AAA Study: Teen Drivers with Passengers are Riskier

By SARAH CRICHTON  sarah.crichton@newsday.com

 

About one-third of all fatal car crashes are caused by speeding, but for 16- and 17-year-old drivers, the numbers rise to almost half when there are three or more passengers, according to a new study. 

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, according to the Federal Highway Safety Administration.

This week is National Teen Driver Safety Week, and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released its latest findings to highlight how the prevalence of risky behavior generally grows for drivers ages 16 and 17 when teen passengers are present.

For 16- and 17-year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes, the analysis found:

Prevalence of speeding increased from 30 percent with no passengers to 44 percent with two and to 48 percent with three or more.

Prevalence of alcohol similarly rose from 13 percent to 17 percent and 18 percent.

The foundation analyzed data on fatal crashes in the United States from 2005 through 2010. Researchers found 9,578 drivers age 16 and 17 were involved in fatal crashes, and that 3,994 of these included at least one teen passenger. All risk factors were more common among male drivers.

New York State's graduated driver licensing program, which took effect Sept. 1, 2003, limits teens with learner permits and junior licenses to driving only from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Nassau and Suffolk, except for limited travel to work, school and driver's education, with proof required. It also caps the number of passengers under 21, among other restrictions.

An earlier foundation report found loud conversation and horseplay were substantially more common with multiple teen passengers than with siblings or adult passengers.

Re-posted by Vincent Rush of Lynx Telematics, developers of the LynxSafe Teen Driving Monitor.

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These are some of the very reasons that we developed the LynxSafe Teen Driving Monitor.

One of the scariest days in any parent’s life is that moment you hand them the keys for their first night out on the town.

As my own Mother has often said; “I would lie awake every night, until I heard the garage door open. Only then, could I get good nights sleep!”

Actually, if Mom had known the way I was driving; those nights would have been even more restless!

After a personal family tragedy involving teen driving, I began to really think about my two children that had yet to begin the driving process and made the determination that I would not sit back and do nothing, other than say a prayer and keep my fingers crossed.

Telematics has been on the rise over the past few years and has really made a leap into mainstream public, thanks to a gal named Flo and Progressive Insurance’s product offering called “Snap Shot”

“Snap Shot” is a product that simply plugs into your vehicles diagnostic port and harvests data, based on driving habits, for the insurance company.

Known as UBI (User Based Insurance), the insurance company’s actuaries will assign a risk assessment profile to the individual driver and either slightly increase or lower premiums based on the data accumulated.

As one insurance company CEO recently remarked to me; “Telematics is to the insurance industry, what credit score was five years ago.”

Credit scores used to be accurate indicators of a drivers risk profile and predictors of the likelihood to be involved in an accident.

However, now that credit laws and new regulations on lending have changed due to the economy, many people that were previously considered “good credit profiles” are now considered marginal to poor, due to no fault of their own.

What was once an accurate indicator of risk factor for an individual driver was now becoming viewed as increasingly inaccurate?

Telematics provided a “game changer” to the insurance industry, with accurate indisputable driver profiling as a result of individual driving habits and real time monitoring.

While this is a great product and many of the top insurance companies are now moving to a UBI model, there is still a basic flaw to me; As a parent, I want to know my kid is a bad driver….the second he is a bad driver and not…2 weeks after it’s too late, when my insurance company tells me his driver score went down 3 points.

The LynxSafe Teen Driving Monitor, by Lynx Telematics has allowed us to develop device that simply plugs into the drivers diagnostic port that allows a parent to monitor in real-time EXACTLY what their teen drivers are doing behind the wheel.

Once the LynxSafe device is installed, a parent logs onto their personal website and sets up parameters or rules, that they expect their teenager to follow when behind the wheel.

Along with rules and boundaries, a parent or loved one, chooses how they want to be notified, either by smart phone, with live map locations when violations occur, or by any internet enabled device. As for me, I like seeing on my smart phone exactly where my kid is…the moment they have broken a rule.

For example, I want to eliminate his or her ability to text and drive or browse his web enabled smart phone, I can now take full control over that deadly habit with our Anti-Texting” technology.

Next, thanks to a “Speed by Street” feature, I only want my son to drive no more than 5mph over the speed limit on any given highway or street.

With our “On Star” like capabilities, I can set up a collision alert and have the peace of mind to know that if any fender bender occurs, our 24/7 call center has already contacted my child before I even have a chance to call.

I can also set up other parameters such as excessive RPM’s, jack rabbit starts, panic breaking, cornering too hard as well as a special feature called “Boundaries”

If my son or daughter happens to be grounded and I only want to allow them to drive back and forth to school and work, I can set up a boundary that will notify me the second they leave that zone or if they cut out of school early, I will know the moment they leave the lot.

As a parent, I can also monitor specific engine diagnostics such as low fluids, mechanical glitches and head off future expensive repairs.

Or if my daughter is at the movies and leaves her lights on, I can be at home and receive an urgent alert that her battery has dipped below 12 volts thereby calling her to go start her car and avoid the potentially unsafe practice of asking a stranger in a movie parking lot at 11:30pm for assistance.

