"All I have Is Photos - And Memories," Crash Victim's Mom Says

Monday morning was another tragic day for Tampa Bay Familes, When two seperate Accidents invovling Teen Drivers have left Three Dead. It pains me as I read the paper this morning about two seperate accidents, which could have been advoided.

In the first accident: A 15 year old was driving at 12:10 in the morning, and None of the teens had on seat belts, troopers said.

The second accident a 19 year old who was under the influence struck a pole at 4:30am. Three people were ejected from the car and one was trapped in the rear seat.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/04/2-teen-drivers-die-plant-city-wreck/?news-metro

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/04/dui-charged-crash-left-1-life-support

You Just Erased Your Memory Card - Relax, All Is Not Lost

Uh Oh, I just accidentally erased my photos on my memory card. I had this experience recently and I want you to know that you can probably still recover your photos. In my case my wife and I had driven over to my daughter’s friend’s house where 7 teenage couples were gathered in full evening dress for their prom. An entire row of parents stood in front of the kids for 15 minutes, cameras clicking and flashes going off. If you have had teenagers you probably know the ritual. So wiping out these photos is pretty bad. You’re not going to get those teenage boys to dress up in suits and stand in front of the camera again for you. But if you know what to do and in the right order, you can usually recover your lost photos.

A week or so later my wife came to me distraught that she had accidentally erased all the photos on her camera's memory card, including these precious prom photos. I searched the internet and found to my surprise that these photos were not lost forever.

To understand why, you just need to understand how the memory space on these cards works. Generally, when you delete a photo or file from a memory card, the space is made available for another photo or file to be stored there. But, until you take more photos to cover over this space, you can still recover those deleted files and photos. To do so, you will need to purchase a software program on the internet and download it to your computer. There are many services out there and below I have listed some web sites that I found that sell these programs. The one I used was Card Recovery which is the first on this list, but you may find one that does the job better and is cheaper. In our case we saved the prom photos and since that time my daughter has made the same mistake with her camera's memory card and she was astonished that Dad could miraculously save the day for her. It’s good to be the hero every now and again, especially with teenagers.

Here are a few sites that can help you recover erased files from a memory disk.

www.CardRecovery.com

www.pctools.com

http://www.powerdatarecovery.com

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How to Prevent Teens From Speeding

By Master Police Officer III James Poer

It amazes me when I see kids speeding around town as if they are bullet proof and invincible. All too often, this is why we lose kids in car accidents. Speeding is the number one cause for teen driver deaths and it's because they really don't know better.

Once they get behind the wheel, they think they can control their car at any speed and tend to push the limits. The problem happens when they get into a situation at a high speed and can't react quickly enough. Even professional car racers sometimes can't react quickly enough at high speeds.

When you add speed to any situation, you have what is called the "multiplier" effect. This means that the faster you approach an object, the less time you have to properly react, so the speed of your reaction needs to be multiplied.

So, how can you make sure your teen doesn't speed? Of course, it's up to you to make certain they don't and there is one tool that can almost guarantee your teen driver doesn’t make this dangerous mistake. GPS Teen Monitoring System- In my opinion, this is the best thing invented since sliced bread. This system works so well because the teen understands that if he or she speeds, you will know about it.

Here’s how it works.A small gps unit is installed in your teen’s car, usually under the dash where it can’t be seen. The unit sends a signal to a satellite where it is monitored by the GPS provider. When you teen exceeds the preset speed limit, a signal is sent to you via text message, cell phone, or e-mail.

You can log into a special website where you can set the speed as well as monitor where your teen’s car is at any time. You can see how fast he or she is traveling and on what roads too. Some systems offer other safety features like driving range alerts and driving time alerts.

During my years investigating accidents, I have seen the effects of speeding and witnessed the deaths of too many teens. If more parents had these units installed in their children’s cars, I am certain more teens would avoid fatal car accidents.

Officer Poer is a 30 year veteran accident investigator. He is also a parent of 4 drivers. His experience, conviction, and advice are demonstrated on his website- http://www.parentalcourage.com/. Please visit his site often and remain vigilant about your teen driver’s safety!

For more information please visit us at http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/allamerican.

The 10 Most Lethal Driving Mistakes

Most Lethal Driving Mistakes

From not buckling up to not getting enough shut-eye, here's a rundown of the 10 most common mistakes motorists make.

By Claire Martin of MSN Autos

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 37,313 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2008. If that isn't a reason to become a better driver, then we don't know what is.

In an ideal world, drivers would execute every road maneuver with precision and ease. Sadly, we do not live in a never-never land, and not everyone walks away from metal-to-metal mayhem. Truth is that drivers are not created equal. Some are too brash, others too conservative. Some are even downright clueless. The common thread is that they can all turn a pleasant day on the motorway into a surreal nightmare in the blink of an eye.

And don't just blame it on "them." Everyone is guilty of making common driving mistakes that can endanger us all. Think about it: We'll bet you can recall with vivid exasperation a whole litany of stupid moves you've made throughout the years — some benign, some not so much.

