Text and Driving stories that have a huge impact

Here are some stories about distracted driving and what price we all pay for this bad habit.
“Warning these videos are disturbing.”

 

Here is a true story about Liz Marks texting and driving and how it changed her forever.

Slow motion video of a crash.

Distracted Teen drivers are the number one offenders.

OPEN YOUR EYES – DISTRACTED DRIVING PSA


School will be out soon, and now would be a good time to reserve your student driver magnet.

Reduce the stress of learning to drive; tips for the teacher and student.

Getting behind the wheel of a car for the first time can be an student-driver-magnet-programunnerving experience. Student drivers may face impatient drivers and honking horns when they stop at a yellow light instead of blasting through. Other drivers may stare at the student who hesitates before taking a turn at a busy intersection. Some may even tailgate as the inexperienced driver proceeds at a cautious speed, perhaps even below the speed limit.

O’Connor and Co. Insurance thought that one way to help our student drivers, and those with whom they share the road, is to have a “Student Driver” magnet on the student driver’s car. We are offering our customers who have a student driver in the family a chance to borrow a “Student Driver” magnet for their car while the student learns to drive. Even our customers who are adult student drivers can take advantage of this offer.

Most drivers will appreciate the “heads up” of knowing that they share the road with a new and inexperienced driver. The bright yellow ”Student Driver” magnet alerts other drivers to the presence of a novice driver and they will likely be more forgiving, patient and cautious.

Instead of finding the magnets embarrassing, most student drivers appreciate them. They know that other drivers understand the stress of driving for the first time and they are more confident knowing that they won’t be harassed. “Student Driver” magnets allow the inexperienced driver to be more relaxed behind the wheel. As anxiety declines, the novice driver can better focus on following the rules of the road and good driver safety practices.

Customers of O’Connor & Co. Insurance Agency, Inc. can contact our office in Dudley, MA, at 508-943-3333 and reserve a “Student Driver” magnet for up to 90 days. When customers pick up a magnet, they will be asked to leave their name, phone number and email address. When finished with the magnet, simply return it so we can give it to someone else.

Click to reserve your student driver magnet today!

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The dangers of text messaging and driving

I was driving recently and came up behind a black Jeep Cherokee ontexting-while-driving the highway. There was no cause for concern at first but after following behind for a brief time, I began to notice this driver was having difficulty keeping their vehicle between the lines on the road.

For ten minutes this operator proceeded to do what can only be described as acrobatic driving; driving that visually appeared to be so unsafe I decided to back off and give this person enough room so that when they crashed I would not be affected, it was that serious. “Is this person drunk?”

I thought but as I reasoned with myself I realized that while they weren’t doing a particularly good job of keeping their SUV between the lines, I hadn’t witnessed any other behavior to convince me that they were out and out intoxicated. Yet, I couldn’t be completely sure; you can only watch someone bounce between the dividing line and shoulder so many times before you have to say to yourself “it doesn’t matter if they are drunk, having a heart attack or just plain distracted you have to question the state of safety and just back off(and perhaps call the police).

A short while down the road, our side of the highway broke into two lanes, and I caught up to the Cherokee once again, this time pulling past the vehicle. As I pulled up alongside the Cherokee to pass…..you might have already suspected, what I witnessed was a young man in his mid to late 20s with two hands on his “Smart” phone and, apparently with only his knee, steering the vehicle. I’m not sure he even noticed me.

The National Safety Council and other American research organizations have some alarming statistics about motor vehicle crashes in the United States that help illustrate how the increasing prevalence of cell phone use and the danger of text messaging is directly impacting motor vehicle-related deaths.

Among them:

  • Motor vehicle crashes are one of the top three causes of death for all U.S citizens.
  • Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for U.S. citizens aged 3 to 34.
  • Roughly 1.6 million car crashes each year are directly attributable to cell phone use, both texting and talking.
  • The risk of motor vehicle collision increases by a factor of 23 when a motor vehicle operator texts while driving.
  • In 1995, only 13 percent of the U.S. population were cell phone subscribers. As of 2009, that number has increased to an eye-popping 91 percent.

This last statistic may be the most troubling because it means we have reached a point in time where virtually every U.S. citizen is a cell phone user. Many young adults have never known a time in their lives where cell phone use hasn’t been a part of their every day existence ? in the home, in the school and, most troubling, in the car. Texting and driving laws, while well meaning, are very difficult to enforce. Given the increase in motor vehicle crashes and fatalities that texting brings, the car insurance buying public is likely to feel the effects of impaired driving in their insurance costs for many years to come.

In the end, it’s important to remember that just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Put down the cell phone when you’re driving. Let’s be careful out there.

 


Teenage Drivers and Automobiles, protect your assets

We recommend that parents, in order to best protect assets, considerteenage-driver registering and insuring a vehicle in their child’s name. In Massachusetts parents are provided 100% insulation from lawsuits arising from bodily injury or property damage claims.

Mass. MGL Chapter 231, section 85A: “If a car is registered to the child and the child gets into an accident causing personal injury and/or property damage, there is no reponsibility on the parent. It does not make any difference who bought the car or who pays for the insurance, or how old the child is so long as we are talking about negligence.”

On this basis it might make sense for parents to consider insuring a vehicle in their child’s name.


AT&T Don’t text while driving documentary.

To learn about the dangers of texting and driving please watch this video.