Archive for the ‘Consumer Advocacy’ Category
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.”
Young Drivers Benefit Greatly from Target Safety Course!
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on May 19th, 2010
Safety is number one in a parents mind when it comes to their child, and learning to drive can be risky business. Peace of mind however may be just around the corner thanks to a recent experiment completed by the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The new study’s found young drivers can be trained to realize and avoid dangerous situations while driving and reduce their risk of accidents.
Researchers at the University developed and evaluated a computer based training program training young drivers how to better anticipate potential hazards on the road. Twenty-four drivers ages eighteen to twenty-one were surveyed in the study. Before any on-road driving twelve of the drivers took part in a Risk Awareness and Perception Training Program developed at the University of Massachusetts. The simulation program contains nine driving scenarios with a potential risk of an accident with another vehicle or pedestrian. The other twelve drivers did not participate in the training.
After the training was complete, researchers followed the participants eye movements driving a total of 16 miles on local roads. Prior to the drive the researchers found parts of the drive that contained hazards similar and dissimilar to those in the simulation. The driving experiment found the drivers who participated in the driving simulation and training were significantly more likely to recognize areas of the roads with potential risks. Those with training recorded eye movements recognizing a 64.4% likelihood to view at areas of the roads with potential hazards as only 37.4% without the training readily viewed these areas of the road.
According to an article by EHS Today the researchers include: Anuj K. Pradhan, Ph.D., and Donald L. Fisher, Ph.D., of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering; Alexander Pollatsek, Ph.D., of the Department of Psychology; and Michael Knodler, Ph.D., of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Should America Have a National Licensing Age?
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on May 11th, 2010
As of now a total of 42 states allow teenagers under 16 years to earn a learners permit. Of these states, seven offer permits to fourteen-year-olds. Laws differing by state, allowing young drivers certain privileges and restrictions such as a curfew, number of passengers allowed or licensing age. Representatives Tim Bishop, Michael Castle, and Chris Van Hollen, Jr. began the push for a national standardization of driving permits and licenses April of 2009. The legislative act, dubbed the STAND UP Act, would establish minimum federal requirements for state laws and set a 3 year time frame from enactment for states to conform to the new federal standards.
The www.saferoads4teens.org, website dedicated to this piece of legislation, gives an overview of the STANDUP ACT as follows:
- States must meet the following requirements under the STANDUP Act:
- Three stages of licensing – learner’s permit, intermediate stage, and full licensure – should be used
- Age 16 should be the earliest age for entry into the learner’s permit process
- Nighttime driving while unsupervised should be restricted during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages, until full licensure at age 18
- Driving while using communication devices (cell phone calls, texting) should be prohibited at least until full licensure at age 18
- Unrestricted, full licensure should occur no earlier than age 18
- Passengers should be restricted – no more than one non-familial passenger under age 21 unless a licensed driver over age 21 is in the vehicle – until full licensure at age 18
- Any other requirement adopted by the Secretary of Transportation, such as a minimum duration of 6 months and a minimum of 30 hours of supervised driving for a learner’s permit, may be included
- Compliance with the requirements within the first three years after enactment will make states eligible for incentive grants
- Three years are provided for states to meet the requirements, after which sanctions are imposed to encourage states to meet the requirements
This is a piece of legislation to keep an eye on, although it is still in the early stages it had the potential to affect drivers across the nation. For further information and updates on the Act’s happenings please visit the safe 4 roads legislative update page.
Gumball 3000 Earning Tickets In Boston
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on May 7th, 2010
27 Lamborghini LP 640 Roadster Driven in the 2010 Gumball 3000
The Gumball 3000, an international race of some of the fastest vehicles on the road, tore through Boston this past Wednesday. The road rally began in London May 1st continuing through Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, overseas to the United States through Boston, looping up into Canada and rounding back to end the seven day seven night race in New York.
Massachusetts state troopers ticketed drivers on I-93 north, Route 128 south, neat the route 3 interchange, and on Route 3 north and I-495 north. Eleven drivers were ticketed total, seven for speeding, one for taking photos while driving and another for excessive noise. Another couple tickets included failing to move for an emergency vehicle and a lane violation.
David Procopio, state police spokesman, said they consider the race a threat to public safety. Officials have been alerted throughout the United States and Canada along routes the Gumball 3000 drivers are expected to navigate. This has to make you wonder… how many tickets are these drivers written before crossing the finish line? Their next auto insurance premium is going to be through the roof!
MIT Joins Fight Against Distracted Driving
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on May 6th, 2010
From Oprah’s National No Phone Day to commercials during your favorite sitcom, it is widely known cell phone use behind the wheel is a dangerous endeavor. A recent study by the American Automobile Association found the risk of an auto accident increases by approximately 50% while texting behind the wheel. According to a webinar hosted by Neustar 2.5 billion text messages are sent per day in the United States… too many of these from behind the wheel.
