causing injuries to the muscles and ligaments of the neck. The resulting neck sprain is commonly referred to as whiplash.

The research team, lead by Dr. William F. Donaldson III, used data gathered from a Pennsylvania trauma database to identify crashes resulting in spinal cord injuries from 1990 to 2002. They examined approximately 12,700 spinal injury patient records and of these, 5,500 were identified as either drivers or passengers who experienced fractures of the cervical spine.

After studying the cervical spine injury records, researchers found that drivers who were not wearing a seatbelt had a 54 percent rate of cervical spine fractures. However, drivers who used both an airbag and seatbelt had only a 42 percent rate of injury. After adjusting for other factors, the relative risk of cervical spine fracture was 70 percent higher for drivers using an airbag alone compared to drivers who used an airbag and seat belt.

The risk of cervical fracture was approximately seven times higher for passengers who used only an airbag. For both drivers and passengers, men were more likely than women to be injured when using an airbag alone.

Another important discovery the researchers made was that drivers and passengers who used an airbag alone were more severely injured than those who used both. They also spent more time in the intensive care unit and more total time in the hospital.

The results of the study indicate that drivers and passengers who use airbags without seatbelts have a higher rate of cervical spine fractures and have more severe injuries, including injuries to the chest, abdomen, and head. Dr. Donaldson and his team concluded that using a seatbelt with an airbag and maintaining at least 10 inches between the steering column and the sternum may decrease the severity of injuries in general, in addition to reducing the instances of airbag induced cervical spine injuries.

When Your Adult Kids Move Back Home, Double-Check the Insurance

The slow economy of the past few years has exacerbated a trend that was already underway, that of adult children moving back in with their parents. A 2007 study found that one-third of people aged 18 to 34 were living in their parents’ homes. In addition to the issues this trend raises in households with regard to cost-sharing, work-sharing and personal boundaries, insurance issues arise. Home and auto insurance forms are very clear that minor children have coverage under their parents’ policies. This becomes less clear the older the children get, and it becomes ambiguous when they return home after living on their own for some period of time. Parents and their adult children may be risking thousands of dollars in financial loss if they do not handle the insurance correctly.

The standard homeowner’s policy provides coverage for the person named on the policy’s information page, that person’s spouse if a resident of the household, residents of the household who are that person’s relatives, and a full-time student under age 24 who is a relative and who resided in the household prior to moving out for school. Therefore, the policy covers parents and minor children, and it covers college students while they’re away from home. However, it is questionable whether an adult child moving back in with her parents is a resident of the household. Even courts have had trouble setting a precise definition of residency. For example, suppose a woman and her son relocate to her hometown following a divorce and they move in with her parents while she looks for an apartment. Is she a resident of her parents’ household while she’s living with them? Does it depend on how hard she’s looking for a new place? What if she is looking but falls ill and is unable to actively search for a period of weeks? At what point does she become a resident and not merely a guest? There is no hard and fast rule. In situations like these, the best way to eliminate any doubts about coverage may be for her to buy a renter’s insurance policy.

Auto liability insurance, which insures against a person’s legal responsibility for injury or damage to others, has a few other wrinkles. The standard policy covers the person named on the information page, the resident spouse, and any family member for the use of any auto. The policy defines “family member” as a person related to the named insured person by blood, marriage or adoption and who is a resident of the household. Therefore, the woman in the previous example has coverage for the use of any vehicle if she is a resident of her parents’ household (other policy provisions eliminate coverage for certain vehicles.) However, even if she is not a resident, she has some coverage: The insurance covers any person while using a vehicle listed on the policy if she is using the vehicle with a reasonable belief that she has permission. If she is temporarily living with her parents and her father loans her his car to run to the store, she has coverage. However, she does not have coverage while driving a vehicle she owns if her father’s policy does not list it. Again, the solution here is for her to carry her own auto insurance; this makes moot the question of whether she is a resident of her parents’ household.

