Gina Roberts-Grey and John Egan

A May 2012 report from the Governors Highway Safety Association found that no progress was made in reducing deaths among motorcycle drivers and passengers in 2011. The group estimates 4,500 people died in motorcycle crashes in 2011, the same level as the year before.

“Motorcycle deaths remain one of the few areas in highway safety where progress is not being made,” the association says.

In trying to decrease deaths involving motorcyclists, the Governors Highway Safety Association stresses the importance of wearing a helmet. Helmet use saved the lives of more than 1,800 motorcyclists in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Nonetheless, 31 states let adult motorcycle riders decide whether to wear helmets. In a major about-face, Michigan became the 31st state after repealing a state law requiring all motorcycle operators to wear helmets; now, adults 21 and older can go without helmets. Gov. Rick Snyder signed the helmet bill in April 2012.

“While many motorcyclists will continue to wear helmets, those who choose not to deserve the latitude to make their own informed judgment,” Snyder said in a statement when he signed the bill.

To ride helmet-free, a Michigan motorcyclist must:

• Carry at least $20,000 in additional medical insurance.
• Have at least two years of riding experience or undergo special safety training.

Revved up about helmets

Snyder and other supporters of Michigan’s new helmet law say it gives motorcyclists the freedom to decide whether to wear helmets. Furthermore, they say, the new law will attract more freedom-loving, motorcycle-riding tourists to the state.

On the other end of the spectrum, opponents of the law say repeal of the helmet mandate will lead to more traffic injuries and deaths.

A study from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning says lifting the helmet mandate will cause the five-year average of motorcycle deaths to surge from 773 to 1,457. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Florida, Kentucky and Louisiana saw motorcycle deaths jump by at least 50 percent after their helmet laws were repealed.

“Wearing a helmet is the most important thing a motorcyclist can do to reduce the risk of head injury in a crash,” says Russ Rader, a spokesman for the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Vince Consiglio, president of ABATE of Michigan, firmly disagrees with Rader and other traffic safety advocates. Consiglio says helmet mandates “have done nothing to improve safety or reduce fatalities or the cost of insurance.”

“Motorcycle accidents are a very small percentage of accidents overall. Data from other states demonstrate that states that remove mandatory helmet laws do not see an increase in insurance premiums, and states that institute helmet laws do not see a corresponding decrease in insurance rates. It’s never happened,” Consiglio says in a news release.

ABATE of Michigan says the keys to reducing motorcycle crashes and injuries include educating motorcycle riders and car drivers.

Safety advocates agree that education is important, but maintain that helmet mandates are necessary.

Dr. Thomas Esposito, medical director of the trauma department at Illinois’ Loyola University Health System, says that between 2004 and 2012, his trauma center treated 541 patients who had been riding motorcycles. Of those 541 patients, only 135 had been wearing helmets, he says.

“Because of the speed that most motorcycles are going when a crash occurs, helmets are absolutely crucial to prevent trauma to areas of the head, including the brain,” Esposito says.

Insurance concerns

Whether you wear a helmet or not, crashing on your motorcycle can be costly. After an accident, your motorcycle insurance premium could climb by 20 percent to 40 percent, according to Brian Rauber, a Farmers Insurance agent in Missouri.

Those accidents could wind up affecting all motorists, not just motorcyclists.

Personal injury attorney Steven Gursten of Michigan Auto Law points out that “a helmetless motorcycle rider can still sue and insurance company for pain and suffering in the event of a motorcycle-versus-motor vehicle crash.” In turn, insurers may boost their rates to account for expenses related to defending such cases.

No-helmet punishment

In states that do impose helmet mandates, the penalties for going helmetless can be stiff. According to Michigan law firm Buckfire & Buckfire PC, which specializes in motorcycle accident cases, Georgia is toughest on helmet violators, with a $1,000 fine and up to 12 months in jail; Nevada comes in second, with a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

Other states with steep no-helmet fines are:

• Up to $750 — Utah.
• Up to $500 — Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Other states with steep no-helmet jail sentences are New Mexico and Utah (up to three months).

Three states don’t have any laws regarding use of motorcycle helmets: Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire.

Gina Roberts-Grey

Keeping secrets from your spouse or kids — such as planning a surprise birthday party — can be fun. But problems like traffic tickets, auto accidents and financial woes can cause a lot of unhappiness at home, especially if you’re being hush-hush about them.

Some of the most common “secrets” that affect auto insurance rates and that consumers try to hide are:

• Traffic tickets. A driver in his late teens or early 20s who’s still on Mom and Dad’s auto insurance policy gets nabbed by the cops and tries to hide the traffic ticket from his parents. In another scenario, a spouse with a lead foot hopes to avoid “another lecture” about his driving, so he keeps his speeding tickets a secret.
• Auto accidents. Someone gets into a minor fender-bender with little to no obvious damage to his or her own car. But the other driver’s car needs to be repaired. The at-fault spouse fails to tell the “other half” about the crash.
• Financial woes. One too many shopping splurges leads to a dinged credit score. Hoping the score will rebound soon, the shopaholic doesn’t whisper a word about this financial failing — a situation that could affect your auto insurance premium.

