Declarations

Putting the Brakes on Teens

“The impact of a teen crash extends beyond the emotional tragedies and physical injury at the crash scene, with costs that can extend to employers, families, the government and society overall.”

—Jack Peet, community safety services manager for AAA Michigan, comments on economic figures that provide more reasons for legislators to improve graduated driver licensing laws in their states. An AAA analysis found crashes involving teen drivers ages 15 to 17 cost American society more than $34 billion annually in medical expenses, lost work, property damage, quality of life loss and other related costs in 2006. A number of bills aimed at reducing the numbers of teen injuries and deaths have been introduced in the Michigan legislature. Currently there are no passenger limits in place. Rep.Edward Gaffney, R-Grosse Pointe Farms, sponsored HB 4151, which would limit the number of teen passengers to one in a car driven by a teenager.

Tornadoes Leave Survivors

“We had one gentleman and his wife where the house came down around him … they came out with just some bumps and scratches.”

—Two of the three tornadoes that traveled through northwest Ohio early on May 31 destroyed homes and left a path of debris. The National Weather Service said one tornado with winds up to 130 mph touched down just south of the city of Arcadia in Hancock County. It moved northeast into the town of Fostoria in Seneca County before dissipating. A dozen homes were destroyed in Hancock County’s Washington Township, said Fire Chief Bob Hill who was amazed by the number of people who should have been seriously injured but weren’t — as he describes in his comment above. The tornado was on the ground for about 15 minutes and covered almost eight miles. Meteorologist Frank Kieltyka said the twister took out entire floors in two-story homes and ripped roofs off ranch homes. No injuries were reported.

Behind Closed Doors

“The older NAIC, he said, worked well with the insurance industry … that cooperative effort is being destroyed in ways we don’t understand.”

—Michael Lovendusky, association general counsel for American Council of Life Insurers, described the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a conflicted 137-year-old organization and a 13-year-old organization, noting the younger NAIC often fails to have discussions with the industry. That results in insurance groups going on a “scavenger hunt” to seek information as to what NAIC business is conducted behind closed doors, he noted. Lovendusky said the NAIC is losing trust because it is not open to dialogue with the industry. That criticism was echoed by representatives of the American Insurance Association, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America at the NAIC’s Industry Liaison Meeting on June 1, 2008, in San Francisco.