Insurance companies have designed policies to easily fit households with parents and minor children, but they did not have returning adult children in mind. Because these situations can be complex, it may be best to consult with a professional insurance agent to determine the right approach. The wrong decision can result in a nasty surprise when a claim occurs.

Protect Your Child from the Dangers of Electrical Outlets

When bringing a child into the home, parents take many safety precautions. Unfortunately, those precautions do not always ensure that the child will avoid harm. Electrocution may not happen often, but its effects can be deadly.  Household wiring and large and small appliances cause the majority of electrocutions in the U.S each year. In 1997 (which is the most current data available), the CPSC found that 86 percent of reported injuries involved children 1 to 4 years old. The most common foreign objects stuck into electrical outlets were keys and hairpins. There are several options you can implement to help protect your children against this preventable safety hazard.

Most parents know to install plastic outlet protectors for all the outlets within their child’s reach. But do they really protect as well as we assume? A 1997 Temple University study tested the effectiveness of the different types of plastic outlet protectors with 37 children ages 2 to 4 years. For the round, flat face style protector with two prongs, 47% of the 4-year-olds and 31 % of the 2-year-olds were able to remove this protector. Another oval style had a 3/16″ thick oval face with tapered sides. Again, 47% of the 4-year-olds but only 18% of the 2-year-olds could remove this type of protector. Yet another style with a 1/16″ thick face and lacking tapered sides could be removed by all of the 2- and 4-year-olds!

However, you do have other choices. Some manufacturers make a child tamper-resistant outlet, rather than a cover. They resemble regular outlets, but behind the face of the outlet are plastic shutters. The shutters remain closed until something is inserted into both vertical outlet holes at the same time, at which point the shutters open and the plug can be inserted. This design is based upon the premise that most children will not stick two objects in the same two vertical outlet holes at the same time. This type of outlet costs between $6.00 to $8.00 each compared to a typical electrical outlet receptacle that usually costs no more than $5.00 a piece.

Outlet face covers are another option for you to consider. These covers have faces that swivel or slide over the outlet holes, requiring you to push the cover away while inserting the plug for a secure fit. These covers range from $6.00 to $10.00 each. Both the tamper-resistant outlet and the face covers should be available at your local home improvement or electrical supply store. Whatever type of protection you choose, ensure that you take some of these simple steps to protect your children from this very real safety hazard.

Why Does My Auto Insurance Cost so Much?

It’s hard to have a conversation about auto insurance without at least one person complaining that their rates are too high. What most people don’t understand is that their rate is not some magical amount they are required to pay, but rather a precise calculation that takes into account personal and lifestyle attributes.

One of the biggest factors that determine insurance rates is the type and value of the vehicle being insured. Smaller, more conservative vehicles are much cheaper to insure when compared to convertibles and luxury SUVs. This is because sportier vehicles carry higher sticker prices and are more likely to be stolen.

Where the car is parked has a lot to do with insurance rates, as well. Insurance companies study the amount of vandalisms, thefts, and accidents in each neighborhood and adjust their premiums accordingly. In most cases, car owners who reside in more populated areas pay higher rates than those who live in rural areas.

A third factor that affects the cost of insurance is the amount of driving you do every day. Drivers with long commutes or who put a consistently high amount of miles on their car each year are more likely to be involved in an auto accident, so companies charge these drivers a higher rate. On the other hand, insurance companies discount the rates of drivers who only use their vehicle recreationally or on the weekends.

Personal information, such as your age, gender, driving record and marital status, has an effect on what premium you are charged. Younger drivers pay more than experienced ones, especially drivers under the age of 25, and statistically speaking, women are safer drivers than men, so they pay less for insurance. Married individuals are also less likely to be involved in a car accident, so their rates are lower than single drivers. Regardless of everything else, having an accident and citation-free driving record will keep rates low and affordable.