Esther Tanez, an insurance agent at ESTIR Inc. in New Jersey, says keeping an insurance secret from a spouse, parent or other person on an auto insurance policy is possible, but it’s never a good idea.

Here’s a look at the most common car insurance-related “secrets,” and what effect they have on your rates.

Traffic tickets

Since only moving violations and DUIs show up on the driving records that insurers review to determine rates, Tanez says, it’s possible to keep a traffic ticket secret. Your auto insurance company will know about a traffic ticket only if the infraction results in points on your driving record — kind of like a bad grade on a report card.

Point systems for moving violations vary from state to state. The worse the offense, the more points you’re assessed. For instance, speeding may come with a two- to three-point penalty, while drunken driving may cost you six points.

Parking tickets and other non-moving violations like not wearing a seat belt or not parking properly can remain hush-hush at your house, as long as the penalties are paid on time. The good news: Your insurance company won’t even know about them.

Moving violations, however, are a different story. Auto insurance companies easily can learn about these.

“It’s not uncommon for me to break the news that a family member has received a DUI because someone calls to inquire about the policy,” says Brian Rauber, a Farmers Insurance agent in Missouri.

One moving violation could trigger a 10 percent to 20 percent bump in your premium, Rauber says.

Auto accidents

Rauber says an auto accident is harder to hide — but not impossible.

“If the at-fault driver uses a mobile phone as a contact regarding the claim, all he has to do is beat family members to the mailbox to intercept paperwork and keep them none the wiser about the accident — for a while,” Rauber says.

But the jig is up when your policy is renewed. Translation: Your premium could rise by an average of 20 percent to 40 percent after an at-fault accident, according to Rauber.

“Accident claims can cause an increase from an average of $150 to hundreds of dollars,” Tanez says. A spouse has the right to know everything about a shared auto insurance policy, she says, “so when they call to find out why the premium went up, they’ll learn about the accident.”

Any “named insured” — not just a spouse — can inquire about a policy, Rauber says. So if your teen or adult child tries to hide a claim that your car insurance policy covered, you’re entitled to find out the details.

Changes in the insurance industry have made it tougher to sweep tickets and crashes under the rug. In the past, each car in a household had its own policy, with the premium being assigned to whoever drove a certain vehicle. Under that setup, a driver could pretty easily conceal a ticket or accident from everyone else at home.

These days, many auto insurers put several vehicles and drivers in one household under one policy number. In this situation, the premium for the entire policy would climb if just one person racks up a ticket or an at-fault accident, according to Rauber.

Furthermore, Rauber says, auto insurers no longer assume that every motorist in a household drives just his or her vehicle. Insurers now assume that all drivers get behind the wheel of all of the household’s vehicles, and the insurance risk “is spread on a household level across each vehicle,” Rauber says.

Financial woes

Hiding a financial blunder or low credit score doesn’t pay, either. Insurance companies tap your credit history along with your age, your driving history and other information when you’re applying for or renewing your auto insurance. So when one spouse or partner notices that the auto insurance premium has spiked, a call to the insurance agent or company probably will reveal the financial slip-up.

Auto insurance rates go up when your credit score dips because the insurer equates that financial instability with a higher risk of crashing your car or filing a claim, according to Steve Brooks, president of B & B Premier Insurance Solutions in California.

Linda Melone

If you own a pickup truck, your tailgate may be a prime target for an auto parts thief. From tailgates to headlights, stolen auto parts are hot property.

If you discover your tailgate — or any other car part — has been swiped, it’s time to call your auto insurance agent to find out whether you’re covered. Unfortunately, you may not be. That’s because theft and vandalism fall under a policy’s comprehensive coverage, which is optional. Many drivers carry only basic liability insurance, which is mandatory in 49 states; New Hampshire is the lone holdout.

Kevin Alsup, vice president of insurance at Foundation Insurance Services in Florida, points out that if you do have comprehensive coverage, you’d have to pay a deductible of probably $250 or $500. After that, your auto insurance company will pick up the tab for a stolen auto part.

“Any part of a car is susceptible to theft. It really comes down to the individual taste or need of the thief,” says Frank Scafidi, a spokesman for the nonprofit National Insurance Crime Bureau.

The cash value of parts motivates most thieves, as the stolen parts — such as doors, headlights and tailgates — typically are sold to scrap yards. The following parts are most likely to get a thief’s heart racing.

1. Tailgates.

Why tailgates? They typically do not require tools or much time — maybe 20 seconds — to remove, making them easy pickings. Ditto for Jeep Wrangler doors, which easily unlatch.

“Easily removed means easily stolen,” Scafidi says. “Tailgates from pickups and even the third seat from larger SUVs are also popular targets for thieves.”

Tailgates and Jeep doors sell on the black market for about half their retail value, or between $200 and $500, says Matt Allen, owner of Virginia Auto Service in Arizona.

