Texting While Driving: Don't Even Think About it

Today as I was driving down the streat the light turned red and the car to my left ran through the light. I saw them comming fast in my rear view mirror, and looked as they passed by. The driver was young and text messaging, or dialing her phone as she past me, never noticing the light had changed.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), for every two seconds that a driver's eyes stray away from the road, he/she is twice as likely to have an accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also claims that driver inattention is the leading contributing factor in most crashes or near-miss accidents in the United States.

Of all crashes, 80 percent (and 65 percent of near-crashes) involve driver inattention within a three-second window of the incident. The moral of the story: when motorists change radio stations, try to read maps or talk on cell phones, they are putting themselves and others at risk.

The latest danger to hit the roadways in recent years is texting while driving. AAA claims that texting requires a motorist's full attention, which obviously affects their attention to the road. This is a concern not just for normal motorists; many occupational drivers have been involved in roadway crashes that have taken the lives of others. These drivers were texting while driving on the job. Here are some examples:

• A Boston trolley driver missed a red light while texting his girlfriend and smashed into another trolley. This accident injured 50 people.
• A Florida truck driver killed two young women when he hit their vehicle because he was texting.
• An attorney in Nevada rolled his company-issued SUV because he failed to pay attention due to texting.

Many states have laws outlawing the use of cell phones and texting while driving.

The Proof is in the Pudding! Texting is one of the most prevalent causes of roadway crashes because drivers are so distracted by the messages on the screen and typing a response message back on the keypad. Consider this: would you let a doctor operate on you if he/she was going to text every minute or so during the procedure?

To avoid a ticket and a potentially dangerous accident, do not use your cell phone in any capacity while driving. If you must make a phone call or text, pull off the road safely and then do so.

Identity Theft Update

Incidents of identity theft continue to rise and many consumers assume this is because of the increase of computer technology as well as the increased use of consumer credit cards and debit cards. Although technology is one way that identity thieves can steal your financial information, there are also less obvious ways that you might not think of on a daily basis.

With this in mind, I thought I would share some helpful tips for making sure you protect yourself and your personal information!

Tip 1: Be Careful With Your Mail - Although it seems most convenient to drop mail in your home mailbox, it is best to go ahead and run by the post office to drop it in a safe place. Most homeowners don't consider that identity thieves might steal your personal information right out of your mailbox, especially bills being sent in for payment. These usually have a check attached, along with all your personal information!

Tip 2: No Personal Information Over the Phone - This seems obvious, but many consumers will inadvertently give out personal information to a caller who identifies themselves as your financial institution or credit card company. Remember that they will never call you and ask for information. They will only ask if you call them!

Tip 3: Don't Carry Your Social Security Card - There is rarely an occasion where you will need your social security card, yet many people carry theirs in plain sight in a wallet or purse. An identity theft can easily have a driver's license or other personal information ordered in your name is they have your SS card.

Tip 4: Never Carry or Write Down Passwords - We have all begun to feel safe, and even complacent, about our financial information because they are now password protected. Writing down those passwords takes away that safety though. Only uses passwords that you can remember by memory, otherwise this takes away the point of the password. Don't use obvious passwords that a thief could figure out from reviewing your personal records.

Tip 5: Lock Up Your Personal Affects - Whether you are at work or a gym don't trust that just because you seem friendly, familiar faces your personal information is safe. Unfortunately, many employees have had their entire wallet stolen from a co-worker while they were at lunch.

Hopefully you can make use of these tips to keep your personal information protected and your financial assets in place!

Contact your GDI Broker for assistance.

888-991-2929

www.GDIinsurance.com