According to a recent study, one-fifth of drivers between 16 and 61 who own cell phones send or receive text messages while driving and four-fifths make calls, yet 98 percent of American drivers say they are “safe” drivers. Not so, says Nationwide Insurance, which found that almost half of drivers…
According to a survey released last week by GMAC Insurance, Massachusetts drivers ranked 44rd out of 50 states and the District of Columbia on a test of basic driving knowledge like the definition of a flashing red light or when to stop for a school bus. The test required a…
This time of year means high school prom and graduation, which also means that teens experience extra pressure to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, raising their car accident risk. According to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, 21 Massachusetts teens died in motor vehicle-related crashes during May…
The Registry of Motor Vehicles recently announced that Massachusetts drivers can view their driving record online and download or request a certified copy. The new web options are designed to alleviate the burden on RMV employees. Last year, the RMV received more than 57,000 requests for driver records. Driving records…
Studies show that 45 percent of those who die in a highway accident would have lived in they had been wearing a seat belt. Massachusetts, Maine, and dozens of other states around the country already have laws requiring adults to buckle up. If a new bill headed for the state…
According to Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, Occidental Fire and Casualty Insurance Company has been charging Boston drivers excessive rates on their car insurance. On Monday, the company was barred from practicing a slew of alleged illegal rating practices. The AG’s office used its authority under the Consumer Protection Act…
Last week, Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Nonnie S. Burnes announced that the state will retain the board that allows drivers to appeal auto insurance surcharges. According to the legislators who sponsored the bills, there was support for retaining the board in both the Senate and the House. When a driver is…
In February, a state trooper responding to a motor vehicle accident was seriously injured by a car that spun out of control and hit him. State police have experienced several instances where troopers sustained injuries due to a motor vehicle moving at excessive speeds. They are hoping that a new…
According to a 2001 study conducted by AAA, drivers over age 65 are 25 percent more likely to get into a car accident than middle-aged drivers. Those over 85 are 50 percent more likely to get into a car crash during a left-hand turn. A study by the Insurance Institute…
Reuters reports that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released new statistics on traffic deaths in the United States. The study listed Massachusetts as the safest state in the nation. Mississippi had the highest rate of deaths on the road with four times as many as Massachusetts.…