Fortunately, drivers who are unhappy with their current insurance costs can do something about it. First, you can begin by asking your provider what kinds of discounts are offered. There may be some new discounts that can be applied to reduce your rate, like going a certain amount of time without filing a claim, owning your home, etc. If not, then shop around to see if a comparable policy is cheaper elsewhere. Changing from one insurance company to another is usually easy and hassle-free.

When out shopping for a new car, review consumer reports for the vehicle’s reliability and find out where it ranks on the list of frequently stolen vehicles. Cars that are expected to maintain a good service record and utilize anti-theft features have a lower overall cost of ownership and are cheaper to insure.

Also, consider taking public transportation or carpooling with co-workers to get to and from work. This will keep miles off of your vehicle and take dollars off of your insurance premium.

Market Value – How Much is My Home Actually Worth?

Homeowners always seem to have a ballpark estimate of their home’s worth, but when it comes down to the real value, they can be a little off target. People tend to view their home through rose-colored glasses as they calculate its value, remembering all of the tender moments that happened over the years. The open market, however, removes sentimental value from the formula and only assesses value based on features and characteristics.

In order to talk about how houses get rated, you must first understand what the term “market value” means. To real estate agents, it refers to the price a house can be bought and sold for within a practical time frame. This would be at a price that is considered fair by both the seller and buyer, and within a time frame ranging up to three months.

If you are interested in figuring out your home’s market value, you must concentrate on the types of things buyers look for when browsing around. Remember that the housing market can change in the blink of an eye and that the value of houses can vary drastically from one neighborhood to another. To establish a good starting point, take a look at the asking price of similar homes for sale in your area.

What to look for when doing a market value analysis of your home:

Location, Location, Location – What school district is the home located in? How desirable is the neighborhood? Is it near local parks, shopping centers, or public transportation?

Design and Overall Appeal – Is the layout of the home aesthetically pleasing? Does the home look nice or like a fixer-upper? Is there landscaping?

Quality of Construction – Does the house appear to be in good condition? Are there visible and obvious repairs?

Maintenance – Has the wiring and plumbing been maintained or updated? Does the home need new shingles or siding? Is there peeling or faded paint on the back porch?

Home Improvements – Is the back patio enclosed or has the bathroom recently been remodeled?

Distinguishing Features – Is there an in-ground pool for swimming or is the basement finished? Is there room in the backyard to plant a garden?

Another way real estate agents measure market value is by looking at the home’s price per square foot. This figure is calculated by taking the amount of livable square feet in the home and dividing it into the home’s most current appraised value, which can usually be found in your property tax paperwork. Look in the newspaper to see what similar houses in your neighborhood are selling for and determine their price per square foot. To prime your house to sell, you will want to price your house at a comparable rate.

Finally, you must take into consideration the current condition of the housing market. Thousands of dollars can be gained or lost depending on real estate trends. Changes in interest rates, the local economy, and even national issues have an effect each home’s market value. A booming economy improves interest rates and leads to higher home values, and on the other hand, in times of recession, home values sink below what owners think is fair. By completing a market value assessment on your home each year, you will have a better idea whether or not your home is properly insured. Be proactive, as an undersized policy will not offer much protection if something terrible would happen.

Identity Thieves: They Play, You Pay

It’s hard to tell exactly how they do it. Maybe you threw away some papers with your account number on them, somebody watched you put in your PIN number, or maybe you fell victim to an email phishing scam. Identity thieves don’t care where they get your information, they are just out take your money and ruin your credit in the process. Because there are so many different ways for identity theft to occur, it is important to know how to protect yourself and your assets.

Identity thieves are criminals who prey on other people’s personal information, for instance their social security number, credit card information, bank account information, and online account log-in information. Thieves even want to know your pet’s name or mother’s maiden name to help them steal passwords. Using this critical information, thieves are able to make unauthorized transactions and transfer funds behind your back. Before you ever find out, an identity thief could be enjoying a Caribbean vacation at your expense. While these damages can be repaired, it will cost you plenty of headaches and potentially thousands of dollars.