And thanks to a login screen that shows a live GPS location of where my monitored vehicle is, I now never have to hear that excuse; “Sorry Dad, my phone battery was dead.” Or “I apparently had no coverage.”

By the way, guess what car my Daughter will use for her dates!

Our goal at LynxSafe, is not to “bust” our kids and have cause to punish them rather to let them know that Mom and Dad, are still along for the ride.

As our slogan says; “They have the license, they have the keys…and now you have peace of mind!”

For more information on the LynxSafe Product by LynxTelematics, contact Vincent Rush at (513) 965-6318 or at vrush@lynxtelematics.com or visit http://lynxtelematics.com

Telematics: Growing Up In Public

Chris McMahon Insurance Experts' Forum, September 7, 2012


The technology behind telematics and usage-based insurance is now mature enough that insurers can get a program up and running with relative ease. Telematics services providers, of which there are many, can manage virtually every aspect of a telematics program, from sourcing the hardware, managing connectivity, gathering and analyzing the data and creating an insurance score upon which to base the costs. That’s to be expected, and that was the overarching message from the Telematics USA show in Chicago this week.

The real value of a show like this goes beyond the overt marketing messages and lays in the first-hand validation of these ideas from insurance regulators, car makers, vendors and the insurers themselves.  Telematics is no longer some abstract technological possibility, but the eventual and natural result of multiple technological, economic and societal trends, including value shopping, perpetual connectivity, big data, consumer-loyalty programs, gamification, and more abstract ideas, like The Forever Health Monitor, which in short is about measuring everything, from individual performances to what one consumers and produces.

One of the more compelling and interesting ideas that supports the eventuality of telematics-based auto insurance came from Robin Harbage, director at Towers Watson, who spoke about the evolution of the telematics value proposition.

So far, insurers have been touting telematics as way for consumers to score discounts on auto insurance; but if you combine lower premiums and large upfront costs associated with planning, creating, testing and launching a telematics program, it’s no wonder that many insurers are taking a “wait and see attitude,” which has slowed adoption rates and delayed the achievement of a critical mass of insurers offering programs and consumers buying them.

In his presentation, Harbage described the evolution of telematics’ value:

• Marketing discounts, which appeal to self-selecting consumers, those who consider themselves to be safe drivers, or low-mileage and therefore low-risk drivers, and value shoppers. High visibility examples include Progressive’s Snapshot and State Farm’s In-Drive Co-Pilot.

• Marketing value-added services, which are designed to segment and appeal to higher value customers, (as exemplified by State Farm’s In-Drive Connect, the mid-tier offering which offers a range of reminders, diagnostics, driving tips and other apps).

• Marketing added security, (exemplified by and In-Drive Guardian, the “all-inclusive” offering that adds on incident alerts, emergency calls and roadside assistance).

• Personal goal achievement, which would be targeted at the more than 60 percent of drivers who don’t select basic usage-based insurance.

Telematics, in addition to offering a way to offer differentiated products in a crowded and
commoditized space, Harbage said, can significantly contribute to claims reduction and enhanced risk segmentation. The trick is to find the right tools to support your company’s definition of success, whether it’s a simple usage-based insurance product or a more expansive, and expensive, offering, and derive the data you need, not just the data you’re given.

He referred to the “intense data” coming out of telematics programs, which has real value for rating risk on a per-policy basis and as a segmentation tool. The caveat, however is that it’s easy to overspend and that the devices are just tools, not solutions.

Chris McMahon is a senior editor for Insurance Networking News.

Readers are encouraged to respond to Chris by using the “Add Your Comments” box below. Healso can be reached at chris.mcmahon@sourcemedia.com.

Crash survivor preaches dangers of texting while driving

By Ron Recinto | The Lookout – Fri, Aug 3, 2012

Chance Bothe knows firsthand the dangers of texting and driving.

The Texas man typed this message to a friend while driving home from college earlier this year, “I need to quit texting because I could die in a car accident and then how would you feel …”

A few seconds later, Bothe’s pickup veered off a bridge and dropped down a 35-foot-deep ravine.
KHOU-TV reports he suffered extensive injuries including a broken neck, a punctured lung, and a fractured face, which would later require extensive reconstruction. He had to learn to walk again, the station reports.

“I’m very lucky that I’m not gone forever,” Bothe, 21, told KHOU-TV on his last day of a six-month rehabilitation in Houston. “I still have things to do in this world.”

One of the first things he’s doing is spreading the word of the dangers of texting and driving.

“They just need to understand, don’t do it. Don’t do it. It’s not worth losing your life,” he said. “I went to my grandmother’s funeral not long ago. And I kept thinking, it kept jumping into my head: ‘I’m surprised that’s not me in that casket.’ I came very close to that. To being gone forever.”

Texting while driving is banned in 39 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Texas does not have a statewide ban on texting while driving. However texting while driving is banned in some municipalities and school zones in the state.

