Archive for the ‘Consumer Advocacy’ Category
Emergency Vehicles – Move Over & Save a Life
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on July 27th, 2010
Police across Massachusetts and New Hampshire have announced they will be increasing their efforts in enforcing the laws requiring drivers to move over when an emergency vehicle is stopped on the side of the road. State police in New Hampshire report about 25 accidents a year in which troopers or their vehicles were struck by other vehicles when stopped at construction details or traffic stops.
The seriousness of this measure needs to be understood by all. This past July 17th 2010 a Massachusetts trooper was sitting in his cruiser after pulling a driver over when he was struck by another motorist. The second motorist who collided with the trooper’s cruiser was cited on DWI charges however police note distracted driving is one of the greatest factors in these accidents.
New Hampshire and Massachusetts police said they are doing their best to educate drivers of the law requiring motorists to move over a lane when an emergency vehicle’s lights are flashing. The state police have also noted they will be enforcing this law with greater diligence. Some drivers have complained it’s difficult to move over a lane due to additional traffic – in these cases the state police have said the motorist should slow down or face a fine.
Trooper Thomas Lencki was able to escape an accident in 2003 where another motorist crashed into the back of his vehicle:
“I noticed an SUV coming into the breakdown lane at a high rate of speed… I was able to move a little bit to protect myself and the woman, and he hit me at about 78 mph, pushed me into the Jersey barrier and then pushed me into her.”
Distracted driving can have grave consequences. If you see an emergency vehicle flashing lights, move over a lane – you may just save a life.
Drunk Driving Crack Down
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy, Legislation on July 21st, 2010
The head of the state police union Rick Brown is calling for additional officials to help take impaired drivers off the road:
“We need extra patrols out there looking for drunk drivers, especially in the summer. If we put more saturation patrols in these areas, maybe you start taking some of these drivers off the roads.’’
- Rick Brown
In the past few weeks four state police troopers have been injured and one killed while on duty. All five accidents took place between midnight and 2:30 a.m., and in four of these instances the drivers now face drunken driving charges. Police are still seeking a suspect in the fifth case. A report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund shows the number of police officers killed in traffic accidents has risen 35% from this time last year.
Massachusetts hopes a saturation of officers will help to deter intoxicated persons from driving. Troopers have urged their superiors to increase enforcement during peak drinking and driving hours, especially Friday and Saturday nights along the free ways.
If a driver is caught with a BAC above the legal limit, serious consequences will follow:
- On the first offense Massachusetts drunk driving laws mandate a fine from $500 to $5,000 and/ or face up to two and a half years in prison after driving with a blood-alcohol-content of .08 or more. Not only will you face these hardships, but your license will be suspended for a full year.
- On your second offense the consequences are more sever. A second conviction comes with: guaranteed jail time of at least 60 days no more than two and a half years, fine of $6,000 – $10,000, suspended license for 2 years, and an interlock device installed in your car. If the first offense consequences didn’t deter you from drunk driving, the second offense punishment should.
Drinking and driving is a serious danger for anyone involved, officials are hopeful the additional measures will help to reduce the number of impaired drivers on the road.
Massachusetts 1000 Greatest Places… Road Trip Anyone?
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy, Legislation on July 14th, 2010
Massachusetts legislature has evaluated more than 12,000 nominated locations across Massachusetts and released a list of “1,000 Great Places in Massachusetts”. The greatest places list was approved by legislators and signed by Deval Patrick last year in an effort to lure more tourists to the Bay State. For a fun weekend trip or less-expensive summer vacation, take a Massachusetts road trip – become a tourist yourself!
The list of great Massachusetts places includes the typical tourist spots, but it also mentions the lesser known wonders as well. Some of the obscure places mentioned on the list include: the Paul Bunyan statue in Bellingham, the Songline Emu Farm in Gill and the glacial potholes of Shelburne Falls. Use the 1,000 greatest places list as a map to explore the Commonwealth with a new set of eyes.
