Auto Archives - Page 5 of 14 - Consumer Insurance Guide

End of the school year can be a dangerous time for teens

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
May 1, 2013May 1, 2013

The end of the school year can bee a dangerous time for teen drivers as prom, graduation and the start of summertime freedom can lead to risky behavior and dangerous driving leading up through the Fourth of July. There are 13 million driving-aged teenagers in the U.S., according to census data. With 23 percent of teens admitting to driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or other drugs, as many as 3 million impaired teen…

Driver fatigue causing more crashes than earlier thought

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
April 18, 2013April 18, 2013

Tired drivers are causing 20 percent of crashes and 16 percent of near-crashes, according to a recent study. Previous estimates put driver fatigue as a factor in only 2 or 3 percent of crashes, based on surveys, simulator studies, and test tracks. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducted a a 100-car naturalistic driving study that allowed researchers, for the first time, to observe driver behavior just prior to a crash. The study also concluded that…

Average cost of owning a car rises by less than 2 percent

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
April 16, 2013April 29, 2013

The cost of insuring, fueling and maintaining the average sedan in America rose by 1.96 percent over the previous year to a price of $9,122.. According to AAA’s annual “Your Driving Costs” study, this is based on someone driving 15,000 miles per year and works out to a cost of 60.8 cents per mile. “Many factors go into the cost calculation of owning and operating a vehicle,” John Nielsen, AAA’s director of automotive engineering and…

Progress made in curbing risky driving among teens

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
April 4, 2013April 29, 2013

Teen drivers have long been associated with risky behaviors such as texting behind the wheel and driving under the influence. While these behaviors are still a problem, a passenger survey of their fellow teens indicates some progress on these fronts. The study, by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm, indicated that from 2008 to 2011, risky behaviors of teen passengers (ages 15 to 19 years) decline. The number of teen passengers killed in…

Keeping teen drivers safe requires ongoing education

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
March 28, 2013April 8, 2013

Teenagers spend a lot of time learning to drive, but after they get their license their parents wish the education would continue. Unfortunately for parents they don’t always have the resources for this, even though the early driving years are the riskiest for teens. According to research from the Allstate Foundation, nearly half of parents express regret about not monitoring their teen driver after they get a license. More than two-thirds wish they spent more…

Honda Accord most favored car among vehicle thieves

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
March 22, 2013April 4, 2013

For the third year in a row the Honda Accord topped the list of cars stolen and recovered most often in 2012, according to a report by LoJack Corp. The report includes data from LoJack’s recovery system, from data in 27 states. Nearly $125 million in stolen vehicles were recovered during 2012 using this device, according to the company. The Accord was favored by thieves in both the new car category and for all vehicles…

Unsafe cell use more likely among American drivers

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
March 15, 2013March 15, 2013

Despite knowing the risks of distracted driving, American are far more likely to use their cell phones than their European counterparts. Most U.S. drivers report talking on their cell phone and about one in three read or sent text or email messages when driving, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study, published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, examined two specific types of self-reported distracted driving…

Teen driving deaths surge

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
February 26, 2013February 26, 2013

The number of 16 and 17-year-old drivers facing their own demise behind the wheel increased by 19 percent in the first six months of 2012, compared to the previous year. According to a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, the figure is based on preliminary data from across the nation. Deaths of 16-year-old drivers increased from 86 to 107 (a 24 percent change), while the number for 17-year-old drivers went from 116 to 133…

Watch out for flood-damaged cars after superstorm Sandy

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
February 21, 2013March 13, 2013

Among all the mayhem that superstorm Sandy wreaked on the East Coast were several thousand cars. These cars must be identified as flood-damaged when they’re resold but that doesn’t always happen, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The NICB puts the total number of cars damaged by Sandy at more than 250,000, with New York and New Jersey accounting for 210,000 of them. The figures are preliminary estimates based on claims processed by insurance…

Satisfaction with auto claims rose with faster settlements

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
February 15, 2013February 26, 2013

As repairable and total loss claims are being paid faster, overall claimant satisfaction with the auto insurance claims process increased in the fourth quarter of 2012, compared with the fourth quarter of 2011, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2013 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. The study measured claimant satisfaction with the claims experience for auto physical damage loss. Depending on the complexity of the claim, a claimant may experience some or all of…