2. Catalytic converters.

Catalytic converters transform harmful compounds in the car exhaust into harmless compounds. Converters also contain precious metals, including platinum, palladium and rhodium, making them highly desirable to thieves.

In December 2011, a couple in Delaware was arrested and charged with stealing catalytic converters from more than 100 cars in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, according to the FBI.

On the black market, a catalytic converter sells for $65 to $200 or more, depending on the year, make, model and condition, according to Allen.

3. Copper wiring.

The price of metals such as aluminum, steel and copper is at an all-time high, says Greg Burchette, owner of Bridgewater Motorworks in New Jersey. Copper wiring sells for about $3 a pound, and the average car has a mile of copper wiring in it. Stealing that copper can yield a pretty penny.

Newer cars don’t have as much copper wiring, Allen says. “Manufacturers are adopting wireless technology and fiber-optics because copper wire is expensive and also heavy, which reduces fuel economy,” he says.

4. Headlights.

Headlights make for easy pickings, as they can be easily popped off, often without opening the hood or doing any other tinkering. Depending on the type of headlights, they can fetch several hundred dollars on the black market.

Personal items

Although they’re not auto parts, personal property such as GPS devices, iPads and iPods can be irresistible to thieves and never should be left in your vehicle. Personal items inside your car are covered by your home or renter’s insurance policy, rather than your auto insurance policy, says Dawnyel Smink, owner of Canyon Lands Insurance in Arizona.

An exception: Any item that’s permanently attached to your car is covered by your auto insurance.

If a thief damages your car while stealing a part, the optional comprehensive portion of your auto insurance policy will pay for the repairs, according to Smink.

Covering your assets

Taking steps to prevent theft may not only save you from losing an auto part and filing a claim but may earn you a discount as well.

The NICB.org website offers recommendations for anti-theft devices. Some of those devices, such as alarm systems and steering-wheel locks, could lead to auto insurance discounts of 15 percent to 20 percent, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Ask your insurance agent or insurance company for details.

Linda Melone

Unless you’re an auto mechanic, bringing your car in for repairs can be intimidating.

Unfortunately, there’s really no way to tell whether your car has been properly repaired, says Kevin Alsup, vice president of insurance at Foundation Insurance Services in Florida.

If you crash your car as a result of a mechanic using improper parts, your auto insurance may be your savior. If you carry optional collision coverage on your auto insurance policy, you’re covered, Alsup says. If you just have mandatory liability insurance, you’re out of luck.

“To avoid such issues, it’s best to use a garage you trust or one recommended by your insurance company,” he says.

Are you getting the whole truth and nothing but the truth about auto repairs? Mechanics spill the beans about what people in their profession may not tell you.

1. Your car’s illuminated brake light doesn’t always signal an emergency.

If your car’s brake light is flashing red and you take it to a repair shop, you may be told you need new brake pads, says Victor Broski, service manager at Newport Motorsports in California. “The truth is, you can safely drive for another 5,000 miles before you need new brake pads,” Broski says.

Typically, the brake light goes on when the brake pads are worn down to about 25 percent of their original thickness, Broski says. “Wait until they’re worn down to about 10 percent,” he says, “and save yourself the $300 repair.”

2. You should question everything.

If you’re told you need a repair, always ask why, says Matt Allen, owner of Virginia Auto Service in Phoenix and a member of the Better Business Bureau‘s Automotive Advisory Committee. For instance, question whether the recommended repair is normal for the age and mileage of your car, Allen says.

Sometimes there’s good reason, such as recommending changing fluid that’s supposed to last a lifetime. “We recommend a 50,000-mile transmission fluid change, even though BMW says their transmission fluid should last a lifetime,” Allen says.

3. You should keep quiet about doing price comparisons.

Calling a shop for a price quote immediately signals that you’re shopping around, Broski says, and that you’re probably not interested in a long-term relationship with the shop. A better approach? Say that you’re looking for a good mechanic.

“Talk for a little while to let the mechanic know you’re interested in building a trusting relationship,” Broski says.

4. You may be lured into a shop with a “bait and switch.”

A reputable auto repair shop won’t do a “bait and switch,” Allen says. That’s when customers are “baited” with low prices to lure them into a shop. Once you’re in the shop, you may find out the offer doesn’t apply to your car or be told something else is wrong with it — something that may not need to be fixed.

The best way around this: Develop a strong rapport with a repair shop.

5. Your car’s oil leaks don’t always require repair.

Most oil leaks don’t require repair, Broski says. Normal oil leaks can be caused by worn-out rubber seals.

“A puddle of oil under your car usually looks worse than it is,” he says. “Oil is hot and thin, so a small amount looks like far more than it is because it spreads out quickly.”

Exceptions that require repair are when engine oil leaks onto the exhaust pipes, which then can catch fire, or oil leaks around your vehicle’s spark plugs.

If you take your car to your mechanic for an oil leak and you’re told repairs are needed, ask what would happen if you don’t get it fixed, Broski says. “It could cost upwards of $500 to $1,000 to fix,” he says, “so it makes sense to wait if you can.”