Ray LaHood, Secretary of the United States Transportation, has taken a firm lead in the fight against distracted driving. LaHood took part in the Washington No Phone Zone rally last Friday emphasizing the importance of putting cell phones away while driving. A largely useful suggestion LaHood has made is for driver’s to place their cell phones in the glove box before operating a vehicle. The Secretary has enlisted the help of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to find a technology with the ability to disable a driver’s cell phone use while not blocking passenger’s cell phone usage.
According to an article in the Washington Post LaHood’s research has uncovered the following facts:
- Eight in ten drivers talk on the phone behind the wheel.
- Cell phones are a factor in an estimated 342,000 auto accident injuries per year.
- The cost of property damage, lost wages, medical bills and lost lives accrues to a whopping $43 billion per year.
Distracted driving is not an issue to take lightly. The Secretary visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus in Cambridge to personally request help in his fight against cell phone related distracted driving. LaHood challenged the students and faculty to build a car that will not crash, design a zero emission greenhouse gas vehicle, and create a green revolution changing the way energy is consumed and generated.
Massachusetts State of Emergency
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on May 3rd, 2010
Massachusetts Bridge & Road Construction
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on May 1st, 2010
Potholes plague drivers across the United States creating an uncomfortable and bumpy commute for many. According to a report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group drivers spend an average $335 per year repairing pothole damages to their vehicles totaling $67 billion dollars throughout the nation. The Research Group published its results in Road Work Ahead – Holding Government Accountable for Fixing America’s Crumbling Roads and Bridges. The researchers found Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Montana and Nevada to be the state with best road conditions. The states with the nation’s worst roads were identified as Alaska, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Vermont and California.
Massachusetts will be working to repair roads and bridges as summer and construction season begins. The report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group discovered the average U.S. bridge 43 years old and about 185,000 of them are older than 50 years. Governor Deval Patrick has been pushing the Accelerated Bridge Program, an eight-year $3 billion project to improve bridge conditions across the Bay State. This Project will reduce the number of structurally deficient bridges in the state system and create thousands of construction jobs on bridge projects across the state.
For many summer construction means delays and extended rush hours, however this does not need to be the case. For an update on construction projects across Massachusetts visit the Massachusetts RMV site. The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration website is another great source for traffic and construction updates.
Check Twice Save A Life – Motorcylists are Everywhere
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy on April 29th, 2010
As the snow melted and floods subsided, March’s beautiful weather lured motorcyclists out early this riding season, a drastic change from last year when many motorcyclists did not ride until July. As of last September 182,215 motorcycles were registered in Massachusetts, which may sound impressive until it’s placed side by side with the 4.3 million cars also registered.
Today marks the end of Motorcycle safety week as proclaimed by Governor Deval Patrick. The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles sponsors the Mass Rider Education Program, providing training, materials, new Rider Coach training and promotional and technical assistance to a statewide network of training sites. Numerous motorcycle safety courses are available for beginners and advanced riders throughout Massachusetts. For more information on safety courses visit the motorcycle safety page of the Massachusetts RMV website.
Driving through many areas of Massachusetts it’s difficult to miss the yellow signs with black writing, “Check Twice, Save a Life. Motorcycles are everywhere.” Originally thought up by Bob Doiron in 1982 the stickers and signs have caught a wave of popularity across the state. Doiron, a founder of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA), has now retired and transferred the rights of the “Check Twice” signs to Paul Cote of Amesbury, a fellow motorcycle activist. Both Doiron and Cote have fought for motorcyclist rights however above all, for their safety. Think to look twice before switching lanes or making a sharp turn, as the signs say – it may just save a life.
According to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, an accident with a motorcycle is more likely when:
- Making a left turn in front of a rider.
- A motorcyclist is riding in your blind spot.
- There are hazardous road conditions such as potholes, wet leaves, railroad tracks, and other obstructions that may force a motorcyclist to ride in a way you would not otherwise predict.
- You have an obstructed line of sight. Sport utility vehicles, delivery vans, and large trucks and those with cars too full of cargo may block motorcyclists from your view.
SBA Approved Loans – Flooding Cleanup Aid
Posted by Cassandra in Consumer Advocacy, Uncategorized on April 28th, 2010
The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $6 million in Disaster Assistance Loans for the natural disaster survivors in Massachusetts. Frank Skaggs, director of the SBA Field Operations Center East, reported 311 disaster loans have been approved totaling $6,239,500. The Administration has been urging those those who experienced the severe storms and flooding this past March to return completed applications as soon as they possibly can. Those who wait longer to file an SPA application may find themselves with unnecessary delays in receiving their disaster assistance.
Disaster loans are available to homeowners up to $200,000 to repair or replace a damaged primary residence. Homeowners and renters are also eligible for loans to repair or replacement of personal property of up to $40,000. Business and non-profits may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business property and assets .
The SBA encourages survivors of the severe storms and flooding that began on March 12 to return their completed applications, even if they have not settled with their insurance company. Waiting to file an SBA application could cause unnecessary delays in receiving disaster assistance. Those who have weathered the storms have also been encouraged to register with FEMA by phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or via TTY 800-462-7585 for those with speech or hearing disabilities. If the SBA is unable to approve a home loan you may be referred to FEMA for possible grant assistance.
For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Programs, visit www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
