An end to distracted driving
Curved LED televisions embedded in the windshield of vehicles? This and more will be featured during Allstate Insurance Company’s “Reality RidesSM” 2014 national campaign tour scheduled to begin in Philadelphia and travel to more than 40 American cities. Reality Rides consists of a driving simulator that utilizes a real – but stationary – vehicle equipped with virtual reality technology, including a new curved LED television embedded in the car windshield. The television displays an animated environment and reacts to the driver’s motions. Using the car’s steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, the driver is tasked with driving while also attempting to text, talk on the phone and enter navigation system directions. These simulations are designed to demonstrate the potential consequences distracted drivers could face while on the road. In addition, participants are given traffic tickets that reveal potential infractions a driver could receive if the situation happened in real life. Participants will also have the opportunity to take the Allstate X TXT® pledge that promises to not text and drive. Last year, the first tour surveyed more than 1,700 people who experienced the Reality Rides simulator, of which 73 percent said they learned more about distracted driving after experiencing the simulation. Key findings from the 2013 Allstate Reality Rides tour survey indicate drivers are aware of the dangers of distracted driving, but that there is still opportunity to influence their safer driving actions:
- More than one-third of drivers say they text and drive at least occasionally, and 71 percent believe their driving ability while texting is worse than if they were driving without distractions.
- Half of drivers say that they talk on the phone while driving.
- Nearly eight-in-ten drivers think texting while driving is the same or worse than drunk driving.
- After the simulation, 68 percent of participants said they will never text and drive again, and 62 percent said they wouldn’t let others drive distracted.
- Seventy-seven percent of participants said they are less likely to ride with others who are texting and driving after participating in Reality Rides.
Role models?
Parents are just as likely to engage in driving distractions, such as cell phone use, as drivers from the general population, according to a recent University of Michigan study published in Academics Pediatrics. The study finds that 90 percent of parent drivers said they have engaged in at least one of the 10 distractions examined in the study while their child was a passenger and the vehicle was moving, according to lead author Michelle L. Macy, M.D., M.S., an emergency medicine physician at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. The study, conducted in two Michigan emergency departments, shows that about two-thirds of respondents (570 parents of 1-to-12-year-old children who arrived in the emergency departments of the two hospitals) say they have talked on cellular phones while driving their child, and one-third say they have texted while driving their child. Each year, more than 130,000 children younger than 13 are treated in U.S. emergency departments after motor-vehicle collision-related injuries, according to Macy, who says she is also concerned about whether parents are modeling the right behaviors in front of children who will eventually learn to drive.
Get it fixed
ARAG ®, a legal insurance company, recommends the following for drivers who believe their car was not properly repaired:
- Get the used parts from the repairs. If the garage will not give them to you, send a written request and keep a copy.
- Have the car checked by an expert. While it’s possible to get a free estimate from a repair shop, drivers may be better off paying an expert to evaluate the need for repairs.
- Negotiate. Armed with evidence, drivers may be able to call and ask the first repair shop to redo the work, or discuss a refund. If the repair shop agrees to redo its work, insist on a written agreement detailing what they’ll do and how long it will take. Talk to the mechanic who’ll actually work on the car to be sure you both understand what needs to be done. Giving the repair shop a chance to make amends is usually easier to negotiate than getting a refund.
- Write a demand letter. If still not satisfied, drivers should write a formal demand letter that is short, polite and written with the expectation that a judge will read it.
- Consider filing in court. If necessary, drivers can file papers at a small claims or other appropriate court, depending on their jurisdiction and the amount in dispute. These will typically be filed with the court clerk’s office in the county where the garage is located. If the state or locality has a motor vehicle repair law that the repair shop did not follow, drivers should consider asserting a claim or defense based on the violation.
- Prepare for court. Research the situation by reading car manuals, talking to an objective mechanic, etc., in order to be able to explain to a judge why the original repairs were substandard.
- Appear in court. If appearing in court, it’s necessary to be organized, with documented, written warranties, photographs and used parts if they help make the case. Bring any witnesses to court, or if that’s not possible, ask the witness to write a letter explaining what he or she heard.
Buyer beware
While it’s ideal to pay for a new vehicle with cash, most buyers need to take out an auto loan. Car loan lender Easy Car Money offers tips for doing so. Buyers should begin by establishing a realistic budget based on necessities for the new car, followed by wish-list items. An online calculator enables buyers to calculate an appropriate loan. They should also explore a variety of rates until they find one that works best with their financial needs. Next, they should consider the length of the loan. Finally, Easy Car Money recommends that buyers confirm whether or not the loan includes any additional costs or penalties to avoid surprises down the line.
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