6. You need to get all the details in writing, even if nothing was done.

If your car’s under warranty and you bring it to a shop for a funny noise, make sure the mechanic takes note of the visit, even if he finds nothing wrong with your car, Broski says. “Often, they won’t write up anything if they find nothing wrong,” he says.

By creating a written record, a follow-up repair may be covered by insurance if it’s related to the original noise, Broski says.

7. You may be able to bundle more than one service.

If you’re told you need a major repair, ask whether other work can be done at the same time, such as routine maintenance, Allen says. That can save labor costs.

Linda Melone

Teen drivers already run an extraordinarily high risk of crashing. Add to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to the mix, and it makes matters worse.

Teen drivers with ADHD are two to four times more likely to crash than those without the condition, according to a study by the Medical University of South Carolina.

Furthermore, teens with ADHD are three times more likely to be hurt in a car crash, four times as likely to be at fault and six to eight times more likely to have their driver’s licenses suspended.

The reasons? Teens with ADHD are more susceptible to driving distractions than teens without the disorder. They’re also more impulsive and more likely to take risks, according to the study.

Aside from the physical danger, an ADHD diagnosis can lead to higher auto insurance premiums for teens or their parents because of the higher number of crashes, not the disorder itself.

Symptoms of ADHD, a neurological disorder, include frenzied activity, inattentiveness and impulsive behavior. Three percent to 7 percent of school-age kids have ADHD, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

The big question

A standard auto insurance application asks whether a driver is undergoing medical treatment for a physical or mental impairment, according to Tim Dodge, a spokesman for Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, a trade group. Therefore, a driver with ADHD must disclose the condition. If a driver with ADHD doesn’t come clean, the applicant could be accused of fraud after an insurance claim is filed.

However, simply answering “yes” to the question on the application shouldn’t affect a teen’s insurance rates, according to David Miller, CEO of Brightway Insurance in Florida. But if a teen driver with ADHD racks up a history of auto accidents and insurance claims, auto insurance rates surely will rise. One accident typically raises a premium by 15 percent, Miller says, while a second accident bumps that number to 35 percent.

Driver’s test determines insurability

Keith Verisario, vice president of All-Security Insurance Agency in Illinois, points out that if a teen with ADHD has a valid driver’s license, he or she (or the parents) should be able to obtain auto insurance. That would be the same scenario for someone who’s an amputee or who’s on anti-seizure drugs.

“Insurance companies can’t discriminate. Insurance rates would be the same for a teen whether or not the teen has ADHD,” Verisario says. “However, if you start having accidents your insurer may not renew your policy. Two or more accidents could do be enough for an insurer to drop you.”

A teen boy with or without ADHD faces the highest auto insurance rates in the United States, according to Verisario. The parents of a 16-year-old boy who’s a new driver easily could be confronted with $1,600 more in auto insurance premiums each year; the amount varies based on your location, your credit history and other factors.

Driving tips for teens with ADHD

For a teen with ADHD, anytime that he or she spends behind the wheel should be monitored by an adult, says psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo, author of “A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness.”

“Symptoms of ADHD can be a recipe for disaster behind the wheel,” Lombardo says.

For example, a teen with ADHD might focus more on a billboard or a pedestrian than on driving the car, Lombardo says. Or the driver might become angry at a motorist who cuts him or her off and unsafely pass that car, she says.

Steps for parents of teen drivers who have ADHD include:

• Make sure your teen is taking his or her ADHD medication as prescribed.
• Insist that your teen shuts off his or her cellphone while behind the wheel.
• Require that a small number of people ride with your teen.
• Forbid eating or drinking in the car while driving.
• Set instances when the car can and cannot be used. For example, don’t let your teen drive when he or she is tired.
• Help you teen cope with anger associated with driving.

Tamara E. Holmes

While the jury is still out on whether the cost of insuring electric cars will be higher or lower than the cost of insuring gas-powered vehicles, a couple of auto insurance companies are rewarding consumers who embrace a more environmentally friendly approach to driving.

The Hartford announced in April 2012 that it would begin offering new policyholders who drive electric cars a 5 percent discount in Alabama, Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Texas. Current policyholders who have electric vehicles will receive the 5 percent discount when their policies are renewed. The discount will become available to new policyholders in other states by the end of the year.

The Hartford, Farmers give discounts

The Hartford is offering the discount because the insurer “is committed to environmental protection,” Andy Napoli, the company’s president of consumer markets, says in a statement. “This financial incentive is a small way we can thank our customers for helping a greener environment.”

The Hartford has offered a 5 percent discount to policyholders who have hybrid vehicles since 2009.

Farmers Insurance also offers discounts on electric and hybrid cars, spokesman Jerry Davies says. The discount varies by state and type of coverage.