While hosting guests from out of state this list is key to showing them the great culture and beauty your Bay State has to offer. Guests may want to tour the more famous locations such as Plymouth Rock, Walden Pond, the Old North Church, Tanglewood and the Cape Cod National Seashore -all of which the list includes. Organized by city your guests can tour just a few surrounding towns and experience more of Massachusetts than the typical vacationer.
Even if you don’t have time for a weekend trip or vacation throw the list of 1,000 greatest places in your glove box for later on. If you finish a meeting early or find extra time to kill these wonderful locations can be a great escape from the daily grind. For the complete list of the Massahcusetts 1,000 greatest places click here.
Scenic Summer Drives in the Bay State
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on June 14th, 2010
The Gloucester Shore - A beautiful stop along the Essex National Heritage Area Scenic Byway.
Boasting of summer’s arrival the trees are green, beaches now open, and the shorts and tee-shirts have been taken from storage. Whether you have an afternoon or an entire day, a summer drive through the beautiful Massachusetts roadways is the perfect way to see more of the Bay State and learn about its history. To get out of your usual grind without spending bundles on a vacation check out the following Massachusetts scenic routes:
North-western corner of Massachusetts are the Mohawk driving trails. Three popular routes within the Mohawk driving trails include: Mouth Greylock – approximately 26 miles, Mohawk Trail – approximately 55 miles, the combined Mt. Greylock/ North Berkshire route – approximately 33 miles, the combined North Bershire/ Mohawk Trail route – approximately 53 miles, and the Mohawk Trail/ Pioneer Valley route – approximately 55 miles. Along the Mohawk driving trails are many attractions including the bridge of flowers where over 500 varieties of annuals and perennials are planted and maintained throughout the summer season. For more information on the scenic routes through North-Western Massachusetts visit the Mohawk Trail website.
For a wonderful view and aversion the Mass Pike, Jacobs Ladder Trail is a fantastic drive and a National Scenic Byway. This drive winds through parts of Western Massachusetts like the Mohawk trails however takes a few twists and turns of its own. Enjoy original 19th-century architecture in Lee Center or along the way a restored railroad station from the 1840s, an Italiante Grange Hall, two mill villages, and churches that remain the tallest building in town. For additional information about this scenic drive visit the Jacobs Ladder Trail website.
For drivers residing closer to Southern Massachusetts the beautiful drive along the Cape Cod Route 6A may be a perfect trip. Cruising through some of America’s oldest villages the Cape Cod route travels through: Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, and Brewster. If you’re into history, many of the homes along this route are listed under the National Register of Historical Places. If you’re not so interested in the Route 6A’s historical pit stops you may stop by Sandy Neck and Sandwich Town Beach, perfect for a leisurely swim or to soak in a few rays. For the more adventurous and outdoorsy Nickerson State Park is a perfect pit stop along this calming drive. For more information about the Cape Cod route 6A read up about it on the Travel Guide of America website.
Those living closer to the eastern coast will want to take a drive through the Essex National Heritage Area Scenic Byway. The Byway holds a plethora of historic seaports, colonial farms, village centers, and architecture. About 24 miles in length this would make a perfect evening drive and opportunity to learn more about local history. At one end of the Essex Byway is Gloucester, the large fishing community popularized in the movie “The Perfect Storm” and at the other the town of Newburyport, a historic trade and shipbuilding port. For more informaiton about this historically rich drive visit the Go-Massachusetts website.
Happy driving!
Schedule Your Drivers Exam ONLINE!
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on June 9th, 2010
The younger tech-savvy generations may fall in love with the newest addition to the Massachusetts RMV site: on-line driver’s exam scheduling. Until last week teenagers were only able schedule a driver’s exam by calling the RMV hot line. These calls annually number approximately 260,000 and greatly slowed the routing of other call-center customers.
Hopeful teen drivers can pay the $20 exam fee while registering and, if they’re feeling confident, the $50 licensing fee eliminating another trip to a Registry branch once they’ve passed the exam. If paid for through the website the teenager’s licnese will be sent through the mail with the learners permit photo. During a two week test period almost 900 permit holders successfully scheduled their driving examinations!
