An early crop of advanced crash avoidance technologies includes some clear success stories when it comes to preventing crashes, insurance claim analyses by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) show.
Forward collision avoidance systems, particularly those that can brake autonomously, along with adaptive headlights, which shift direction as the driver steers, show the biggest crash reductions. Lane departure warning appears to hurt, rather than help, though it’s not clear why, and other systems, such as blind spot detection and park assist, aren’t showing clear effects on crash patterns yet.
HLDI analysts looked at how each feature affected claim frequency under a variety of insurance coverages for damage and injuries. Clear patterns were seen in claims under property damage liability (PDL) insurance, which covers damage caused by the insured vehicle to another vehicle, and collision insurance, which covers damage to the insured vehicle. Frequency is measured as the number of claims relative to the number of insured vehicle years. An insured vehicle year is one vehicle insured for one year, two vehicles for six months, etc. The model years of the vehicles included ranged from 2000 to 2011, depending on when an automaker introduced a feature. Insurance data through August 2011 were used.
Haiti’s Francis mango is back for a short six to eight weeks at Whole Foods Market. Starting now and for a limited time, shoppers will find this exclusive Fair Trade™ Certified fruit under the grocer’s Whole Trade program, which drives meaningful dollars into the struggling Haitian economy. Whole Foods Market is the sole buyer of Fair Trade Certified mangos and purchases the fruit from small Haitian growers, sometimes buying from a family with just one tree. The Whole Trade Guarantee ensures growers receive equitable pay – a key point since this mango crop is often the only source of cash income for many of these farmers. Additionally, many stores will offer organic Haitian mangos. This is the third year the company has brought Whole Trade Haitian mangos to stores, and Whole Foods Market is working to expand the number of growers it works with, providing more mangos to shoppers and more money in Haitian grower’s pockets.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/49714-whole-foods-market-haitian-mangos-fair-trade-certified-fruit
Responding to the challenge of global hunger, DuPont today announced goals for its contribution to help improve food security around the world.
“No one company, country or non-profit organization can meet the challenge of feeding the world alone. But each of us can commit to doing our part and hold ourselves accountable to make a meaningful contribution to this global challenge,” said Ellen Kullman, DuPont Chair and CEO. “Establishing specific, measurable goals for what we can do to address that challenge is key to turning talk into results.”
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54357-dupont-food-security-goals
Vehicles are doing a better job of protecting people in crashes, but a new crop of advanced technology aims to prevent many crashes from happening altogether. A new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) finds that one kind of advanced forward collision avoidance system is working to prevent about a quarter of the common low-speed crashes that happen in everyday commuter traffic.
The study of insurance claims found that Volvo XC60 midsize SUVs outfitted with a standard collision avoidance feature called City Safety are far less likely to be involved in low-speed crashes than comparable vehicles without the system. City Safety is designed to help a driver avoid rear-ending another vehicle in slow-moving, heavy traffic. Claims under property damage liability coverage — the insurance that pays for damage to vehicles that an at-fault driver hits — were filed 27 percent less often for the XC60 than other midsize luxury SUVs.
For more information: www.iihs.org
