If you no longer own your vehicle for whatever reason, You have to notify the insurance company. If you do not communicate this to us we have no way of knowing. As an insurance agent, I recommend that you first contact DMV and let them know that you no longer own the vehicle. Next contact the insurance company to let them know.  This can save you time and money!!Communication is the KEY!

According to the National Drivers Test, only 15% of respondents knew to stop, if it is safe to do so, at a traffic light displaying a steady yellow signal. And, only 27% of participants knew that the safe distance to follow other drivers in most conditions is three seconds. These are the two questions that drivers struggled with the most in the 7th Annual National Drivers Test from GMAC Insurance.

When asked about whether or not taking the driver’s test would make a difference on the roads, Officer Kidd, who is currently a traffic safety instructor, said, “If each driver were required to take a written test each time they renewed their license, there would be a substantial reduction in road rage and accidents.” Kidd explained, “The most common response I get from drivers after I explain a driving rule or law is, I didn’t know that.” While there was a slight increase in the overall average test score compared to 2010, many American drivers are still unfit for the road, according to the 7th Annual GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test.

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If the results of the 2011 GMAC Insurance National Drivers test are any indication of how well drivers know the rules of the road, then close to 37 million drivers need to retake a driver’s education course. According to the study, nearly 37 million U.S. drivers are unable to pass a written driver’s test. That means millions of people are driving with their own rules for the road. According to driving expert Officer Robert Kidd of Ohio, education and testing are essential when it comes to increasing safe driving knowledge and reducing road rage and accidents.

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Greetings,

According to the GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test, 4 out of 10 young adult drivers, ages 18-24, would fail the driver’s test if they took it today. While the youngest group proved to be the least knowledgeable when it comes to safe driving, 32% of 25-34 year old drivers would also fail the driver’s test if they took it today. Almost 1 in 3 drivers ages 25-34 failed the National Drivers Test—a five percent increase in their failure rate since 2009 (27%). These age groups make up a big portion of the 36.9 million estimated people deemed unfit for the roads based on the results of the GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test.

All the news about younger drivers wasn’t so bad. In fact, 4 out of 5 of the youngest drivers who took the National Drivers Test, those aged 16-17, proved they would pass the test if they took the driver’s test today. That’s good news for the rest of us on the roads and for parents who have teenagers in the family that are beginning to get behind the wheel.

One finding of the 7th Annual GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test was that older drivers knew more about safe-driving. Older drivers did achieve higher test scores than younger drivers. Older drivers, ages 45-59 (16%) and 60-65 (13%), received the lowest failure rates of all age groups. Older drivers are safer drivers, on average.

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Restrict night driving. Most young drivers’ nighttime fatal crashes occur from 9 p.m. to midnight, so teens shouldn’t drive much later than 9. Late outings tend to be recreational, and even teens who usually follow the rules can be easily distracted or encouraged to take risks.

Choose vehicles for safety, not image. Teenagers should drive vehicles that reduce their chances of a crash and offer protection in case they do crash.

Know the law. Become familiar with restrictions on young drivers. Enforce the rules. To learn about the law in your state, go to (www.iihs.org/laws/state_laws/grad_license.html).

Don’t rely solely on driver education. Teens’ attitudes and decision-making matter more than poor skills. Peers are influential, but parents have much more influence than typically is credited to them.

Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness

The best defense is prevention. Here are some prevention tips:

• Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
   
• Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar–these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
   
• Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library–even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
   
• Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
   
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
   
• NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.
   
• Although any one at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others. Check regularly on:
   
  • Infants and young children
  • People aged 65 or older
  • People who have a mental illness
  • Those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure
     
• Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.

If you must be out in the heat:

• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
   
• Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.  A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.
   
• Try to rest often in shady areas.
   
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

This information provided by NCEH’s Health Studies Branch.