Younger drivers tend to have a bad reputation when it comes to how safe they are on the roads. To some extent this reputation is justified, as research by motor insurance company’s shows that younger drivers tend to be involved in more accidents. On the other hand it would not be fair to tarnish all young drivers with the same brush, as many are very safe and considerate when on the roads. The reason why more accidents involving younger drivers occur is often due to inexperience however this is not always the case.

It should be remembered that once an individual has managed to pass their driving test they are considered to be able to operate a car to the standard required. There are some situations where inexperience may result in an accident but more often than not it is other factors, which are the cause. For example younger drivers may indulge in risk taking behaviors when out on the roads. Risk taking behavior can be described as driving the car recklessly for a thrill or to gain kudos from friends. This kind of unsafe driving puts not only the driver and passengers at risk but also other road users. But it not only the desire to show off to friends that contributes to bad driving amongst younger people; alcohol, drugs and general high spirits can often be the cause of bad driving amongst this age group.

These substances often result in an alteration in mood, which can lead to risk taking behaviors and result in unsafe driving. Research shows that it is more likely to be young men rather than young women who cause problems on the roads, with the majority of accidents occurring in the early hours of the morning. Further examination of the accidents that occur at this time of day show it is not down to the low light or inexperience in deriving in these conditions that cause the problems, as the number of accidents is not comparable to the number of accidents which occur during similar low light conditions at the end of the day.

This means that it is the way in which the young men are driving that is causing the problem. In order to prevent accidents from happening when young people drive, it is important that both their peers and their parents condemn any reckless driving habits.  If the drive safe message is reinforced to this age group, by those who have the most influence, then it is more likely to have an effect. This means that friends and family should let young drivers know when they are driving in an unsafe manner and that they need to be more aware of their actions. It should not be assumed that if a driver is young than they are likely to be more unsafe than a driver who is older, as people drive recklessly throughout the ages. But it is important that younger people are encouraged to drive well when out and about on the roads for their own sake and the well being of others.

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In London there are around 23,000 licensed Hackney Cab drivers. They are all mobile workers who pick up members of the public and drive them to their desired destination. In most cases a fee is paid directly to the driver on completion of the journey. Many drivers also undertake ‘account’ work, when a company or a frequent user sets up an account with the taxi firm and pays a monthly bill rather than paying for each individual journey.

As a solitary worker there are many key risks involved in being a taxi driver. They can be prone to robbery due to the fact that they are often carrying large amounts of cash and high value mobile phones such as the Blackberry or iPhone, however the most common risk to the taxi driver is verbal and physical assault.

Drunk and aggressive customers can become abusive and sometimes violent and it is important that the driver keeps in contact via the radio communicator with their station or base at all times.

Good customer service skills can prove essential in preventing unwanted situations. The driver should always try to be polite and act in a calm and non-confrontational manner.

Any driver has the right to refuse a job if they feel uncomfortable. The drivers should never give out any personal information and, where possible, they should always try to avoid leaving the taxi as this can increase their risk level.

Taxi firms develop and maintain good relationships with crime prevention officers. The officers train the drivers, provide information and alert them to potentially violent people or locations. Drivers will also inform the officers of any local incidents they witness whilst on duty.

A job as a taxi driver can be very rewarding but it can also be extremely dangerous due to its nature as a lone worker position. Drivers must always remember that although their customers may seem friendly they are still strangers.

One of the most serious problems facing California’s law enforcement agencies is drunk driving. Even though this state has some of the strictest laws in force concerning those who drink and drive, the problem continues to increase. If you or someone you love has been injured or even killed by someone who was intoxicated, you need to seek advice from a skilled lawyer who is knowledgeable in personal injury and wrongful death.

Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of accidents in the United States, and California enforces some of the strictest laws of all the states to punish drunk drivers. According to state laws, if you have been injured because of a driver who is intoxicated, that driver can be held responsible for those injuries.