To help you stay safe behind the wheel, here's a list of 10 driving behaviors to avoid.

Swerving

The No. 1 fatal mistake made by drivers is perhaps the most simple: not staying in their own lane — i.e., running off the road or drifting into the adjacent lane. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2007, 15,574 people died in crashes where the driver simply couldn't stay in the lane.

Driving While Drowsy

"Driving a vehicle when you are fatigued is as dangerous as driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs," National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said after a fatal highway accident in 2003 in which a college student who had been awake for the previous 18 hours was driving a carload of fellow students at 5 a.m. According to the NHTSA, in 2007 fatigued driving caused the deaths of 1,404 people, and more traffic fatalities occurred during the hours when most people are accustomed to being asleep (3 a.m. to 6 a.m.) than at any other time of day.

Drinking and Driving

Every 40 minutes someone dies in a drunk-driving accident. (In all 50 states, a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent or more is considered illegal, but a little-known fact is that you can be charged with driving while impaired even if you're under the legal limit.) Young drivers are particularly prone to drinking and driving: The 21- to 34-year-old set is responsible for well over half of alcohol-infused fatal crashes. Not surprisingly, the decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated is made most often at night and on the weekends. According to the NHTSA, 60 percent of drivers who died after dark in 2007 were legally drunk. Alcohol is also a factor in half of pedestrian traffic deaths — both drivers and pedestrians are the culprits.

Overcorrecting

You get panicky when the wheels of your SUV hit the rumble patch on the shoulder of the highway, so you throw the steering wheel in the opposite direction to get the vehicle back on the road. This is a classic example of overcorrecting or oversteering, and it's a particularly perilous maneuver when you're behind the wheel of an SUV driving on the highway at high speeds. Consider it a rollover waiting to happen. More than 4 percent of automobile fatalities a year occur because of drivers overcorrecting.

Discuss: What is the most dangerous thing you've done behind the wheel?

Speeding

Racing, driving faster than the posted speed limit or simply going too fast for road conditions — i.e., speeding — comprises the second highest cause of death in fatal crashes, according to the NHTSA. Once you hit 55 mph, you're in the danger zone: 30 percent of fatalities occur at 55 or above. The worst-case scenarios invariably involve speeding without wearing a seat belt or a motorcycle helmet. Fatality rates for speeding motorcyclists are shockingly high: In 2007, speeding was a factor in 36 percent of motorcycle fatalities. Of those, 41 percent of drivers and more than half of passengers were not wearing helmets (only 20 states and the District of Columbia require helmets).

Failure to Yield Right of Way

For drivers age 70 and above, failing to yield while merging into traffic is the top cause of crashes. In a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers 80 and older simply fail to see the other vehicle they should be yielding to. Drivers 70 to 79 see the vehicle but misjudge whether they have time to proceed ahead of it. Failure to yield right of way was the fifth leading cause of fatal crashes in 2007.

Teaching Your New Driver Vehicle Orientation and Maintenance

Before starting to drive perform a quick safety check of the vehicle. Now is a good time to have a brief discussion about vehicle maintenance. Explain basic maintenance items such as when oil changes are due and proper tire inflation. Verify that all lights and turn signals are functioning properly and free of obstruction.

Safety Tip: For emergency purposes, teach your teen to keep at least ¼ tank of gas in the car at all times. You do not want them running out of gas in an unsafe area. Additionally, you will avoid the frustration of having to unexpectedly stop for gas when your teen has been driving your car.

Safety Tip: Hazard lights. Make sure your teen knows how to locate and turn on the hazard lights in each of your cars!Familiarize your teen with the location and operation of the vehicle controls. It is important that your teen is comfortable in the driver’s seat. Today’s newer cars are capable of adjusting the seat, mirrors, steering wheel, brake pedal and accelerator. Review proper operation of the heater, air conditioning, cruise control and wiper blades.

Safety Tip: Hazard lights. Make sure your teen knows how to locate and turn on the hazard lights in each of your cars!

Explain the dashboard gauges and their purpose. Taking the time to explain the gauges will help maintain the vehicle in proper working condition. Furthermore, it may save you a large repair bill. After all, the time for your teen to understand the temperature gauge is not after the car has overheated! A good habit to form is maintaining a mileage log. The log should detail the date, miles on the vehicle, the number of gallons of gas added and the miles per gallon obtained on the prior tank of gas. When the gas mileage decreases it is an early warning signal that the engine needs maintenance.

I strongly recommend that you have your teen change a tire before he/she obtains their license. With the prevalence of cell phones, many parents assume their teen can call them or AAA for assistance. Depending on the location and time of day, it may take 2-3 hours before assistance can arrive.

Safety Tip: Tire jacks can KILL! Practice with them the proper use and ‘placement of the jack”. People die from this every year. Don’t forget to show them how to chock the tires.

Safety Tip: It is very dangerous to change a tire on the highway. Call the state police to assure drivers move over and the safety of your teen.