The threat of identity theft is ever present, but there are some things you can do to keep your credit protected. The first thing you should do is prevent yourself from revealing personal information over the phone and on the Internet. If you do not understand why a business would need your social security number or similar information, then do not give it out. Junk mail and credit card offers are also potential threats and should always go through a paper shredder before being thrown out.

Bank receipts and discarded deposit slips are a goldmine for thieves and should never get tossed in a public trash bin. When ordering new checks, request to have your first initial printed in the corner instead of your full name, to make it harder for forgeries to occur. Checks should never be printed with your social security number on them.

In your free time, take a trip to the library or use your office copier to make paper copies of everything in your wallet. Keep these duplicates in a strongbox or other safe spot at home so you can reference your driver’s license and credit card numbers if you ever lose your wallet or have it stolen. Make sure to photocopy the backs of your credit cards too, which contain the customer service phone numbers to call to deactivate the cards. Having these numbers handy will get your cards suspended quickly and cut down the amount of time the thief can access your accounts.

If you discover or suspect that your identity has been compromised, call the local authorities after you have deactivated your cards. Filing a police report legitimizes your claim and opens an investigation to find and stop the thief. Also, make a report with the fraud department at the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration. To stop further attacks to your credit, alert the three credit reporting bureaus to block the use of your social security number and name on any new credit applications.

Insurance companies offer identity theft policies to individuals who want added protection. These policies cover the costs of unauthorized purchases and restoring your credit. Sometimes identity theft protection is included with homeowner’s insurance or it can be added as an endorsement to a renter’s or homeowner’s policy.

Nearly 100,000 people each year have their identity stolen, according to Federal Trade Commission statistics. Just one bank slip or piece of mail can lead to having your credit destroyed by an identity crook. By making only a few changes to your lifestyle, you can keep your identity from being targeted by crafty thieves.

Totaled Vehicles and Insurance Payouts – What You Need to Know

Car accidents take their toll physically, mentally, and financially on those involved. Take the time now to learn about how insurance companies determine the value of your vehicle and you will have one less thing to worry about if your vehicle is ever “totaled” in an accident.

According to the car insurance industry, the term “totaled” doesn’t have as much to do with damage as you may think. When a vehicle experiences damage from an auto accident, the insurance company is more interested in the cost to repair the vehicle, rather than the overall amount of damage to the car. If the repair costs exceed what the insurance company considers the vehicle to be worth, the insurance company deems the vehicle to be “totaled” and the policyholder is paid the value of the vehicle. While most car owners are familiar will value guides like Kelly Blue Book and the NADA Official Used Car Guide, insurance companies generally refer to their own private databases when determining a vehicle’s value.

After making an assessment of your vehicle’s damages, the insurance company will make an offer which they feel is fair. The offer is meant to provide you the means to purchase a vehicle of the same style and condition of the one that was “totaled.” Insurance companies call this “making whole.” For example if you were driving a 5-year old pickup truck with 65,000 miles on it before the accident, your offer should provide you the money to purchase a similar truck with similar miles on it. As an informed policyholder, it is on your shoulders to make certain that your offer indeed makes your situation whole, putting you back behind the wheel of a comparable vehicle.

At times, insurance companies and policyholders cannot agree on a fair payout and drivers must turn to outside sources to help their case. Car owners can hire an independent appraisal service or take their case before an arbitrator. If considering having your vehicle appraised, factor the cost of the appraisal service into the equation and see if it is still a cost effective option. If you seek arbitration, keep in mind that there are binding and non-binding cases when arbitrating, and non-binding arbitration decisions can be appealed in court if you still consider the offer to be unfair.

In most cases, though, offers are easily agreed upon and your vehicle heads off to its final resting place – the salvage yard. Your vehicle will be dissected and sold for parts and scrap, with the insurance company keeping the profits. If you don’t want your car to meet this demise, you may opt to keep your damaged vehicle and pay for its repairs out-of-pocket, but this is not always the most economically wise decision.