Bothe promised to spread the word about the dangers of texting while behind the wheel so that others can learn from his mistake.

“What people have told me is the reason God didn’t keep you away from this Earth is because you have something special to do,” he told KHOU. And I believe what is special is that I should tell everyone not to text message and drive.”

Re-posted by Vincent Rush of Lynx Telematics

Ohio Text-Law Citations to Begin July 1

Ordinance likely to be shelved when state law takes effect in August.
By Terry Morris, Staff Writer 

KETTERING — Enforcement of a new Ohio law prohibiting texting while driving will begin at the end of August, but a city of Kettering law that may soon be shelved provides for citations inside the city limits beginning July 1.

The city’s ordinance banning texting behind the wheel was approved in December 2011 and took effect in January, but provided a six-month training and education period during which only warnings were issued.

That cushion is about to end, although the city is expected to discontinue its ordinance once the state law takes hold.

Kettering police will begin issuing citations July 1, public information officer Ronald Roberts said.
Officers will be focusing on drivers who exhibit signs of distraction due to texting, such as “swerving in their lanes, sitting stopped at a green light and striking a curb with their tires.”

Some aspects of the Kettering ordinance are stricter than the state’s, which is toughest on teenage violators. In Kettering, texting behind the wheel will be a primary offense for drivers of all ages.
The fine, which is set by Kettering Municipal Court, will be $105.

“It has always been our intention to rescind our ordinance if the state passed a law,” said Kettering vice mayor at-large council member Amy Schrimpf.

District 3 council member Tony Klepacz, who was a proponent of one of the first local texting ordinances in the nation, said he would support that change.

Re-posted by Vincent Rush of Lynx Telematics in Cincinnati Ohio. Lynx Telematics is the developer of the Lynxsafe Teen Driving Monitor that allows parents of teen drivers to eliminate texting and driving by their teen drivers while at the same time, ensuring safe driving habits by monitoring speed, seat belt usage, driving habits and mechanical failures.

For more information, contact Vincent Rush at vrush@lynxtelematics.com or (513) 965-6318

Momspeak: The perils of teen driving, and letting go

 Momspeak: The perils of teen driving, and letting go By Tracy Grant I remember tucking their two premature bodies — each weighing less than five pounds — into the newly installed car seats in the back of the Toyota Corolla for the 12-minute drive from Holy Cross Hospital to our home in Silver Spring. My husband drove the back roads because fewer cars meant lower chances of a collision, a lesser likelihood that another driver would grow angry at and aggressive with the car that crept along at five miles below the speed limit. When we pulled into the driveway, it was with audible sighs of relief. Never again would a car journey with our sons be so fraught with anxiety and perceived peril.

 That is, until you make the appointment for that once-sub-five-pounder to take his driving test. Christopher has had his permit for the required nine months. We have spent time virtually every weekend driving. If I am to be fair, I have to concede that I no longer sit in the passenger seat not breathing, knuckles white, my foot depressing an imaginary brake. He has mastered changing lanes, highway driving, night driving, even driving in the rain. I am almost comfortable with him driving his brother and me almost anywhere we need to go. In an emergency, I would feel that he could get me where I needed to go.

 In short, I was slowly — very slowly — moving toward acceptance of the idea of Christopher, having his driver’s license. That is, until the release of two studies last month by the American Automobile Association and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on the perils of teen driving.

 The AAA study added new data to the long-proven fact that teens are the most dangerous drivers on the road. Specifically, the research found that the chances of a fatal accident increase by almost half when a 16- or 17-year-old driver has one teenage passenger. The risk doubles when the teen driver has two teen buddies in the car and quadruples when the teen passengers number three or more.

 The Insurance Institute study found that teen deaths in automobile accidents have fallen since 1996, when tougher rules requiring graduated licensing for teen drivers were enacted. (Graduated licensing refers to requiring teens to have a set number of supervised hours of driving — generally about 60 — before they can get what is called a provisional license that imposes some restrictions, including on the number of minors in the car and on night driving.) But it also reported that if states enacted tougher licensing rules, 500 deaths and 9,500 crashes involving teen drivers could be avoided each year.

When Christopher started the driver’s ed process, the thought of driving with him for 60 hours seemed daunting and interminable. At times during the last nine months, it has proved to be that — for both of us. But is he a better driver at 16 than I was? Absolutely. Would I object if the state required him to get another 10 or 20 hours of supervised driving before he could take his license test? Absolutely not. A friend whose son got his license within the past year told me she offered him this bit of wisdom before he took the test: “Failing the test doesn’t make you a bad driver, and passing it doesn’t make you a good one.”

 I have warned Christopher that having his license isn’t likely to change his driving habits very much. He can drive just about anyplace we go as a family, but the notion of my tossing him the car keys and offering a cheery “be safe” as he, his brother and some buddies go off to the movies doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

“We know that carrying young passengers is a huge risk, but it’s also a preventable one,” said AAA Foundation President Peter Kissinger in presenting his study’s findings. Oh, and did I mention that the other sub-five-pounder is finishing up his two-week driver’s ed course this week? Here we go again.