Calls to other insurers, including MetLife and Safeco, revealed that electric-car discounts are far from a trend. “MetLife Auto & Home doesn’t offer any special discounts for hybrid or electric cars at this time,” spokeswoman Sarah Faria says. Although Liberty Mutual doesn’t offer an electric-car discount, it does give a 5 percent discount to hybrid owners in most states, spokesman Glenn Greenberg says. Other insurers, including Allstate, State Farm and GEICO, couldn’t be reached for comment about electric-car discounts.

Pricing the premium

Not only does it remain to be seen whether other insurers will offer electric-car discounts, but questions still linger about how expensive electric vehicles ultimately will be to insure.

Two types of electric, or plug-in, vehicles are on the road these days — those that are solely battery-operated, such as the Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi i, and those with a battery and a gas-powered engine, such as the Chevrolet Volt and the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid.

One factor affect the cost of auto insurance for electric cars is the cost of the vehicles themselves. “Electric cars or plug-in cars are expensive still,” says John Voelcker, editor of GreenCarReports.com. For example, a 2012 Nissan Leaf starts at $35,200 and a 2012 Chevrolet Volt starts at $39,995 before incentives. The more expensive a vehicle and its replacement parts are, the more it will cost to insure.

However, two considerations could bring down the cost of insuring electric vehicles.

One is how they’re likely to be driven. Electric cars typically don’t rack up as much mileage as traditional cars.

With cars that run only on battery power, drivers must stop to recharge their cars every 75 to 100 miles. That reduces the likelihood that they’ll be driven across the country, Voelcker says. Also, owners are likely to consider electric vehicles as second or third cars, Voelcker says, so they’ll split mileage between at least two vehicles.

Safety matters

The other factor that could cut insurance costs for electric cars is their safety record.

“A benefit for drivers of electric vehicles like the Volt and Leaf is that the batteries add weight, which is protective in crashes,” says Russ Rader, a spokesman for the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “Even though these vehicles have compact dimensions, they weigh as much as midsize or, in the case of the Volt, even large cars.”

In 2011, the institute evaluated the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf for the first time; each earned top crash-test ratings.

Another thing that affects your auto insurance premium is a vehicle’s claims history. But with only 17,000 electric cars sold in the United States in 2011, insurers don’t have much data to rely on. That’s not likely to change in the near future, as the electric-car market is expected to grow slowly. “People have this misconception that three years from now every other car in the showroom is going to have a plug,” Voelcker says.

While few insurers currently provide electric-car discounts, that may change as the electric-car market grows. “Some insurers may be slow to get into the game,” Voelcker says, but many are seeing that electric cars have a bright future.

Lori Johnston

Teens are encouraged to think before they get behind the wheel. That’s because even if they survive crashes – the leading cause of death for teens – the effect of the collisions could damage the organ that controls thinking: the brain.

More than 30 percent of the 55,000 teen drivers and their passengers injured in crashes in 2009 and 2010 experienced concussions, skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries, according to a 2012 report by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm.

Head injuries are an overlooked result of teen driver crashes, says Dr. Dennis Durbin, the report’s lead author and co-scientific director for the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at the children’s hospital. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that car crashes are the leading cause of deaths related to traumatic brain injury among 15- to 19-year-olds.

“Traumatic brain injuries suffered by teens in automobile crashes are a very significant contributor to health care costs and adverse health outcomes,” says Durbin, who is a pediatric emergency physician. “In number of deaths, hospitalizations and numbers of ER visits, they lead the way for teens.”

Survivors typically don’t recover fully from brain injuries, which occur when a teen’s brain still is growing. The injuries can have lasting effects, including the inability to socialize and the financial burden from medical bills.

Covering the cost of brain injuries

Teen drivers already have higher auto insurance rates and higher-than-average claims. Their crashes, though, contribute to the cost of claims and, ultimately, insurance premiums, according to the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute.

A basic auto insurance policy includes medical payments coverage, also known as personal injury protection. The insurer pays for treatment of injuries to the driver and passengers of the policyholder’s car, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Coverage amounts vary, says Chris Mullen, director of technology research at State Farm. The Insurance Information Institute notes that the broadest policies cover medical payments, lost wages and costs for replacing services, such as household chores, normally performed by the injured person.

The prices for teen driver policies, which can be part of a family policy, or separate, differ dramatically among insurers, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Parents and teens should research prices and policy limits regarding medical coverage.

The medical costs paid by an auto insurance policy are “pretty low” when examining the total costs of care for brain injuries, says Dr. Gregory O’Shanick, medical director of the Center for Neurorehabilitation Services in Richmond, Va., and a member of the Brain Injury Association of America. If a brain-injured person ends up in an emergency room or an ICU, the amount of money paid through the auto insurance policy often is “gobbled up,” he says.

If a teen driver’s crash injures other drivers, passengers or pedestrians, a policy’s bodily injury liability coverage kicks in. The Insurance Information Institute recommends maintaining more than the required minimum amount of liability insurance to provide financial protection in case a crash-related lawsuit is filed. In California, the minimum liability insurance requirements are up to $15,000 for one person injured or killed in an accident, $30,000 for two people and $5,000 for property damage. In Florida, minimums are up to $10,000 for one person injured or killed in an accident, $20,000 for two people and $10,000 for property damage.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is an option offered by auto insurers. The costs of medical care are reimbursed if a policyholder or family member in a car is hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver or by a hit-and-run driver. The coverage also applies to policyholders who are injured as pedestrians.