Car owners who decide to keep their vehicle after it has been “totaled” receive a smaller payout from their insurance company. The offer is reduced by the amount of your deductible and the estimated amount of profits that would have been made from the salvage process. Owners who choose to keep their damaged cars run the risk of not receiving an offer large enough to get the vehicle roadworthy again. Re-insuring the vehicle will also be difficult in the future, as most insurance companies will only extend liability coverage to previously “totaled” vehicles, regarding they pass an inspection by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Whether you choose to make the repairs yourself or have your vehicle salvaged, it is crucial that you understand how auto insurance companies operate before you are ever involved in an accident. By knowing this information, you will be prepared to get the most out of your vehicle, even if it is “totaled.”

The Data is in – Distracted Driving is Dangerous!

In our high-tech world, there are more and more instances of driver distractions that contribute to car accidents, some of them fatal.   According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2008, there were an estimated 6,000 deaths and 500,000 injuries attributable to distracted driving. If anything, the actual number is likely higher because distractions can be hard to quantify and the true number of accidents caused by driver distractions is difficult to define.

Our changing driving habits and increased dependence on technology have steadily raised the number of potentially dangerous distractions. Consider the attention-diverters in your own car – radio and climate controls, cell phones and navigation systems. Matters are complicated further when there is more than one distraction, such as eating while trying to discipline a child in the backseat.

Furthermore, the National Safety Council released a white paper in early 2010, discussing the effects of cell phone usage while driving, and the news is not good.  The white paper pulled information from at least 30 different scientific studies, and the results showed that cell phones have quickly become one of the leading driver distractions, even when drivers opted for “hands-free” devices.  The NSC reveals that cell-phone usage causes the driver to multi-task and weakens the brain’s ability to capture driving cues.  The overwhelming result is impaired driving performance.  

Because of the grim data, many states have placed restrictions on drivers’ use of cell phones. The number of wireless phone users in the U.S. has grown from five million in 1990 to more than 200 million today, and surveys show that 85 percent of these people use cell phones when behind the wheel. In fact, calls from moving vehicles account for half of all cellular air time use.

So what can you do to avoid falling into this trap?  Below are some important anti-distraction tips:

* Keep your eyes on the road. Consider the possibility of turning your cell phone off while behind the wheel.

* NEVER text while driving.

* Keep your hands on the wheel by programming your favorite radio stations, and arranging tapes and CDs in an easily accessible spot. Don’t attempt to retrieve objects that have fallen on the floor while driving.

* Teach your children the importance of good behavior in the car.

* Avoid eating and drinking while driving. If you must, choose easy-to-handle foods and keep beverages in a nearby cup-holder.

* Designate the front-seat passenger to serve as navigator rather than fumbling with maps and navigation systems yourself.

* Take a break if you find yourself lost in thought.

* Avoid stressful or confrontational conversation while driving.

Check Your Homeowner’s Policy for Coverage on Your Special Vehicles

Millions of Americans own special vehicles for recreation, personal assistance, property maintenance, and for other purposes. Residents and visitors in snow belt regions use snowmobiles. Golf carts cruise around golf courses and around many residential communities. Individuals with limited mobility use motorized wheelchairs and scooters. All-terrain vehicles and dune buggies are always popular. These vehicles can be expensive to purchase and can become involved in accidents. Individuals who own and use them need insurance protection when something goes wrong. Fortunately, the standard homeowner’s insurance policy provides some of the coverage users need.

The homeowner’s policy does not cover legal liability resulting from the use of motor vehicles that are registered for use on public roads or property or that the law requires to be registered for use at the place where the accident took place. However, it does provide some coverage for vehicles designed to be used off public roads if either the user does not own them or if the accident occurs on an “insured location,” as the policy defines that term. The term includes the place where the person named on the policy (the named insured) resides, other residences he acquires during the policy term, premises he doesn’t own and where he temporarily resides, vacant land he owns or rents, land he owns or rents where he is building a residence, and other premises he occasionally rents for non-business use.