 Tracy Grant is the editor of KidsPost. Her Momspeak column runs every other week.

If you're a concerned parent of a teen driver and would like more information on the LynxSafe Teen Driving Monitor by Lynx Telematics, that eliminates Texting and Driving, Speeding, Distracted Driving and monitors seat belt usage, mechanical failures and allows a parent to set up geo fencing, please contact Vincent Rush of Lynx Telematics at vrush@lynxtelematics.com or directly at (513) 965-6318

Fatal Auto Crashes Up Despite Rise In Patrols

Ohio Patrol says many of this year’s 312 victims weren’t using seat belts.

 By Mark Gokavi, Staff Writer, Dayton Daily News

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 

More people are dying on Ohio roads at a significantly higher rate in the first four months of this year after a record-low number of traffic deaths last year. 

The 16.4 percent rise in statewide traffic fatalities in the first third of 2012 comes despite the Ohio Highway Patrol cracking down on drunk driving and seat belt and felony drug violations. 

Plus, the six-county area of Montgomery, Warren, Butler, Preble, Darke and Miami has seen 24 more traffic fatalities — many not wearing seat belts — than during the same period in 2011. Those numbers don’t yet include a recent double fatality in Butler County or a late-April fatal in Greene County. 

“Fatals are a difficult thing for us to curb,” said OHP Lt. Matt Hamilton of the Warren County Post. “We’re aggressive in OVI (Operating a Vehicle while under the Influence of drugs or alcohol) and seat belt enforcement so if that crash does happen, they have the best chance that they have to survive.”

Statewide, provisional OHP statistics show there have been 312 fatalities (from 275 crashes) through four months in 2012. 

That number was 268 in 2011, which became the lowest auto-related fatality year (1,020 deaths from 947 accidents) in Ohio history and also the lowest nationally. 

A national highway safety advocate said Ohio lacks leadership and commitment to strengthen laws. Jackie Gillan, President of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, said Ohio is among the worst eight states in that organization’s annual report. 

“Ohio is at the bottom of the barrel because they are lacking so many critical laws like primary enforcement of seat belt, all-rider motorcycle helmet laws, they don’t have major elements of an important teen driving law, they have weak drunk-driving laws,” Gillan said. 

Gillan’s organization supports limits for teen drivers such as night-time and cellphone restrictions, and 16 as the minimum age for learner’s permits. In Ohio, most drunk-driving crimes are misdemeanors unless drivers have multiple offenses. 

Most dead weren’t wearing belts

 

Of the 38 deaths in those six local counties through April that did not involve pedestrians or motorcycles, at least 25 were not wearing seat belts. In four more cases it’s unknown if seat belts were used. The causes of the crashes range from people falling asleep to driving left of center to alcohol-related and excessive speed.

“There’s crashes and it’s people being ejected out of the vehicle and the crashed car, in the compartment, there isn’t any real intrusion or trees or poles or anything, it’s just a damaged car,” said Sgt. Jeff Kramer of the post that serves Montgomery County. “But not having their safety belt on they get ejected out of the windshield or something like that and then the car rolls over on them. 

“I don’t know for sure that they’d be alive had they worn their seat belt, (but) probably there’s a good chance the injuries would be minimal and not fatal. We see this time and time and time again. It’s just a simple thing of clicking your seat belt.” 

Despite seat belt infractions being a secondary offense, enforcement also is up 16.4 percent in Ohio overall and much higher in some counties. 

In Montgomery County, seat belt enforcement is up 64.7 percent — 799 in 2012 versus 485 in the same time frame last year. In Greene County, seat belt tickets are up nearly 70 percent. In Warren County, those numbers are up 44 percent. And in Miami County, troopers have enforced seat belt infractions 511 times, up from 267 in that period last year — a 91.4 percent increase. 

“We’ve had four fatal (crashes) with four dead,” said Sgt. Vee Witcher of the Piqua Post. “None were wearing seat belts, so that’s why we’re cracking belts.” 

Gillan said an unbuckled seat belt should be a primary reason to pull someone over. 

“We know that wearing a seat belt is one of the most important things you can do to protect you and your family,” Gillan said. “So why are we tying the hands of law enforcement so that they can only enforce the law if they see someone doing something else that’s equally or more dangerous?” 

All enforcement increasing

 

Statewide, troopers made more than 24,000 additional enforcement stops from January through April compared to this time in 2011 — an increase of 16.3 percent. 

Drug violations were up 32.8 percent, felony arrests up 18.1 percent, misdemeanor summons up 36.1 percent and commercial vehicle enforcement up 19.6 percent, among others. 

“The new leadership in the Highway Patrol is a big part of this. We’re refocusing our efforts on the things that the public find most important,” Hamilton said of Col. John Born, who took over in 2011 as the OHP’s superintendent. 

The “Trooper Shield” initiative was introduced in 2011 and continues to pick up steam in 2012. Officials say Born wants criminal patrol to be as important as traffic enforcement. 