O’Shanick says auto insurance typically isn’t enough to handle all medical costs stemming from an accident that results in brain injuries. People typically have to rely on their health insurance to cover those expenses.

Graduated driver’s licensing

Graduated driver’s licensing (GDL) laws and seat belt use are tapping the brakes on traffic crashes and deaths, according to the report from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm. All states have passed some form of GDL laws to give teen drivers more time to improve their driving skills.

The report, “Miles to Go: Monitoring Progress in Teen Driver Safety,” found:

• The number of teen drivers who died in crashes from 2005 to 2010 dropped 46 percent.
• The number of passenger deaths in teen driving accidents from 2005 to 2010 declined 41 percent.
• The national average was 9.5 deaths per 100,000 teens in 2009-10.
• Massachusetts had the lowest teen death rate for car crashes, and Montana had the highest.

Laws in all states except New Hampshire require adult drivers to wear seat belts.

Graduated driver’s licensing programs vary from state to state; research shows that states with strong GDL laws boast lower death rates than those with weaker laws. A dozen states with comprehensive GDL policies and other safe driving programs reduced their rates of teen death rates in crashes by more than 50 percent in just six years. “The most comprehensive laws are showing the most improvements,” Mullen says.

State Farm and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recommend that states with teen crash death rates above the national average – 9.5 deaths per 100,000 – close gaps in their GDL laws.

The strongest GDL laws require at least 50 hours of adult-supervised practice for teen drivers; limit the number of teen passengers for the first year of independent driving; restrict unsupervised nighttime driving; require seat belt use for everyone in a car driven by a teen; and prohibit cellphone use by drivers.

In addition to states enacting GDL laws, efforts are under way to educate parents who may not recognize how GDL gives teens the time and experience to be safe drivers.

Sometimes parents allow teens to break GDL laws because they are ignorant of why it exists, says Kelly Browning, executive director of Impact Teen Drivers, a nonprofit based in California. She says the challenge is creating outreach efforts that inspire changes in attitudes about GDL.

“GDL is about as exciting about talking about STDs, but just as important,” Browning says.

Durbin says efforts such as GDL laws and safe belt use have helped save lives.

“I think the issue of head injuries and the other types of injuries suffered by teens highlight that we certainly haven’t solved the problem yet,” he says. “We know that strong GDLs are a key to making further progress.”

Kathryn Hawkins

Epilepsy, a neurological condition that causes recurring seizures, is more common than you probably realize. One in every 26 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy during their lives. In the United States alone, close to 140,000 cases are diagnosed in a given year, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Having a seizure while driving could be dangerous or even fatal. Here’s a look at when people with epilepsy are and are not allowed to do behind the wheel — and how the condition might affect their auto insurance coverage.

A state-by-state decision

Whether a driver who’s diagnosed with epilepsy is permitted to drive a car depends on several factors, such as where he lives and how long it’s been since his last seizure.

State laws vary, but a driver must have been seizure-free for a set period of time to be legally allowed to drive. It doesn’t matter whether the seizures are controlled by medication, or whether the individual has simply stopped having seizures naturally.

In California, for instance, a driver who hasn’t suffered a seizure for three to five months qualifies for “Medical probation Type II.” That’s when the motorist’s doctor must submit medical evaluations on a regular basis. Once the person has been seizure-free for six months, he’s eligible for “Medical probation Type III,” when the driver will self-report any seizures or medical issues. However, Jessica Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Motor Vehicles, says that if someone has a history of withholding medical information from doctors or has made inconsistent statements, he might not be eligible for Type III probation.

In any case, a California driver should be eligible for full driving privileges again after six months without seizures.

If you drive a commercial vehicle such as a delivery truck, you’ll need to remain seizure-free for a longer period. According to the Stanford Epilepsy Center, drivers must not have had a seizure for 10 years in order to get a license to operate a commercial vehicle.

Although time frames vary, every state has similar limitations based on how recently seizures have happened.

Penalties for accidents

When epileptic drivers who get into car accidents because of seizures or medication problems cause car accidents, judges are allowed to decide how lenient or tough to be. Such decisions can vary greatly.

In 2002, a Florida man named Emilio Santacruz suffered an epileptic seizure while driving and crashed into an office building; the accident killed a woman inside. A judge determined that because the accident was a result of Santacruz’s medical condition, he should not get prison time. However, his driver’s license was revoked for 15 years. Ten years later, Santacruz was sent to prison for nine years after it was discovered that he had been driving — a violation of his probation.

In another case, Michelle Bosley of Maryland experienced a behind-the-wheel lapse in consciousness in 2007 because of her epilepsy or her epilepsy medication. While unconscious, she hit another car, killing the other driver. The judge in her case took a stricter approach: Bosley was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to 30 weekends in jail. She also was forced to give up her driver’s license.

