Local News
National Work Zone Awareness Week 2018
April 12th 2018 by Dee Loflin
MoDOT reminds motorists to slow down and not be distracted when driving through construction areas. The emphasis on safety is part of National Work Zone Awareness Week.
Interstates and major roads will have numerous work zones set up through the fall. There will be work zones along interstates 44, 55, 64, 70, 270 and on U.S. Route 65.
Motorists are urged to observe warning signs and merge before reaching lane closures. Please be aware of changing traffic conditions. Traffic could slow or stop unexpectedly, traffic lanes can merge or equipment and workers can enter the roadway. Be aware and be prepared to slow down. Driving too fast for the conditions is a major factor in work zone crashes.
The best defense in a work zone crash, or any crash, is a seat belt.
In 2017, 65 percent of vehicle occupant fatalities were not wearing one.
To help make your travel safer, visit MoDOT's Traveler Information Map for work zones. Motorists can comment on the quality of MoDOT's work zones with an online customer survey.
For information on work zone safety and a list of high impact work zones across the state, visit http://www.modot.org/workzones/index.htm.
Last Updated on April 12th 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/va7i/National-Work-Zone-Awareness-Week-2018
SCAM ALERT - IRS Does Not Call With Warrants for Your Arrest
April 11th 2018 by Dee Loflin
SCAM ALERT!!!! Individuals are receiving calls stating they are from the IRS and telling them they have a warrant for their arrest and law enforcement will pick them up unless they send them money. The amounts they request to keep from being arrested varies. The caller has valid information about the individual they are calling. They will ask them to go to a store that has gift cards and purchase cards and send to a specific address. Those who are receiving these calls should not send any money because of a phone call.
THE IRS DOES NOT MAKE PHONE CALLS OR MAKE THREATS REGARDING WARRANTS. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD USE COMMON SENSE AND NOT SEND MONEY TO ANYONE WHO IS DEMANDING IT OVER THE TELEPHONE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY SAY.
Last Updated on April 11th 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/va7d/SCAM-ALERT--IRS-Does-Not-Call-With-Warrants-for-Your-Arrest
Help Bash Trash During MDC and MoDOT Annual Trash Bash
April 09th 2018 by Dee Loflin
Help bash trash during MDC and MoDOT annual Trash Bash April 15 – May 15
Get more information on the April 15 – May 15 Trash Bash online at nomoretrash.org.
Jefferson City, Missouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) encourage people throughout Missouri to help “bash trash” during their 16th annual No MOre Trash! Bash April 15 through May 15.
The event focuses on “spring cleaning” the outdoors by asking people to pick up litter across Missouri from roadsides, parks, neighborhoods, rivers, streams, trails, and other places. Trash Bash activities also include various educational efforts in schools, community events, and Earth Day celebrations around the state.
"Littering harms the environment and pollutes our waterways," said MoDOT No MOre Trash! Coordinator Stacy Armstrong. "Please consider the impact you can make on the environment by recycling, reusing, and disposing of waste properly."
Each year, MoDOT spends about $6.75 million to remove litter from more than 385,000 acres of roadsides along 34,000 state highway miles. Annual volunteer efforts to pick up litter along Missouri highways are valued at more than $1 million.
Littering also hurts wildlife and Missouri outdoors.
"Many animals mistake litter for food and become sick and die when they try to ingest it,” said MDC No MOre Trash! Coordinator Joe Jerek. "Birds, fish, turtles, and other animals also get tangled in litter, such as plastic six-pack holders and fishing line, and it can kill them."
Last year, volunteers collected more than 43,000 bags of litter and several truckloads of debris during the spring No More Trash! Bash. People also attended numerous educational events that stressed the importance of not littering.
Volunteers also participated through Adopt-A-Highway and Stream Team litter cleanup events. Missouri Stream Team Program volunteers removed 547 tons of litter from waterways and dedicated more than $2.3 million worth of volunteer time to litter removal statewide annually.
Last Updated on April 09th 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/va6d/Help-Bash-Trash-During-MDC-and-MoDOT-Annual-Trash-Bash
Car Crashes - Leading Death Among Children in Missouri
April 03rd 2018 by Dee Loflin
Car crashes - a leading cause of death among children
MoDOT and the Department of Health and Senior Services know that car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1-13 in the United States. Safety professionals continue to stress the importance of buckling children in an age-appropriate safety seat. It's their best defense in a traffic crash. MoDHSS Director Dr. Randall Williams reminds, "Everyone, including pregnant women and children, should use seat belts or car seats every time they ride in a motor vehicle."
In 2016, 18 children less than eight years of age were killed and 47 suffered serious injuries in motor vehicle crashes in Missouri. Twenty-nine percent of the children killed were not restrained in a car seat or seat belt. Additionally in 2016, motor vehicle crashes were responsible for eight maternal deaths (the death of a mother while pregnant or up to a year after delivery) in Missouri.
"All parents and caregivers need to understand the importance of child passenger safety seats. It's not just about following the law; child passenger seats help prevent serious injury and may even save your child's life," said MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna.
Missouri child safety seat technicians can provide education and car seat inspections. A list of car seat inspection stations and locations across the state can be found at seatcheck.org. Appointments may be necessary.