“If you drink and drive, we’re looking for you. If you’re hauling drugs on our roads, we’re looking for you,” said Sgt. Anthony Lauer of the post that serves Greene County. “And bottom line is a seat belt is going to save your life. That’s where you’re seeing an increase in those numbers.” 

County numbers

 

In Greene County, that mentality has translated into much higher numbers of OVI violations (29 percent) and drug violations (30 from 11). In Warren County, OVIs are up 26 percent and commercial vehicle violations (tied mainly to construction zones on I-71 and I-75) are up 55 percent. 

In Miami County, overall enforcement stops are up 64.7 percent — from 1,262 in the same time frame last year to 2,112 this year. In Montgomery County, some felony and drug violations are down, but overall enforcement stops are up 36 percent. 

“Trooper Shield is kind of a new phrase that the patrol has been using, adopted by our Col. John Born,” Kramer said. “The premise is getting in the minds of the troopers, ‘What will you do today to contribute to a safer Ohio?’ ” 

Kramer said the OHP will keep finding violations, especially during the Prom, Memorial Day and graduation season. But troopers can’t put on seat belts, which he said is the best defense in a crash: “It’s all in their hands when they make that decision.”

For more information, contact Vincent Rush of Lynx Telematics at (866) 314-0461 

 For more information on how Lynx Telematics, an OEM located in Cincinnati, Ohio can help your fleet become more operationally efficient or custom design a solution to meet your fleet management needs, contact Vincent Rush at (866) 314-0461

LynxTelematics is an OEM that controls design, engineering, firmware, software development, IT support and manufacturing processes of our product, allowing us to produce the highest quality product in our industry, while offering our customers competitive pricing.

As your partner, we provide ongoing training and support to insure that the product is properly sold to the end user, maximizing the re-sellers profitability.

As one of the pioneers in telematics technologies, Lynx Telematics provides our clients with powerful end-to-end vehicle telematics tools. Our technology offers a real solution that delivers safety, saves money and provides an unprecedented level of peace of mind to our customers. 

Our product, LynxSafe, is the newest and most advanced Text and Web Browsing Disabling technology, in-vehicle communication system currently on the market. It combines GPS/satellite and GSM cellular technology to provide users and family members with immediate access to real-time information including seat belt usage, speed, accident notification, and real time ECM diagnostics  delivered directly via any internet enabled device including Android and Blackberry smart phones.

 

Newest prom danger: Texts

Distracted driving latest focus of annual mock crash

 MARION - Mock crashes in the spring are as much the norm for high schools as their proms and graduations.

Once a message not to drink and drive, they are now used as a tool against distracted driving as well.
The Marion post of the Ohio Highway Patrol staged a mock crash attended by students from Elgin, Marion Catholic, Pleasant and Ridgedale high schools Monday morning at the Marion County Fairgrounds. Firefighters from the Marion City and Marion Township fire departments worked together to free "victims" from vehicles using the Jaws of Life and saws.

Students portrayed the victims. Ridgedale's Samantha Burns was the fatality, on the ground covered in a white sheet. Highway patrol trooper Ben Addy gave the safe-driving speech, walking through the grandstand and talking to students with the crash scene in the background.

He shared some stories, including one in which two family members died in a crash caused by a distracted driver trying to pass a semitrailer.

"That vehicle is a missile," Addy said, recalling something a past post commander used to say about the dangers of unsafe driving. "We are hoping you guys will listen to us."

Distracted driving has become part of the talk of law enforcement as they educate teens about the consequences of unsafe driving.

Lt. Lance Shearer, commander of the patrol's Marion post, said dangers include texting and driving as well as changing the radio or eating while driving. He said distracted driving is a huge issue of concern when it comes to causes of avoidable crashes.

"You know kids are doing it," he said.

A Pew Internet and American Life survey completed in 2009 found that 34 percent of 16- and 17-year-old teen texter respondents said they had texted while driving. The report estimated that about 26 percent of all American teens ages 16 to 17 text while driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 16 percent of fatal crashes and 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. Sixteen percent of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal crashes were reportedly distracted while driving.

As far as dangers, a Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study stated that sending or receiving a text takes the driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. At 55 mph, that would be the same as driving the length of a football field blind.

The issue has been discussed in the Legislature. The Ohio Senate recently passed a bill that would ban texting while driving. The bill, which must be approved by the Ohio House, would make texting and driving a primary offense for teens younger than 18.

That means law enforcement could pull teens over for the offense without spotting any other offenses and teens could face a 60-day license suspension for a first offense.

Ridgedale student Hannah Loper said she volunteered to portray a crash victim because it sounded like fun and teaches teens not to text and drive. She and other students agreed that it is a problem.
While talking about distracted driving, troopers also lectured against the dangers of drinking and driving. Addy told students not to drink considering they are underage, but added that if they do, to only do so in moderation and not drive for any reason.

He talked about the scenes that first responders come across as he referred to an area of broken glass on a van's windshield. That area, he said, is commonly caused by the head of a driver not wearing a seat belt.

"A lot of times you will find hair, skin, blood right in the windshield," he said.