Drivers license exams were previously administered by State Police troopers and as of two years ago are now handled by Registry examiners. About 2,500 road tests are given a week through the 29 Massachusetts examination locations. Serving more than 4.6 million drivers the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles will be able to better service drivers as those scheduling examinations begin to navigate to the website rather than phone hot line.
To schedule a driver’s examination online visit the Massachusetts Department of Transportation site here.
Attorney General Coakley Proposes Additional Insurance Regulations
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy, Legislation on June 4th, 2010
Martha Coakley, the Massachusetts Attorney General, has proposed new regulations that she believes will take force in sales and underwriting practices for auto insurers and agents across Massachusetts. The newly proposed regulations have been formed in response to a report published by Coakley’s office last year regarding the deregulated Massachusetts auto insurance market.
Coakley said in a statement, “We have seen some positive changes since the auto insurance marketplace was deregulated two years ago. However, there are still many improvements that should be made within the system to better protect consumers.” She believes the new proposals will increase the transparency of auto insurance to help consumers shop for better policies.
Two public hearings will be held this June on the proposed auto insurance regulations. These regulations include banning of the use of credit score to determine premiums and create rules for what statements auto insurance carriers can make while advertising prices.
Coakley’s proposal has been seen in a less than favorable light by some from the industry. Of those skeptical of the proposed regulations is Paul Tetraul, Northeast state affairs manager for the National Association of Mutual Insurance companies. Tetraul called the regulations unnecessary and ill-advised. He continued to explain:
“The underlying premises of the regulations, and the report issued by Attorney General Coakley’s office, are that consumers are not faring well under managed competition and that consumers are not protected adequately under existing regulations. Nothing could be further from the truth: the increased competition has resulted in most consumers saving money and having meaningful choices in the marketplace for the first time in decades.”
Hampshire Regional High Learns About Physics & Auto Accidents
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on June 3rd, 2010
Massachusetts State Police collaborated with the Northwester District Attorney’s Office and several local police departments this past May to host a training exercise at the Hampshire Regional High School in Westhampton. Using physics and mechanics officers taught teenagers about driving accidents and the consequences of driver’s actions.
Officers used a new teaching aid called the “Crash – The Science of Collisions” using what the teenagers have and will be learning in their physics classes. While teaching teenage drivers about the physics behind a crash, officers taught students about the cause and effect of driver’s actions. Troopers from the State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section replicated characteristics of an accident in the Hampshire Regional High parking lot. From the staged crash statistics were given for students to analyze and evaluate.
The motivation behind this exercise was to raise awareness levels to decrease the number of future crashed by teen drivers. The hope is with this training & realization of the physics and mechanics behind a crash, students will be more safe and aware drivers.
According to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety & Security other participants included: Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel and Assistant District Attorney Curtis Frick; Westhampton Police Chief David White and Sergeant Floyd Fisher; Williamsburg Police Acting Chief Denise Wickland; Goshen Police Chief Jeffrey Hewes; Chesterfield Police Corporal Aimee Wallace; and Southampton Police Officer Scott Gove.
What You Need to Know About Teen Drivers & Insurance
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on June 1st, 2010
When a teenager brings home their driving learner’s permit there are mixed feelings felt throughout the household. Teenagers ecstatic, their freedom and independence from mom and dad has become a reality. Parents on the other hand need to think about their child – and possibly vehicle’s – safety, insurance, a new/ used or shared vehicle, and new rules. Before a teenager is licensed it’s important to know about insurance needs and teenage driving laws. Read the following bullets for a good overview of what you need to know concerning teen drivers & insurance:
- Be prepared to insure your teenager: Massachusetts requires, by law, that once your teenager earns their licnese and is living in the same household you must add them to your policy. This is something you should talk to your auto insurance agent about when your teenager earns their learner’s permit.
- For the lucky ones – choosing a vehicle: Know when purchasing a vehicle for your teen you need to focus on not only how much it will cost to insure, but it’s safety as well. An article by the Milford Daily News pointed out that SUVs have a higher roll over rate as they have a higher center of gravity. The article explained that the size of an SUV may give teenagers a false sense of security although they are more prone to roll overs. Smaller vehicles, such as a two door coupe, carry the risk of more serious injuries and fatalities. Researching crash test results, safety reviews, and road tests will help you determine what vehicle is right for your teenager.
