Latest Auto Headlines
All the headlines from our Auto Topic Page, ordered by recency.
New Jersey Wants Seat Belt Safety to Click with Teens
Dec 29 2010 // New Jersey will begin a new effort next year to try to improve on a grim reality: Motor vehicle accidents remain the leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults, the age group least likely to wear seat belts. The...
Report: Some Insurers ‘Low-Balling’ Auto Insurance Claims for Bodily Injury
Dec 29 2010 // Some insurance companies that use computerized systems to process their claims are making unfair, “low-ball” claims offers to people injured in automobile accidents, according to a consumer advocacy group. The...
Connecticut Truck Safety Effort Yields 28,000 Citations
Dec 29 2010 // Connecticut public safety officials say nearly 28,000 violations were recorded during the first four months of a crackdown on unsafe trucking. The stepped-up enforcement started in August after several highway crashes...
New Year’s Day Top Working Holiday for Car Thieves
Dec 28 2010 // While Americans are enjoying the holidays and most have time off from work, holidays are just another day at the shop for vehicle thieves. New Year’s Day was once again the leading holiday for reported vehicle thefts...
Hawaii Lists Auto Insurance Premium Comparison
Dec 22 2010 // The Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division has posted its annual motor vehicle insurance premium comparison. Based on a driver with one speeding conviction and no accidents with a 2009 Honda...
Top Holiday Mishaps: Are Your Clients Covered?
Dec 21 2010 // The Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association is warning the industry that the holiday season at times can set the stage for for a not so merry celebration. “It’s a good idea to make sure [consumers] are...
Honda Civics Top List of Canada’s 10 Most Stolen Cars
Dec 20 2010 // The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) recently released its annual list of the most frequently stolen vehicles, as follows: 1. 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door 2. 1999 Honda Civic SiR 2-door 3. 2002 Cadillac Escalade 4-door...
Deer Crashes on Rise in Alabama
Dec 20 2010 // Josh Dodd was traveling home last year, the same Alabama route he has taken countless times on Lauderdale 7, when a deer ran onto the road. Instinctively, he dodged to avoid colliding with the deer. His car went off the...
Suspicious Claims Rose 12% in Q3, Insurers Report
Dec 16 2010 // Questionable property/casualty insurance claims rose 12 percent in the third quarter over last year, according to the latest reports from insurance companies. Through the third quarter of 2010, the National Insurance Crime...
Car Malfunction Sparks Delaware Blaze, Causes $800K in Damage
Dec 16 2010 // The state Fire Marshal’s office says an unknown malfunction in the engine compartment of a car parked under a house sparked a fire that caused $800,000 in damage to the home and surrounding dwellings. The fire broke...
Insurer Launches Ad Campaign Within Facebook Game ‘Car Town’
Dec 15 2010 // Building its brand messages directly into the game play of the popular social game Car Town – the only game on Facebook built around licensed automotive brands –State Farm today launched a six-month advertising...
Person Leaving Keys in Car May Be Liable, Tennessee Court Rules
Dec 13 2010 // A Tennessee court has ruled that a person who leaves keys in a car can be held responsible if the car is stolen and then involved in a crash. The Tennessee Court of Appeals– in a case involving a stolen car, a police...
Mercury Insurance Cuts Calif. Auto Rates About 10%
Dec 9 2010 // Mercury Insurance announced a $72-million rate reduction for California drivers that includes a rate decrease that could reach up to 10% or more, a new group affiliation discount for university alumni, and the inclusion of...
Report: New Jersey Motorcycle Deaths Drop
Dec 5 2010 // A new report shows a drop in deaths from motorcycle accidents in New Jersey – a change that’s good news for both riders and safety advocates. Overall, 68 people died in motorcycle crashes across the Garden...
Mismatched Bumpers on Cars, SUVs Drive Up Repair Bills
Dec 3 2010 // Mismatched bumpers on cars and SUVs produce far more costly damage in low speed collisions than bumpers that do line up, new car safety research shows. Bumpers on cars are designed to match up with each other in...
California Approves Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance Programs
Dec 2 2010 // California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has approved filings by the Automobile Club of Southern California and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance to offer pay-as-you-drive insurance. The PAYD Insurance program...
Nearly 20% of Drivers in Fatal Crashes Test Positive for Drugs: Report
Dec 1 2010 // About 1 in 5 drivers who were killed last year in car crashes tested positive for drugs, raising concerns about the impact of drugs on auto safety, according to a new government report. Researchers with the National...
Memphis Car Impoundment Lot Battles Theft, Damage Claims
Dec 1 2010 // The city of Memphis is upgrading security at the city’s car impound lot after paying out more than $72,000 to settle a variety of theft and damage claims. Mayor A C Wharton told The Memphis Commercial Appeal that the...
A.M. Best Upgrades Wisconsin’s 1st Auto & Casualty Insurance Co.
Dec 1 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to B++ (Good) from B+ (Good) and issuer credit rating (ICR) to “bbb” from “bbb-” of 1st Auto & Casualty Insurance Company (1st...
New Web Site Calculates Diminished Car Value for Consumers
Dec 1 2010 // The people who launched TheyWroteOffMyCar.com are at it again with a new Web site service called MyCarIsWorthLess.com. That’s worth less, not worthless, according to the announcement. It’s supposed to help...