Student volunteers described their experience as interesting but a bit uncomfortable.

"I think the Jaws of Life is pretty scary," said Loper, who portrayed the driver of a car involved in the crash. She sat with a sheet over her as firefighters cut off and removed the car's top.

"It was a new experience but scary at the same time," she said. "The saw is by your head."

Burns spent the entire time lying on the ground as if she was dead. A firefighter laid a sheet over her and continued to the car as he and others worked to free victims.

Addy explained that first responders focus on the living because that's who they can still help.
"I thought it was pretty scary," Burns said. "I was supposed to be dead. They said, 'She's dead. Don't worry about her.'"

Reporter Kurt Moore: 740-375-5151, kdmoore@ marionstar.com or on Twitter @StarKurtMoore

For information on the LynxSafe Teen Driving Monitor, that disables texting and driving, along with web browsing, contact Development Manager Vincent Rush at Lynx Telematics in Cincinnati, Ohio at 513-965-6318 or 513-702-0495. Vincent Rush can also be reached by email at vrush@lynxtelematics.com or visit http://lynxtelematics.com for information on Lynx Telematics.

Ohio Senate votes to outlaw texting while driving

Photo by LynxSafe and the new LynxSafe Anti-Texting / Teen Safe Driving Monitor

COLUMBUS — Even as some members conceded that they are as guilty as anyone, the Ohio Senate voted 25-8 across party lines today to make Ohio the 38th state to criminalize texting while driving.

They also went a step further to prohibit teen drivers from operating or programming a cell phone, portable computer, directional device, or any other electronic device while driving.

An adult who texts and drives would be guilty of a minor misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $150. Like Ohio’s mandatory seat belt law, it would be a secondary offense requiring police to have another reason for pulling the driver over.

But for the teen under the age of 18 who violates the broader ban on electronic devices, it would be a primary offense, meaning police would need no other reason for the traffic stop. The first offense could lead to a $150 fine and a 60-day license suspension. The second would carry a $300 fine and one-year suspension.

Sen. John Eklund (R., Chardon) pointed to a previously enacted law that made it illegal for a teen driver to have more than one non-family passenger in his vehicle as evidence that curbing driver distractions saves lives.

“Over the course of three years, a 26 percent reduction in the number of fatalities of that group of drivers in the state of Ohio… by removing a distraction,’’ he said. “There is nobody in this room who would suggest that the use of these gizmos is not a distraction…

“When this bill passes, don’t violate the law,’’ Mr. Eklund said. “It’s really very simple, and you’re not then going to be called a hypocrite.’’

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Rex Damschroder (R., Fremont) and Nancy Garland (D., New Albany), overwhelmingly passed the Ohio House last year but without the more restrictive provisions applying to teen drivers. Mr. Damschroder introduced it after a newly licensed 16-year-old girl in his district, while texting, crossed the center line and killed a motorcyclist headed in the opposite direction.

Some opponents of the bill, however, argued that it infringes on individual rights while including so many exceptions as to render it unenforceable.

“There are 10 exemptions for adult drivers to utilize electronic devices behind the wheel…,’’ said Sen. Capri Cafaro (D., Hubbard). “This definition (of “texting’’) basically says that… I can use my phone to read the newspaper, play games, and write myself a note because it’s not an e-mail, a text message, or instant message. I certainly don’t feel that this bill fulfills the objective that it sets out to achieve.’’

Among members representing northwest Ohio, the bill drew support from Sens. Mark Wagoner (R., Ottawa Hills), Cliff Hite (R., Findlay), and David Burke (R., Marysville). The sole northwest vote in opposition was cast by Sen. Edna Brown (D., Toledo), who offered an unsuccessful amendment to make it more restrictive.

“Instead of Ohio passing a controversial law with exemptions and possible loopholes, why don’t we pass meaningful legislation that requires all communication while driving in Ohio to be totally hands free,’’ she said.

The bill now returns to the House for approval of the Senate changes. It would not override more stringent ordinances enacted in local communities. The texting ban in Toledo, for instance, carries a fine of $1,000 plus six months in jail.

Sen. Bill Seitz (R., Cincinnati) argued that having state and local laws could lead to a driver being punished twice for the same activity.

For further information on the LynxSafe Ant-Text / Teen Safe Driving Monitor, Contact Vincent Rush at Lynx Telematics in Milford, Ohio at (513) 965-6318 or vrush@lynxtelematics.com

Spy-in-the car boxes for young drivers slash accidents by a fifth and may save 40% on insurance after a year

By STEPHEN WOMACK

PUBLISHED: 15:31 EST, 31 March 2012 | UPDATED: 05:24 EST, 1 April 2012

Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-2123201/Monitoring-habits-young-drivers-reduces-accidents-fifth-insurer-analysis-found.html#ixzz1qoBuGoOa

Fitting an insurance ‘spy in the car’ to monitor how youngsters drive can cut accidents by one fifth, potentially saving hundreds from death or serious injury. And it should mean that getting cover will be much easier. 

