Up to 40% of businesses affected by a natural or man-made disaster never reopen, according to the Insurance Information Institute. In a nationwide effort to raise the business community’s awareness about how to prepare their businesses and employees in the event of an emergency, the Advertising Council, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Red Cross, announced today the launch of new public service advertisements (PSAs) on behalf of Ready Business.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/adcouncil/50292/
Today, the 2011 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test results revealed that nearly 1 in 5 drivers on the road today cannot meet the basic requirements to get a driver’s license, meaning that 36.9 million American drivers – roughly 18 percent – would not pass the written drivers test if taken today. Kansas continued their reign in first place (82.9 percent average score), while New York was bumped from last by Washington, D.C. (71.8 percent average score). Take the test and view the full results at www.gmacinsurance.com.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/gmacinsurance/50150/
Six of 13 small cars recently evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earn the TOP SAFETY PICK award, and none earn a poor rating in any of 4 tests. This is a turnaround from a few years ago when small cars struggled to earn top safety ratings. The new tests include hybrids and gasoline-only models that are among the most fuel-efficient vehicles available in the U.S. market.
The ratings are based on performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations. Cars that earn the top rating of good in each test and have available electronic stability control (ESC) qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK. Winners are the 2012 Ford Focus and Honda Civic, along with the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, Lexus CT 200h hybrid, Nissan Juke, and Toyota Prius hybrid. The Civic, CT 200h, Elantra, Focus, and Prius have at least one version with a government fuel economy rating of at least 40 miles per gallon on the highway. The Dodge Caliber, Honda CR-Z and Insight hybrids, Nissan Sentra and Versa, Scion xD, and Suzuki SX4 also were rated but didn’t earn TOP SAFETY PICK.
The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf earn the highest safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the first-ever U.S. crash test evaluations of plug-in electric cars. The milestone demonstrates that automakers are using the same safety engineering in new electric cars as they do in gasoline-powered vehicles.
The Volt and Leaf earn the top rating of good for front, side, rear, and rollover crash protection. With standard electronic stability control, they qualify as winners of TOP SAFETY PICK, the Institute’s award for state-of-the-art crash protection. The ratings help consumers pick vehicles that offer a higher level of protection than federal safety standards require.
Too many Americans who need life insurance coverage are uninsured, putting their families and futures at risk. According to the 2011 Genworth Financial LifeJacketSM Study released today, single parents across all income levels with children living at home represent the widest insurance gap, potentially leaving their children with few or no options when faced with an unexpected death.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/genworth/48985/
New crash tests and analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety demonstrate that underride guards on tractor-trailers can fail in relatively low-speed crashes -- with deadly consequences. The Institute is petitioning the federal government to require stronger underride guards that will remain in place during a crash and to mandate guards for more large trucks and trailers.
Red light cameras saved 159 lives in 2004-08 in 14 of the biggest US cities, a new analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. Had cameras been operating during that period in all large cities, a total of 815 deaths would have been prevented.
An inaugural national research report released today from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm Insurance Companies® shows that the impact of teen driver crashes extends far beyond teen drivers’ families and friends. In 2008, more than half a million (681,000) people were involved in crashes where a teen driver was behind the wheel. More than 40,000 were injured, and nearly 30 percent of those who died in these crashes were not in cars driven by teens.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/47737-Miles-to-Go-Teen-Driver-Safety/
Moving can be stressful, but with a new application for the Apple iPad from State Farm®, anyone can get help with their next move. Called “MoveTools™,” this application is a relocation planning and household inventory assistant. It is free to download and is designed specifically for the Apple iPad.
MoveTools™ gives people a fresh approach to planning a move; all the resources needed are in one place. With MoveTools™, users can customize a weekly moving checklist to help plan their move and then create an inventory of their possessions. Users can then create and print “smart labels” with digital QR Codes, which can be read by smartphones with barcode reading applications. A quick scan of the label on a box will display a list of what’s packed inside.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/statefarm/48163/
Drivers of vehicles that perform well in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's side-impact crash test are much less likely to die in a real-world left-side crash than drivers of vehicles that do poorly, a new analysis finds. The study includes only passenger vehicles with side airbags, demonstrating that airbags, while crucial, are far from the whole story in side crash protection.
After controlling for driver age and gender and vehicle type and weight, a driver of a vehicle rated good for driver protection in a side impact is 70 percent less likely to die in a left-side crash compared with a driver of a vehicle rated poor. A driver of a vehicle rated acceptable is 64 percent less likely to die, and a driver of a vehicle rated marginal is 49 percent less likely to die.
Sixty-six vehicles earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s TOP SAFETY PICK award for 2011, including 40 cars, 25 SUVs, and a minivan. TOP SAFETY PICK recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. Winners also must have available electronic stability control, a crash avoidance feature that significantly reduces crash risk. The ratings help consumers pick vehicles that offer a higher level of protection than federal safety standards require.