Epilepsy and auto insurance

So, how does epilepsy affect your auto insurance rates? While insurance company representatives decline to disclose specifics, Loretta Worters, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, says that it generally does not.

“Typically, insurance companies do not ask on an application whether the applicant has epilepsy,” she says. “The accident itself that leads to a claim, of course, could cause a rate change. The fact that it was the fault of the insured (driver) could have an impact. But the fact the mishap was the result of an epileptic seizure would not.

“It would be extremely rare that an insurer would even know whether the medical condition of the driver had anything to do with an accident.”

While you’re not required to notify your insurance company if you’ve suffered an epileptic seizure, you’ll be required to notify your state’s motor vehicle department and you may not be allowed to drive for a certain period.

Even if you’re not driving after a recent seizure, it may not be practical to cancel your auto insurance, since it may be difficult to get a new policy if you haven’t had continuous coverage.

However, you can reduce your rates by removing yourself as a registered driver. Or if the policy is solely in your name, you can ask for the “parking only” rate and tell your insurer that your car isn’t being driven at the time, according to a moderator on the Coping with Epilepsy forums. This will save a considerable amount of money on premiums. It also will ensure that when you are able to drive again, you’ll be able to maintain your existing coverage.

Is epilepsy a road hazard?

While motorists who experience frequent seizures aren’t eligible to drive and shouldn’t consider getting behind the wheel, statistics show that patients with properly managed epilepsy show no more risk than those with other common health conditions.

In fact, a 1997 study from Johns Hopkins University found that just 86 of the 44,000 traffic deaths in a single year could be attributed to epilepsy-related causes. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a far bigger risk, the study found. Drivers who’d consumed alcohol were involved in deadly crashes 156 times more frequently than epileptic drivers were.

If you have epilepsy, follow the recommendations of your doctor and adhere to your state’s laws when it comes to driving, whether that means avoiding it altogether or taking medication to prevent seizures.

Nick DiUlio

Here’s the good news: If you live in a small city or rural area, you’re going to pay less for auto insurance than you would in a metropolis. The bad news? Your chances of getting into a fatal crash are significantly greater.

According to a recent report by federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most traffic deaths occur in rural areas, and death rates from car crashes progressively increase the more rural an area is.

The study, which looked at crash statistics from 2007 through 2009, found that for males living in the most rural counties, the age-adjusted traffic death rate per 100,000 drivers was 37.6 — nearly three times as high as in the most urban counties.

The same difference held true for females, who experienced an accident death rate of 16.1 in the most rural counties compared with just 5 in the most urban counties.

The findings may seem surprising. After all, logic suggests that the more populated and congested an area the more vehicles are on the road. Thus more accidents, right? Wrong … sort of.

“The first time I read about this study, I was shocked and wondered how this could be,” says Anne Marie Hayes, a certified driving instructor who is president of the Teens Learn to Drive Foundation. “But the fact is that, yes, there are far more crashes in the city, but the majority of them are at lower speeds and less devastating. So when you get into a collision in a rural area, it’s deadly.”

Reasons behind rural risk

According to the most recent data from the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 63 percent of crash deaths occurred in rural areas in 2009. Spokesman Russ Rader says the reasons are varied.

“It’s really not surprising when you think about it,” Rader says. “The number one contributing factor is speed. In rural areas, people are generally driving at higher speeds, which means that when they crash, the accident is often more severe.”

According to the most recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, people killed in speed-related crashes represented almost one-third of the deaths in car crashes. In rural areas, 33 percent of traffic deaths occurred in speeding-related crashes, compared with 31 percent in urban areas.

Moreover, Rader says, rural areas often involve roadside hazards, such as trees and drainage ditches, that can worsen the severity of a high-speed crash.

“In addition to speeding, another issue that isn’t talked about much is something called driver conditioning,” Hayes says. “In rural areas, you have these long stretches of road that tend to be fairly straight, and so drivers aren’t necessarily accustomed to reducing speeds or stopping suddenly.”

The prevalence of drunk driving in rural communities also may play a role. According to a 2007 NHTSA study that looked at the differences between rural and urban crash deaths, rural areas accounted for 57 percent of drunk-driving-related deaths, compared with 43 percent in urban areas.

Seat belt use — or lack of it — could be another contributing factor. According to a 2007 nationwide survey, the seat belt use rate among occupants of cars in urban areas was 84 percent, while it was 78 percent in rural areas.

It’s possible that this seat belt disparity stems partly from the fact that rural drivers feel more relaxed on the road. According to a recent survey conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Excellence in Rural Safety, 69 percent of Americans re­sponded that they felt safe on multilane freeways in urban areas, while 79 percent felt safe on two-lane highways in rural areas.

The study suggests that this increased feeling of relaxation on rural roads may contribute to an increase in risky driving behavior. For instance, among rural residents, 44 percent said they felt safe using a cellphone on rural highways, compared with 14 percent on urban highways.