Therefore, the homeowner’s policy will cover him for liability resulting from the use of:

* A motorized wheelchair at his home and surrounding property

* A dune buggy at a beach house he’s renting for a week

* A snowmobile he owns on vacant land he owns

* An ATV he rents while he uses it on someone else’s property.

It will not cover him if he takes a vehicle he owns off an insured location.

The policy contains special provisions regarding golf carts. It covers the person’s liability for use of a golf cart he owns that is designed to carry at most four people and is not designed to go faster than 25 M.P.H. on level ground. Coverage applies only if the accident occurs at a golfing facility or at a private residential community where golf carts can legally travel on its public roads, subject to the authority of a property owner’s association, and where an insured person has a residence. Therefore, an individual has coverage if he strikes a person with his golf cart while driving from one hole to another or if he lives in a gated community and damages a neighbor’s deck with his golf cart. He does not have coverage if he takes out a mailbox while driving a golf cart down a public road.

The policy covers certain vehicles if the insured person uses them solely to service his premises. For example, he would have coverage for a riding lawn mower that he uses on his own property, but he will not have coverage for it if he also uses it to cut a neighbor’s grass. The policy covers vehicles designed to assist the handicapped, but only while they are being used to assist a handicapped person or while they are parked on an insured location. A healthy 15 year-old who takes a handicapped person’s scooter for a joy ride does not have coverage.

Because coverage for these vehicles is so situation-dependent, people who own them should discuss the best way to insure them with a professional insurance agent. In some cases, policy changes may be available that will improve the coverage for an additional premium. All motorized vehicles carry a risk of accidents, so it is important to have the right insurance protection in place.

What You Need to Know about Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The changing of the seasons usually brings along a laundry list of chores to most homeowners, in addition to some chilly weather. One task that should be at the top of the list is making sure your home’s carbon monoxide (CO) detector is working properly.

The presence of carbon monoxide gas is almost impossible to detect without some sort of device. The gas is odorless, colorless, and invisible, and can weave its way throughout your home much easier in the winter months. CO gases are created when heating elements that use natural gas, propane, wood, or oil do not completely burn off their fuels. Breathing in these fumes poisons the body and can be deadly. The effects may appear mild at first, as the individual begins to feel dizzy and nauseous, but can quickly turn to exertion and loss of consciousness.

Fortunately, carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable by performing routine safety checks around the house, and by installing and maintaining carbon monoxide detectors within the home. Proper maintenance of the home’s cooking and heating sources is the best place to start, but also consider safeguarding the house from the exhaust fumes of generators and vehicles. Recent statistics from the U.S. National Safety Council show that the two leading causes of accidental death from gases or vapors come from carbon monoxide given off by running vehicles and cooking and heating equipment.

The Center for Disease Control and the National Fire Protection Agency agree that having carbon monoxide detectors in the home is a family’s best line of defense against poisoning. Follow these tips to help protect your home from this deadly gas:

• Only use CO detectors that have been approved by a qualified, independent testing laboratory.

• The sensors in CO devices do not last forever. Abide by the manufacturer’s suggested replacement interval.

• Battery-powered detectors should receive new batteries once a year, unless the directions give a different time frame.

• Choose a centralized location outside of the family’s sleeping area to install the detector, making sure that its alarm can clearly be heard in each bedroom.

• List the phone numbers of the local fire and rescue services with your other emergency contacts.

• Perform a monthly test on all carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are powered and working.

In the event that your detector’s alarm sounds, immediately evacuate your home, leaving doors open and turning off cooking and heating equipment, if possible. Alert the fire department and seek appropriate medical attention if anyone shows symptoms of CO poisoning. After the carbon monoxide levels return to normal, have your home’s equipment inspected for leaks and areas of weakness by a qualified technician.

Remember, carbon monoxide poisoning is serious and deadly, and its symptoms should never be taken lightly. By following the tips mentioned above, you can help protect yourself and your family from the “silent killer” during the wintertime and throughout the year.