In an effort to reduce traffic fatalities and serious accidents all Michigan motorists need to voluntarily be more responsible by never texting while driving.
While Michigan in 2010 enacted legislation banning texting while driving the law is not being broadly enforced yet statewide. Because enforcement of the law is challenging I urge voluntary compliance by all motorists in Michigan.
Far too many people have been killed or maimed for life because of thoughtless driver's who feel compelled to text while driving. Michigan took the factual step by banning texting while driving but it is challenging for police officers to place violations so I urge all motorists to simply conclude bright in this deadly practice!
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 20 percent of all injury crashes in 2009 involved distracted driving and in 2009 some 5,474 persons were killed and 448,000 injured in crashes involving distracted driving. Other studies reveal that:
* Motorists who engage in texting while driving are 23 times as likely to be involved in an accident that those who don't.
* Texting while driving is more uncertain than drunk driving. A motorist texting while driving at 35 mph will travel 25 feet before bringing the car to a complete halt compared to four feet a drunk driver would conceal at the same run.
run A Pew Research look in 2010 shows that 47 percent of adult drivers admit to texting while driving compared to 34 percent of teenagers.
These findings and others convinced Oprah Winfrey to conduct a nationwide campaign in 2010 to persuade Americans to sign a No Phone Zone pledge to agree not to phone or text while driving. In response, more than 200,000 persons signed the pledge including more than 60 celebrities such as Sandra Bullock, Elton John, Jerry Seinfeld, Morgan Freeman, Tina Fey and others.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a strong advocate of measures to crop accidents caused by distracted drivers, met with Ford and Chrysler CEOs on January 25, 2011, to discuss automotive safety technology related to driving distractions.
In January 2011 T-Mobile added the DriveSmart phone app as a trial to one of its phones that senses when the phone owner is in a provocative car and then forwards to voice mail all income phone calls and text messages, eliminating the urge to pick up the phone while driving to read or return a text. 911 calls would not be blocked. T-Mobile plans to offer the app on several other devices.
I am pleased that communication technology leaders have joined with Oprah Winfrey and Ray LaHood to raise national awareness of the dangers of texting while driving in an effort to reduce the tragic consequences of this silly habit. Unfortunately, despite the practice being illegal in Michigan and several other states, the practice of texting while driving still continues to cause needless deaths and disabling injuries.
One of the reason I am making this appeal because of my personal experience in dealing with families and survivors of persons killed by distracted drivers. For one of those families, whose son was killed in an accident near Marlette MI, I obtained a $1.3 million judgment. The accident was caused by a truck driver who was distracted because of fatigue.
In the novel past I also have campaigned for the Michigan Transportation Department to adopt an aggressive program to widen two-lane highways throughout areas to make high-speed recede safer for all as well as his campaign to lower the mandatory retirement age for truck drivers to 65.
While I represent those who seek justice as victims of automobile, motorcycle and truck accidents, I also have worked as an advocate to make our roads safer. If I am completely successful at the latter I could put myself out of business as a Michigan attorney specializing in personal injuries.
About the Author:
Terry Cochran is senior partner in Cochran, Foley & Associates, P.C., a Michigan law firm specializing in auto accidents, personal liability, medical malpractice, and SSD/SSI appeals. Cochran does not represent insurance companies or corporations but instead bases his practice upon representing individuals and families. www.cochranfoley.com 800-322-5543.
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Filed under Automotive Liability Insurance by on Feb 18th, 2011. Comment. 
If you are looking to buy a car, one element to consider beyond the purchase price is how much your insurance premiums will be over the life of your vehicle. These cars are some of the cheapest types of cars to insure, although it will of course vary depending on your loyal situation.
Cheapest Cars to Insure: Sedans
Sedans are noteworthy smaller than trucks and SUVs, so they will cause less damage to other vehicles in an average accident. Therefore, your liability insurance premiums will be less than with larger vehicles. In addition, sedans are less expensive to repair than SUVs and trucks, so the collision and comprehensive coverage will typically be less as well. Lastly, the prefer price of a sedan is lower than an SUV, so it will cost the insurance company less to replace it if it is totaled.
Cheapest Cars to Insure: Older Vehicles
In addition, if your vehicle is older, it will probably be cheaper to insure because its replacement cost would be less than a unusual vehicle. If it is so old that the replacement cost isn’t worth paying for collision and comprehensive coverage, then it will be even cheaper to insure, although you will run the risk of having to pay for all repairs if you get in an accident.
Cheapest Cars to Insure: Safety Equipped
If your car is equipped with safety features such as airbags and anti-lock brakes, it is likely that it will be cheaper to insure. This is because you will be more protected in case of an accident and will have lower costs for medical bills for the insurance company to pay.
Cheapest Cars to Insure: Alarm Systems
Lastly, cars equipped with anti-theft systems such as car alarms and tracking devices will also be less expensive to insure, at least for comprehensive coverage. Because comprehensive coverage pays for your car in case of theft, insurance companies will give you a discount if your car is equipped with theft deterrents. It is much harder to steal and easier to recover a car with an alarm system or a tracking device!
Filed under Automotive Liability Insurance by on Dec 15th, 2010. Comment.