This is the conclusion of Co-operative Insurance, which has analysed the performance of 15,000 customers who have signed up to a policy that includes the fitting of its Smartbox. 

They were found to be 20 per cent less likely to be involved in an accident than those without one. Crashes were generally less serious, with damage and injury costs almost one third lower.

Grant Mitchell, head of motor insurance at the  Co-op, says: ‘It is still early days and some of those who join will be safer drivers anyway, but there are signs of customers showing gradual improvement in the way they drive.’

Co-operative will this week publish more details of its research. Its findings are likely to give a boost to those who argue that fitting satellite trackers to cars is the best way to combat the astronomical costs of cover for young drivers.

Co-operative has been offering its Smartbox cover for a year. The black box monitors braking and acceleration, cornering and speed. It also tracks when a car is used, as most accidents involving young drivers are late at night.

Lynx Telematics currently offers the most comprehensive and advanced technology in the new "Teen Driver" market with it's product LynxSafe.

Parents can monitor their teens driving behavior with urgent alerts regarding speeding, seat belt usage, excessive RPM's, hard braking, and unauthorized vehicle use.

LynxSafe also has the ability to provide real time diagnostic feedback on vehicle health as well as the ability to disable texting and driving.

For more information on how the LynxSafe product can help develop teen safe driving habits, contact Vincent Rush with Lynx Telematics at (513) 702-0495 or at vrush@lynxtelematics.com

Telematics can help with Distracted Driving

From ABI Research

Posted Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:51:00 EDT by David Alexander

​A recent study by the AAA in the USA revealed that distracted driving was a bigger problem than ever, especially for teenage drivers. With electronic devices the number one problem, there were plenty of other causes, such as conversations with other occupants, personal grooming, and eating and drinking.

The one positive conclusion was that there was a significant improvement when an adult was present.

Now while it is not practical for adults to always accompany teenagers in their cars, telematics systems offer a range of alternatives that can have a similar beneficial effect. Some can restrict certain aspects of the vehicle such as music volume or maximum speed, and others can report on incidents such as sudden braking. In-car video systems are also available.

It is time that the safety aspects of telematics were given more attention in marketing materials. This and incentives to install ADAS would do a lot more to rectify the distracted driving epidemic than more laws banning specific activities when driving.

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Lynx Telematics presents LynxSafe for Parents of Teenage Drivers

For more information on how Lynx Telematics, an OEM located in Cincinnati, Ohio can help custom design a solution to meet your needs, contact Vincent Rush at (866) 314-0461

LynxTelematics is an OEM that controls design, engineering, firmware, software development, IT support and manufacturing processes of our product, allowing us to produce the highest quality product in our industry, while offering our customers competitive pricing.

As your partner, we provide ongoing training and support to insure that the product is properly sold to the end user, maximizing the re-sellers profitability.

As one of the pioneers in telematics technologies, Lynx Telematics provides our clients with powerful end-to-end vehicle telematics tools. Our technology offers a real solution that delivers safety, saves money and provides an unprecedented level of peace of mind to our customers. 

Our product, LynxSafe, is the newest and most advanced in-vehicle communication system currently on the market. It combines GPS/satellite and GSM cellular technology to provide users and family members with immediate access to real-time information delivered directly via any internet enabled device including I Phone and Android smart phones.

All of our devices benefit from the innovation of U-Blox technology and a 3D Accelerometer, providing the industry’s most accurate pin point locating technology to within a 3 ft. radius.

Teen Driving Deaths on the Rise!

A very sad, but true video. This was our inspiration behind developing our new LynxSafe Teen Driving Monitor. Having dealt with personal tragedy myself, I wanted to do what I could to help prevent another statistic.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

U.S. Calls for Ban on In-Car Facebook, Twitter

The U.S. Transportation Department asked automakers to design devices allowing drivers access to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter so they can’t be used while a car is moving.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in the non-binding guidelines issued today, also called for disabling manual texting, Internet browsing, 10-digit phone dialing and the ability to enter addresses into a built-in navigation system for drivers unless the car is in park.

The department said it’s considering future guidelines to address handheld electronics brought into cars and minimizing distractions from voice-activated systems. Today’s guidelines culminate LaHood’s campaign to bring attention to distracted driving caused by use of mobile phones and other electronic devices behind the wheel.

“DOT is on the right path,” Barbara Harsha, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, said in an e-mail. “We particularly like the guideline for disabling devices that text and surf the Internet, etc.”

The guidelines don’t apply to electronic warning systems such as lane-departure or collision alerts. The department will seek comments before making them final. Regulators still expect full compliance, David Strickland, administrator of the department’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, told reporters on a conference call with reporters.

“Distracted driving is unsafe, irresponsible and can have devastating consequences,” LaHood said on the call. “Every single time a driver takes his or her focus off the road, the driver puts his or her life and the lives of others at risk.”

More Electronics Offered

In 2010, 3,092 people, or 9.4 percent of road fatalities, were killed in crashes related to driver distraction, according to NHTSA.