Finally, there’s access to medical care. According to Adam Powell,

According to Adam Powell, president of Boston health care consulting firm Payer+Provider Syndicate, a recent study on severe rural accidents found that in car crashes with survivors, the average emergency medical response time in an urban setting was 6.8 minutes. In a rural setting, the average response time was 13.9 minutes.

“I wasn’t particularly surprised by the CDC data,” Powell says. “The bottom line is that in rural areas, it takes longer to get to a hospital than it does in an urban area. Combine that with higher speeds, and we see what may be contributing to the greater dangers seen on rural roads.”

Rural auto insurance is cheaper

Regardless of death rates, far more auto insurance claims are filed each year in urban areas than in rural ones. This means that if you live in an urban area, you’re going to pay more for auto insurance.

According to a 2008 study by the Insurance Research Council, 80 percent of car crash claims occurred in urban areas. Furthermore, the Highway Loss Data Institute found that the frequency of crash and injury claims was much higher in the most densely populated areas of the country.

“The big thing insurers look for in determining premiums is what their previous claims experience has been in a certain area,” says Mike Barry, a spokesman for the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute. “What they find is that in rural areas, they have significantly fewer claims for vandalism and auto theft, and fewer accidents by virtue of that fact that there are fewer cars. That’s why it’s more expensive to insure your vehicle in the city.”

Rachel Hartman

Distracted driving is not just a teen thing.

Older drivers – specifically those placed into a high-crash risk category based on a vision test – are  more likely to have driving problems related to distractions in the car, according to a study in the April 2012 issue of Optometry and Vision Science, the journal of the American Academy of Optometry.

The study’s participants were 92 motorists ranging from 65 to 88 years old. Each driver underwent a “Useful Field of View” (UFOV) test, which measures the area over which someone can gain information in a single glance without moving his or her head or eyes.

After completing the UFOV test, drivers completed a closed-course driving test three times. The first time there were no distractions in the car; the following two times, however, motorists faced visual and hearing distractions while behind the wheel. These distractions consisted of simple math problems presented on a video screen or audio speaker.

Drivers ranked as higher-risk on the UFOV test demonstrated the poorest driving performance in the presence of distractions, according to the study’s researchers. The study was led by Joanne Wood of Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia.

Distraction dangers

While seniors may not fall into the trap of texting while driving – an act often attributed to the younger crowd – they may become distracted while talking on a cellphone, says Michele Harris, director of traffic safety at the AAA Auto Club South in Tampa, Fla. “Some people think talking on a hands-free phone limits the distraction involved while driving, but the act of engaging in a conversation still pulls our mind from the road,” she says.

As noted in the Queensland study, older drivers with vision limitations may be more affected by distractions. A person’s field of vision tends to decline with age; as a result, in a single glance, an older driver may take in images placed only in the middle of a scene and may not detect objects on the outer edges of the field of vision. This reduction makes it more difficult for drivers to notice road hazards early enough to avoid them.

Fortunately, a motorist’s field of vision often can be improved with simple training activities. One method, a software program offered through AAA called DriveSharp, includes three basic exercises designed to sharpen driving skills. The program has been shown to enhance the useful field of view by up to 200 percent after just 10 hours of training.

Reducing distractions

In addition to increasing the field of vision, senior drivers can take the following steps to reduce distractions on the road:

1. Get a driving buddy. Older drivers should consider inviting a friend along for the ride, says Frank Darras, an insurance attorney in California. “Have somebody else in the car who can read maps and signs, and look up addresses,”  he says.

2. Turn off the phone. Switch your cellphone to silent mode before getting in the car or put it in the trunk before driving, says Julie Lee, vice president and national director of AARP Driver Safety.

3. Make sure the car fits. “Ask, ‘Is the vehicle really senior-friendly?’”  Darras says. Check to see whether the driver’s seat can be moved up to maintain a proper lookout; if not, use a cushion to boost the driver and improve the driver’s view. Also, make sure the dashboard features easy-to-read dials and gauges, Darras says.

4. Be on the lookout for others. “If you see a driver who you suspect is ‘under the influence’ of distractions, change lanes or pull over to let him or her pass you,” Lee says.

Auto insurance and distractions

To get a refresher on driving skills and learn about the importance of reducing distractions, older drivers can take a class such as the AARP Driver Safety course. In some states, completing a safety course can lead to auto insurance discounts.

In addition, senior drivers should be aware of the following when it comes to auto insurance:

• Look at the mileage. If you’re a driver who’s retired, your annual mileage may be greatly reduced since you’re no longer driving back and forth to work, says Andrew Schrage, co-owner of MoneyCrashers.com, a personal finance website. The reduced number of miles logged could lead to lower insurance rates.
• Consider safe driver discounts. If you don’t drive after dark, check with your insurer to see whether a discount is available, Schrage says. In addition, be sure to mention the safety features on your vehicle, such as an anti-theft device, anti-lock brakes and air bags.
• Know your car. Insurance rates for vehicles can vary greatly, depending on the make and model. A sports car will cost more to insure than a sedan, for instance.