MoDOT urges everyone to get their child safety seats inspected. "When it comes to the safety of a child, there is no room for mistakes," said McKenna. "It's also all the more reason to always buckle up, everyone, every trip, every time - and put your cell phone down if you're driving - Buckle Up Phone Down."
For more information on child passenger safety or Buckle Up Phone Down, please visit www.saveMOlives.com.
Last Updated on April 03rd 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/va4f/Car-Crashes--Leading-Death-Among-Children-in-Missouri
3 Ways the Insurance Industry Can Kick Distracted Driving to the Curb by Will Jones
April 03rd 2018 by Dee Loflin
Driver distraction is a leading cause of vehicle accidents. Nearly 80% of vehicle crashes involve driver inattention, according to research conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.
Eating and drinking, talking to a fellow passenger, applying makeup, programming a GPS or navigation system, or simply adjusting the radio all qualify as distracted driving. But using a cellphone while behind the wheel is undoubtedly the biggest cause.
According to a study conducted by Cambridge Metrics Telematics (CMT) last year, phone distraction occurred in 52% of trips that resulted in a crash—an unsurprising statistic considering that same study found that 75% of drivers see other drivers on their phones every day.
Joan Woodward, president of the Travelers Institute and executive vice president of public policy for Travelers, has observed a dramatic spike in fatalities on the road as a result of distracted driving in the last couple of years. “That got our attention,” she says.
According to the latest annual Travelers Risk Index, 40% of drivers polled admitted they have been involved in an accident or almost caused an accident because of their own distracted driving. “Those numbers are self-reported, of course,” Woodward says. “But people are saying that they’re doing this more and more.”
And the increase is making everyone nervous: 63% of drivers are more afraid of distracted drivers than drunk drivers, according to the CMT study.
Because of national education campaigns and law enforcement, drunk driving is both socially stigmatized and punishable with hefty fines, disqualification and imprisonment. In 2018, however, the same cannot be said about distracted driving.
According to Sam Madden, chief scientist, CMT, there is no doubt about the source of the first rise in road fatalities the insurance industry has noticed in a long time. “We see alcohol-related deaths are down, the educational campaigns around alcohol are working, and yet the number of fatalities is going up for the first time,” he says. “We certainly believe that’s a result of distracted driving.”
Penalties for distracted driving vary by state. Most levy fines under $400, while five states do not have any laws against it at all. And if law enforcement isn’t going to put the brakes on distracted driving, “the insurance industry really should be at the forefront of raising this as an issue,” Woodward says.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which makes now an ideal time to bring up the issue in conversation with your clients. Here are three ways that the insurance industry can kick distracted driving to the curb:
Education. Few drivers are aware that texting while driving at 55 mph is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. In an effort to change people’s attitudes about the dangers of distracted driving, the Travelers Institute® Every Second Matters initiative provides statistics, conversations starters and quizzes that insurance professionals can share with their clients.
“Our campaign is focused on the social norm—to change people’s awareness and to say that this really is not OK,” says Woodward. “It’s just not OK to text your way all the way to work or always be on the phone while you’re in the car.”
“This is not a problem that is just going to go away on its own,” Madden agrees. “As a society, we just have to accept that it is not OK for thousands of young people to die every year because of smartphones. We have to make people aware of it.”
Technology. Paradoxically, on the same device that facilitates most distracted driving, apps are becoming available that help drivers educate themselves about the amount of time they spend distracted when they’re behind the wheel—data which insurers can also incorporate into rating tools.
CMT’s DriveWell app does exactly that. “When you put this app in peoples’ hands, it makes them realize that they actually are engaging in distracted driving,” Madden says. “Results show that within a couple weeks, people reduce distracted driving behavior by 30% or more on average.”
“We have many small independent agencies that are offering a smartphone telematics program through us that is branded through their agency,” Madden adds. “It’s not always about moralizing with your customer—it’s about saying, ‘Did you know that if you’re a good driver, you can actually save money on your insurance?’”
Employers. One of the most common reasons drivers use their cellphones while driving is due to work. According to Travelers, 43% of employed American adults who drive admit to making work-related communications such as emails and calls while driving. And 27% say their boss has called or texted them even though they knew they were driving.
In a survey of Travelers’ customers, only 27% of commercial clients reported having a formal policy on distracted driving that was strictly enforced.
“We’re urging all our commercial lines clients to have a very strict policy in place for their employees about distracted driving—not only to have it, but to put it into practice,” Woodward says. “That’s really the key to curbing some of these commercial auto losses.”
Will Jones is IA assistant editor.
County Wide Insurance Agency is located in Dexter Missouri . We provide personal insurance packages for car insurance , homeowners insurance and more. Businesses throughout Arkansas and Missouri also rely on us for complete commercial insurance needs, whether you need a Business Owners Policy , agricultural insurance , commercial auto insurance or a customized package incorporating many difference coverage options.
As an independent insurance agency, we will shop around with several carriers to get you the most affordable rates. Not sure what you need? That is what we are here for. We will assess your risks and offer you a variety of products to choose from. Service, whether it is in response to an insurance claim or general question, is the most important value we offer you.
Last Updated on April 03rd 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/va48/3-Ways-the-Insurance-Industry-Can-Kick-Distracted-Driving-to-the-Curb-by-Will-Jones