This year, there will be a 29 percent increase in the number of new cars and light trucks sold in North America that will be fitted with smartphone and embedded-connectivity units, according to QUBE, part of automotive data provider just- auto.com. The firm expects 5.8 million in-vehicle units this year. By 2026, all vehicles sold in North America and Japan will have the technology, the Bromsgrove, England-based company forecasts.

U.S. light-vehicle sales this year may rise at least 6 percent to 13.6 million this year, the average estimate of 18 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg in January.

Industry Guidelines

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, whose members include Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Co. (GM), completed its own guidelines on electronics in 2002 and has updated them twice, Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based group, said.

The U.S. government guidelines differ from the industry’s in calling for in-car applications to be disabled while a vehicle is moving, she said.

Automakers haven’t calculated what costs might be involved, she said. Regulators didn’t look at costs because it’s a voluntary guideline rather than a rule, Strickland said.

The guidelines recommend limiting to two seconds the time it takes a driver to complete a task that requires eyes to be off the road, and for simplifying the complexity of built-in communication systems.

Consumers will still be able to have built-in systems, Strickland said. Regulators aren’t trying to ban them, just reduce their use while driving, he said.

“We recognize that vehicle manufacturers want to build vehicles that include the tools and conveniences expected by today’s drivers,” he said.

Safety Board

In December, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board called mobile-phone use in cars a public-health epidemic on the scale of smoking or drunk driving. It recommended that all U.S. states ban phone use by drivers, even with hands-free devices. The safety board can’t make or enforce rules.
The board plans a meeting on distracted driving in March, Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman, said.
LaHood, who has said he will step down from his post even if President Barack Obama wins a second term, has said he supports bans on all use of handheld devices while driving.

The agency decided to publish voluntary guidelines rather than a compulsory rule in part because change may get done more quickly, LaHood said.To contact the reporter on this story: Angela Greiling Keane in Washington

For more information, contact Vincent Rush of Lynx Telematics at (866) 314-0461 

 For more information on how Lynx Telematics, an OEM located in Cincinnati, Ohio can help your company crack down on cargo theft or custom design a solution to meet your fleet management needs, contact Vincent Rush at (866) 314-0461 

LynxTelematics is an OEM that controls design, engineering, firmware, software development, IT support and manufacturing processes of our product, allowing us to produce the highest quality product in our industry, while offering our customers competitive pricing.

As your partner, we provide ongoing training and support to insure that the product is properly sold to the end user, maximizing the re-sellers profitability.

As one of the pioneers in telematics technologies, Lynx Telematics provides our clients with powerful end-to-end vehicle telematics tools. Our technology offers a real solution that delivers safety, saves money and provides an unprecedented level of peace of mind to our customers. 

Our product, LynxSafe, is the newest and most advanced in-vehicle communication system currently on the market. It combines GPS/satellite and GSM cellular technology to provide users and family members with immediate access to real-time information delivered directly via any internet enabled device including I Phone and Android smart phones.

All of our devices benefit from the innovation of U-Blox technology and a 3D Accelerometer, providing the industry’s most accurate pin point locating technology to within a 3 ft. radius.

Teen Driving and Texting

At a time when automakers are stuffing new cars with interactive technology that integrates better with smart phones, iPods and other devices, more teen drivers are playing with these gadgets while driving.

Most teens engage in distracted driving even though almost all are aware that it’s dangerous, according to a survey of nearly 2,000 male and female teen drivers ages 16 to 19 conducted in May by the American Automobile Assn. and Seventeen magazine.

Almost nine in 10 teenage drivers (86%) have driven while distracted, even though 84% say they know they shouldn’t, the survey found.  More than one-third of the respondents said they nearly crashed because of their own or someone else's distracted driving.


The survey found that teens who text while driving sent an average of 23 text messages while driving monthly.

“A quarter of all teens admit to texting behind the wheel. Teen drivers are some of the most vulnerable drivers on the road due to inexperience, and adding cellphones to the mix only compounds the dangers. We’re doing everything possible to get the message out to teens that driving while talking or texting on a cellphone is not worth the risk.” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Distracted driving is a growing problem on America’s roads, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Nearly 6,000 people were killed and more than half a million were injured in crashes involving distracted driving in 2008, according the agency, which is a division of the federal Department of Transportation.

The highest proportion of distracted drivers in fatal crashes were younger than 20. 

Distracted drivers are about four times as likely to be involved in crashes as those who are focused exclusively on driving, NHTSA said. Drivers who are texting can be more than 20 times more likely to crash than non-distracted drivers.

"Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teen drivers and the proliferation of distracted driving among teens is a challenge all of us must face head-on," said Beth Mosher, director of public affairs for AAA. "Because of their lack of driving experience and penchant to take risks, it's imperative that teen drivers – like all drivers – remain focused behind the wheel at all times. "

Lynx Telematics, located in Cincinnati has developed the technology to prevent a teen driver or a company employee from Texting and Driving as well as speeding and driving without a seat belt.

For more information contact Vincent Rush at Lynx Telematics at (866) 314-0461