Because driving while intoxicated is against the law, accident victims may be able to receive punitive damages in addition to payment for lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical bills. In auto accident cases caused by drunk drivers, the claim can be much more complex than any other type of accident. This is why it is crucial to have a lawyer who will conduct a thorough investigation and collect the evidence needed to prove that the driver who caused your injuries was intoxicated.

In some cases, victims of drunk drivers can hold third parties responsible as well as the driver. These would include the business that sold the alcohol to the individual, such as bars, restaurants and taverns. Passengers who travel with the driver responsible for your injuries can also be held responsible if they aided and abetted the driver in becoming intoxicated.

Although many attempts have been made to crack down on this problem, the incidence of drunk driving still continues to rise. Education programs have been placed in high schools, warning teenagers of the risk of injury or death to themselves or others when they take the risk of drinking and driving.

In rare instances, employers may be held responsible for the actions of an intoxicated employee who causes an accident. For example, work related events and parties at which alcohol is involved can be a factor. Rarely are employers held responsible unless the driver was driving a company car at the time of the accident.

If death results from a drunk driving accident, the responsibility falls upon the family to file a wrongful death suit. The settlement from this type of suit can cover funeral expenses as well as the costs of emergency or hospital expenses if they were incurred. Hiring the best lawyer available who is experienced in this kind of tragedy will enable you get your claim settled as fast as possible.

To learn all you need to know about your rights, contact a lawyer who is practiced in personal injury and wrongful death suits. Drunk driving kills people and changes lives forever – get the compensation you and your family deserve.

Fatal intersection crashes more likely to involve older drivers

Forty percent of the fatal collisions of people 70 and older compared with 23 percent of fatal crashes of 35-54 year-olds, occur at intersections and involve other vehicles, according to a recently released study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

IIHS is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage on the nation’s highways. It is wholly supported by auto insurers like Unitrin Specialty.

The IIHS wanted to know what mistakes were leading a disproportionate number of older motorists to get into intersection crashes. To find out, the Institute studied intersection crashes on Connecticut roads involving more than 200 drivers in three age groups: — two groups of older drivers (70-79 years old and 80-plus) and a comparison group of 35-54 year-olds.

Among the drivers in Connecticut, rear-end crashes accounted for a lower proportion of 80-plus drivers’ intersection crashes. Both groups of older drivers had lower proportions of run-off-the road crashes than 35-54 year-olds. In contrast, failure to yield the right of way to other vehicles led to more than half of the intersection crashes for which the oldest drivers were responsible. This compares with about one-third of the intersection crashes of 70-79 year-olds and about one fourth of those involving 35-54 year-olds.

Why they crashed

Reasons for the intersection crashes varied by driver age.  People 70-79 made more evaluation errors than drivers of other ages. That is, they saw potentially conflicting vehicles but misjudged whether there was time to proceed.

Drivers in the other age groups (35-54 and 80-plus) more often failed to see potentially conflicting vehicles. The 35-54 year-olds said it was because they became distracted, while most of the drivers 80-plus said they were looking but simply didn’t see the conflict.

The IIHS said failure to see other vehicles “may be due to increases in vision impairments, which escalate rapidly after about age 75. Another factor could involve the complexity of urban intersections, with vehicles traveling in multiple directions. Older drivers may experience decreasing ability to process the multiple sources of information at once and maneuver safely.”

Range of head movement might also be a factor in older drivers’ crashes. These ranges have been found to decrease with age, which could hinder a driver’s ability to see potentially conflicting vehicles.

Whatever the reasons for the intersection crashes, those involving failure to yield occurred more often where traffic is controlled by stop signs than at intersections with signal lights  (more rear-end crashes occurred at the signals). Fifty-nine percent of the

failure-to-yield crashes occurred at stop signs, and 50 percent of these crashes occurred

while motorists were turning left. The proportions didn’t vary much across the three age groups.

Reducing the risks of older drivers

Crashes per capita are lower among older drivers than people in any other age group, mostly because fewer older people have licenses and those who do drive fewer miles.