- Know your premium will go up: Auto insurance premiums depend on a number of factors including: year, make and model of the insured vehicle, number of years licensed, zip code/ location, etcetera. Be prepared to pay an extra premium as teenage drivers are a higher risk to insure and can be costly when adding to a policy.
- Be aware of Massachusetts learner’s permit laws: If your teenager is younger than 18 years they will be driving with a Junior Permit. For the first six months of driving your teenager may not drive friends unless a licensed driver of 21 years or more is in the front passenger seat. Until age 18 your teenager is restricted from driving between 12:30 and 5a.m. unless with a guardian. On the first offense violating this curfew a teenager will face a $100 fine and 60- day license suspension. Speeding is another great concern for teen drivers thus Massachusetts has imposed strict laws with serious consequences if caught speeding on a junior licnese. When a teenager receives his or her first speeding ticket they will face: a 90 day licnese suspension, $50 licnese reinstatement fee, required to take a Driver Attitudinal Retraining Course and State Courts Against Road Rage course (costing approximately $75 each), and must pass the learner’s permit exam and road exam.
- Advanced driving courses = benefits: Advanced driving courses, although not required to gain or maintain a licnese, these courses give young drivers better knowledge of what to be aware of while driving. Additionally, various auto insurance carriers will give discounts to those who have completed an advanced driving course.
For more information and tips for safe teen driving please visit the National Safety Council: Teen Driving Website.
Increase in Employment = Incease In Commute
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on May 24th, 2010
As the economy and job market begin picking up so will the time you spend driving to and from work. State records show an increase of 11,000 drivers on Interstate 495 compared to the same time last year, an estimated 8,000 more driving on Interstate 93 and almost 4,000 additional driver on Route 128. The culprit? Our improving economy and increased jobs seem to be behind increased travel times. As Massachusetts residents reclaim their place in the work force they have also reclaimed their place in rush hour commutes.
Governor Deval Patrick notes Massachusetts has seen an increase in job and that statistics have shown more than 19,000 new jobs have been created in April. These job additions have proven to be the largest month-to-month increase Massachusetts has seen in the past 17 years! According to the Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development the Massachusetts unemployment rate fell from 9.3% to 9.2% this past April. Some of the largest job gains were seen in the professional sector with 7,200 position openings and construction with 3,900 jobs proudly boasting their first employment gain since 2006.
Governor Deval Patrick released the following statement regarding the unemployment drop:
“With 19,000 new jobs in April, Massachusetts had the single biggest monthly gain in 17 years. We are on the mend and on the move. Since day one, we have focused on investing in the projects and industries that put people to work right now and make the Commonwealth stronger for the long-term. The significant gains we’re seeing in the construction, scientific, financial and manufacturing sectors show that our strategy is working. Still, I understand that positive statistics mean little to the person who is out of work and looking for a job. For them and for our future, we will keep pushing.”
Also plan ahead: daily commutes may continue to rise, Massachusetts is expected to add an additional 200,000 jobs over the coming three years.
Boston Approves Massachusetts Avenue Bike Lane
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on May 21st, 2010
Boston will need to gear up with helmets as bike lanes are to join traffic this next year. Massachusetts State and Federal approvals have been given for the $18 million reconstruction of Massachusetts Avenue to include five-foot wide bike lanes. Approximately 80% of the funding will come from federal aid and 20% funding from state aid. The bike lane construction was announced at the Boston Bike Festival, the last event of the first state wide bike week. Boston officials have told reporters the bike lanes will run from the Boston Medical Center to Symphony Hall.
Michael Kinneavy, the Boston Chief of Policy, says the city hopes to extend the lanes father:
“We’re looking at the section between the bridge and Symphony Hall, and our hope is that someday it will all be continuous and we’re very happy about that.”
Thomas Timlin, the Boston Transportation Commissioner, also said the Menino administration is committed to promoting bicycling and its benefits:
“The mayor, in working with our state partners, has really said it loud, and said it clear, and put our money where our mouth is, and put the policy into practice, that the car is no longer king in the city of Boston.”