Safety Tip: Maintain an Emergency kit in the trunk complete with: flares, a flashlight and batteries. Practice lighting flares.

Insurance Tip: Roadside Service is part of the Teensurance Program from Safeco. Help will be dispatched to help change tires or even deliver gas!

Hope this helps your family and brings everyone home safely!

Please call our office anytime with any questions 256-765-2200.

Tears For My Friends

Tears for My Friends

By Debbye Butler

I have a friend named Jeannette. She had a daughter and a son, until October 1986. Her daughter tested the odds of the effects of alcohol on her motor skills and judgment versus her knowledge about the roads with which she was so familiar.

The alcohol won.

Cindy never saw her 21st birthday. Jeannette, however, has to live through every one of her daughter’s candles-and-cake days — wondering what her daughter would look like now and what she would be doing with her promising life.

I have another buddy. His name is Bill. He is a devoted family man, and until a dreaded October night in 1992, he had two sons and a daughter. Now he has one son, one daughter, and 17 years of memories of a child who will never grow older. Bill, too, had to live the worst parental nightmare possible — a tired teenager with a set of car keys, a can of beer, and an invincible attitude on a late weekend night.

Both of my friends are incredibly loving people and responsible parents. They were looking forward to graduations, a son- or daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. But they have been cheated out of some of the best and most meaningful adventures in life, and nothing or no one can change that cruel, crushing reality.

Maybe you know someone who has lost a son or daughter because of this deadly combination. Maybe it’s a neighbor. Maybe it’s a friend. Maybe it’s someone in your own family. Maybe the children’s deaths were caused by another person who was driving while intoxicated.

It’s hard for me to believe I would ever have personally known one family — much less two — that would have to live through this gnawing, once-it-happens-it-never-goes-away pain. And it’s even more difficult to know what to say to them. Hugs help. But they’ll never replace the hugs from the children who are gone because of alcohol.

When Bill was saying goodbye to his son during the funeral, he did the most loving, courageous thing that any parent could do in a situation like this. With a lump in his throat that must have felt like the size of a softball, he looked out at the stunned young faces of his son’s high school friends. He said he never wanted to have to come to a funeral for this reason again. He said, “Don’t drink and drive.”

Bill told me later he hoped he didn’t sound like he was preaching. Well … I hope he did. I hope everyone listened. And I hope everyone remembers.

© Debbye Butler. Used with author’s permission. May not be reproduced in any fashion without author’s express permission. Debbye Butler is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis, Ind.

Hey, Does The Air Bag In This Thing Work?

If you’ve ever shopped for a used car you are probably a pretty savvy buyer after the experience was over. But did you check the air bag? It turns out that airbags are a quick and easy part for thieves to remove from the car. And since few buyers think to check for this part, most get away scott free.

So how do you know if the car you want to purchase still has an airbag? How do you determine if the airbag will still function correctly?

First of all, you should inspect the steering wheel for signs of tampering. Thieves often leave dings and dents in the interior plastic when they remove the airbags. Another thing you can do is watch the air bag indicator light when you turn on the car. It should glow briefly, then turn off. If the light never comes on, or if it comes on and stays on, then the air bag probably isn’t functioning correctly.

You can also visit the site, http://www.safercar.gov/, and type in the vehicle’s VIN or vehicle identification number to see if one of more of the airbags in the vehicle has been permanently deactivated. Click on “Air Bags”, then under “Air Bag Basics” on the left, click on “Air Bag – VIN number” to search the database. The data at this site may not be complete since the site relies on third parties to report whether an air bag has been removed or disabled. As a last resort, you can have a mechanic you trust inspect the car for air bags.

For the most part, air bags are an “out of site, out of mind” kind of issue. But since replacement could run from $600 to $800 it may be worth your while to consider this issue next time you shop for a used car.

We want you to be Completely Satisfied with our Agency to earn your support to Renew YOUR Insurance Policies. We also want to earn your support in Recommending our Agency to your friends and family. If we at anytime fail to meet the above needs please contact us at once so we may correct this situation. You are the reason our Agency exists and we Thank You! Check us out at www.teendriversinsurance.com/allamerican or call us at 256-765-2200.

Practice Is NOT Everything

Practice, practice, practice and lots of supervised driving time is what gets him or her there.

But apart from the practical skills, there is a set of mental skills that you may consider teaching your teen driver:

1. Being an overly fearful or hesitant driver can sometimes be as dangerous as a go-getter, over-confident driver.
2. Driving in an upset, angry, or excited state of mind can be a as much a distraction as driving while talking on a cell phone.

As a parent, you want to build the right amount of driving confidence within your teen, and instill the ability to make the right decisions at the right time.

Talking with your teen, and offering positive reinforcement, can be a powerful tool in making your teen a safer driver. Don't hesitate to praise him or her for an exceptionally well-handled maneuver, or a flawless driving session. And in addition to providing clear rules - and consequences - you may try offering rewards for long stretches of ticket- and accident-free driving.