But when older people get behind the wheel, their risk of crashing and dying is high.

A challenge is to identify problem drivers before they crash — and even if the hazardous ones can be identified, then what?

A number of approaches are being tried. For example, provisions in some states require people older than specified ages to renew their licenses more often, thus creating more frequent screening opportunities.  Such provisions apply in addition to the usual ones designed to identify drivers of all ages who no longer meet licensing standards because of physical or mental infirmities.  Officials in a few states are trying vision tests or road tests. Where these approaches have been evaluated, results are mixed.

Visit Texas Prime Insurance News Center at http://www.texasprimeinsurance.com for more insurance based articles or to get an insurance quote. 

Older drivers tend to be involved in more fatal accidents than younger drivers.  This is due to older driver’s inability to determine proximity of an incoming vehicle at an intersection

Forty percent of the fatal collisions of people 70 and older compared with 23 percent of fatal crashes of 35-54 year-olds, occur at intersections and involve other vehicles, according to a recently released study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

IIHS is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage on the nation’s highways. It is wholly supported by auto insurers like Unitrin Specialty.

The IIHS wanted to know what mistakes were leading a disproportionate number of older motorists to get into intersection crashes. To find out, the Institute studied intersection crashes on Connecticut roads involving more than 200 drivers in three age groups: — two groups of older drivers (70-79 years old and 80-plus) and a comparison group of 35-54 year-olds.

Among the drivers in Connecticut, rear-end crashes accounted for a lower proportion of 80-plus drivers’ intersection crashes. Both groups of older drivers had lower proportions of run-off-the road crashes than 35-54 year-olds. In contrast, failure to yield the right of way to other vehicles led to more than half of the intersection crashes for which the oldest drivers were responsible. This compares with about one-third of the intersection crashes of 70-79 year-olds and about one fourth of those involving 35-54 year-olds.

At InsureAll Inc., we have insurance solutions for all Texas drivers young or old.  Contact us at http://www.insureallinc.com/contact.aspx or call us at 806-894-5552 for a no obligation quote today

Why they crashed

Reasons for the intersection crashes varied by driver age.  People 70-79 made more evaluation errors than drivers of other ages. That is, they saw potentially conflicting vehicles but misjudged whether there was time to proceed.

Drivers in the other age groups (35-54 and 80-plus) more often failed to see potentially conflicting vehicles. The 35-54 year-olds said it was because they became distracted, while most of the drivers 80-plus said they were looking but simply didn’t see the conflict.

The IIHS said failure to see other vehicles “may be due to increases in vision impairments, which escalate rapidly after about age 75. Another factor could involve the complexity of urban intersections, with vehicles traveling in multiple directions. Older drivers may experience decreasing ability to process the multiple sources of information at once and maneuver safely.”

Range of head movement might also be a factor in older drivers’ crashes. These ranges have been found to decrease with age, which could hinder a driver’s ability to see potentially conflicting vehicles.

Whatever the reasons for the intersection crashes, those involving failure to yield occurred more often where traffic is controlled by stop signs than at intersections with signal lights  (more rear-end crashes occurred at the signals). Fifty-nine percent of the

failure-to-yield crashes occurred at stop signs, and 50 percent of these crashes occurred

while motorists were turning left. The proportions didn’t vary much across the three age groups.

Reducing the risks of older drivers

Crashes per capita are lower among older drivers than people in any other age group, mostly because fewer older people have licenses and those who do drive fewer miles.

But when older people get behind the wheel, their risk of crashing and dying is high.

A challenge is to identify problem drivers before they crash — and even if the hazardous ones can be identified, then what?

A number of approaches are being tried. For example, provisions in some states require people older than specified ages to renew their licenses more often, thus creating more frequent screening opportunities.  Such provisions apply in addition to the usual ones designed to identify drivers of all ages who no longer meet licensing standards because of physical or mental infirmities.  Officials in a few states are trying vision tests or road tests. Where these approaches have been evaluated, results are mixed.