The latest small overlap front crash test results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveal a range of performance among many of the best-selling small cars in the U.S. market. Of the 12 models evaluated, half earn a good or acceptable rating and qualify for the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award.
The 2-door and 4-door models of the Honda Civic are the only small cars to earn the top rating of good in the test. IIHS evaluated the Civics earlier this year and released the results in March. The Dodge Dart, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and 2014 model Scion tC earn acceptable ratings.
In celebration of the important contributions small businesses and their employees make to local communities, ADP® is proud to support Small Business Saturday® on November 30. Small Business Saturday is a nationwide event dedicated to supporting small businesses.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/64003-adp-retirement-services-supports-small-business-saturday
Only 1 minicar out of 11 tested achieves an acceptable rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small overlap front crash test, making these tiny vehicles the worst performing group of any evaluated so far.
The Chevrolet Spark's acceptable rating in the test, along with good ratings in the Institute's four other crashworthiness evaluations, earns the new minicar a 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK award. The Spark was among the initial award winners announced in December. The new small overlap test results for the rest of the minicar group mean that no other models in this size category join the Spark in the winner's circle yet.
The Chevrolet Equinox and its twin, the GMC Terrain, are the only midsize SUVs out of nine evaluated to earn a good rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s small overlap front crash test, which continues to challenge manufacturers more than a year and a half after its introduction.
The Equinox and the Terrain qualify for the Institute’s highest award for 2014, TOP SAFETY PICK+. The Toyota Highlander, a midsize SUV whose acceptable small overlap rating was announced in December, also qualifies. The award is given to vehicles with a good or acceptable small overlap rating, good ratings in four other occupant protection tests, and a rating of basic or higher for front crash prevention.
Three other midsize SUVs in the test group rate poor for small overlap protection, and three are marginal.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Disney’s “it’s a small world” theme park attraction, thousands of guests and cast members at Disney Parks around the globe united today in a historic “It’s a Small World” sing-along. Fans everywhere joined in online at SmallWorld50.com, a “global hub” of music and harmony created for the Golden Anniversary of the iconic attraction that opened as a tribute to peace and hope, saluting UNICEF, at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7167251-walt-disney-parks-and-resorts-it-s-a-small-world-anniversary
The Mini Cooper Countryman is the only small car to earn a good rating among the latest group of 12 small cars subjected to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s small overlap front crash test.
Two electric models and a hybrid are in the mix, with varied results. The electric-powered Chevrolet Volt (with a gasoline engine “range extender”) earns an acceptable rating, while its battery-electric rival, the Nissan Leaf, earns a poor rating. The Ford C-Max Hybrid, a small four-door wagon, earns an acceptable rating. Another small four-door wagon, the gasoline-powered Mazda 5, is rated poor.
Nearly four out of five small business owners admit that they have not taken full advantage of national and community resources dedicated to helping small businesses develop and grow, according to a survey recently conducted by Fifth Third Bank.
In advance of Small Business Week May 1-7, Fifth Third Bank (NASDAQ: FITB) conducted a national survey of more than 500 small business owners to assess the landscape – and diagnose common pain points – of U.S. small business owners. According to the results, 81 percent of survey participants said they haven’t worked with local small business resources (e.g., chamber of commerce, SCORE, etc.). Forty-one percent were unsure if the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) had resources to help them. Roughly 38 percent of small business owners say they need help growing revenue and increasing profits.
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Not a single small SUV out of 21 tested earns a good rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s headlight evaluations, and only four are available with acceptable-rated headlights.
Among the 21 vehicles, there are 47 different headlight combinations available. More than two-thirds of them are rated poor, making this group of vehicles even more deficient when it comes to lighting than the midsize cars that were the first to be rated earlier this year.
Headlight performance in today’s vehicles varies widely. Government standards are based on laboratory tests, which don’t accurately gauge performance in real-world driving. The issue merits attention because about half of traffic deaths occur either in the dark or around dawn or dusk.
As with midsize cars, the IIHS evaluations of small SUVs showed that a vehicle’s price tag doesn’t correspond to the quality of headlights. More modern lighting types, including high-intensity discharge (HID) and LED lamps, and curve-adaptive systems, which swivel in the direction of steering, also are no guarantee of good performance.
SCORE has launched the fifth annual American Small Business Championship – a national competition celebrating the best small business owners from across the nation, made possible with funding from Sam’s Club. The open call for applications kicks off today, and will reward two small businesses from every state and the District of Columbia with an all-expenses-paid trip to a training and networking workshop, national and local publicity, and mentoring from small business experts at SCORE.
From those 102 small business honorees, three Grand Champions will each win a grand prize of $15,000. A judging panel of small business experts will select the Grand Champions based on how effectively they utilize the initial prizes to grow their business operations or revenue.
To view the multimedia release go to:
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“It’s the relentless attention to the “small beginnings” that will make all the difference.” Wesley Berry’s fresh flower business started in a small florist shop in Detroit some forty years ago, but he quickly propelled it to a $60 million-dollar international company with 30 franchises in five states and a customer base reaching 130 countries around the world. In his new bestselling book, Big Things Have Small Beginnings, Wes Berry inspires, empowers and equips the reader with the tools that they need to succeed in whatever they aspire, in both business and in life. For anyone planning to start a business, is deeply enmeshed in one, or is just wanting to kick-start their life, this is the guide to get it done. Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Goodreads or the author’s website: http://www.WesleyBerry.co For a review copy or to interview the author, contact Scott Lorenz of Westwind Book Marketing scottlorenz@westwindcos.com Non-Fiction/Self Help/Business
