July 19th, 2009 at 07:05pm
Under Insurance Law
When it comes to saving money on car insurance, there are some obvious things that will help you out. As I’m sure you heard before, it always makes sense to get more than one quote. That way you can compare the rates from different companies and save. But there is a lot more that will help besides just comparing rates.
Did you know that California has set up laws for auto insurers? These laws are meant to protect drivers from fraud and abuse by insurance companies. The state of California is one of the best states when it comes to protecting its drivers from fraud and abuse from insurance companies.
One recent law to help consumers save is Proposition 103. Proposition 103 was passed in 1988 to change that, but went into affect July 14, 2008. The law states that that auto insurance companies must provide you quotes based on your driving record, not your zip code. Previously, drivers paid their premiums based on their location. So you could have been a better driver (and lower risk) than someone a mile away, but you would have had to pay a higher premium based on your zip code.
Another law meant to protect drivers in the state of California is Assembly Bill 2677. This law was passed in 2005 and says that auto insurance companies in California must provide drivers with the lowest rate available to them. If they do not show you your lowest possible rate, they are violating the law. Be sure to always ask to see the lowest rate available to you.
California has also regulated the rates that insurers can charge to drivers. Recently California mandated that Allstate must lower its insurance rates by 15.9%. Allstate covers roughly 10% of all California drivers, so the mandate was a huge win in helping California drivers save even more on car insurance.
Another benefit to California drivers in need of cheap auto insurance is the California Low Cost Auto insurance program (CLCA). This program is a minimum coverage insurance that helps drivers in dire economic circumstances get affordable car insurance. Through the CLCA drivers can get insurance for as low as $400 a year.
The more you know about auto insurance laws in California, the more educated you will be on your rights as a consumer. Knowing your rights will help you save money. Of course, don’t forget to compare your rates.
By Law Article
July 19th, 2009 at 01:59pm
Under Traffic Law
A number of notable Texas traffic and driving laws meant to
improve safety on the roads and drivers
education cognisance go into effect on Sep 1.
Motor vehicle operators under the age of Operators will now have
a harder time getting traffic tickets elminated from their
automobile operators. SB 1005 provides that if a driver younger
than 25 years of age commits a traffic offense classified as a
moving violation, the judge must demand the driver to complete a
classroom based or online defensive
driving course. In addition, if the driver holds a
provisional driver license – in other words, is under 25 years
of age – they must submit to a Texas DPS road test in addition
to taking an offline or online defensive
driving course. Failure by the driver to meet this
requirement will result in a final conviction for that traffic
offense.
Proof of insurance will be enforced through the new Texas law SB
1670. This law requires the Department of Insurance, in
conjunction with Texas Dept. of Transportation and other
authorities, to establish a verification program for vehicle
insurance in order to try and trim down the amount of uninsured
drivers.
SB 1257 prohibits use of wireless communications hardware
(including cellular phones) for the first six months after
teenagers get their driver licenses. The bill also disallows
passenger bus motor vehicle operators carrying minors from using
wireless communications devices, except in emergencies or when
the bus is stopped. Use of wireless equipment has become
omnipresent and is under suspicion of causing accidents.
Many of the items covered by these laws are discussed in the
available Texas defensive driving courses offered up online and
in classroom settings. Prices may vary for operators safety
courses but the lower limit they can be by law in the state
of Texas is $25.
By Law Article
July 19th, 2009 at 01:59am
Under Traffic Law
A number of notable Texas traffic and driving laws meant to grow
safety on the roads and drivers
education cognisance go into effect on September 1.
Motor vehicle operators under the age of Automobile operators
will now have a harder time getting traffic violations elminated
from their 25. SB 1005 provides that if a driver younger than
automobile operators years of age commits a traffic offense
classified as a moving violation, the judge must necessitate the
driver to complete a classroom based or online defensive
driving course. In addition, if the driver holds a
provisional driver license – in other words, is under operators
years of age – they must submit to a Texas Department of Public
Safety road test in addition to taking an offline or online defensive
driving course. Failure by the driver to meet this
requirement will result in a final conviction for that traffic
offense.
Proof of insurance will be enforced through the new Texas law SB
1670. This law requires the Department of Insurance, in
conjunction with Texas Dept. of Transportation and other
authorities, to constitute a substantiation program for
automobile insurance in order to try and trim back the total of
uninsured motor vehicle operators.
SB 1257 prohibits use of wireless communications equipment
(including cellular telephones) for the first six months after
teenagers get their driver licenses. The bill also interdicts
passenger bus drivers transferring those under 18 from utilizing
wireless communications hardware, except in emergencies or when
the vehicle is stopped. Use of wireless equipment has become
omnipresent and is under suspicion of stimulating accidents.
Many of the items addressed by by these laws are discussed in
the available State of Texas defensive driving courses offered
online and in classroom settings. Prices could vary for drivers safety
courses but the lower limit they can be by law in the state
of Texas is $25.
By Law Article
July 16th, 2009 at 03:02am
Under Drunk Driving Law
As an update to a story we carried last month in our California drunk driving accident lawyers blog, a former Stockton police trainee has been arraigned in an accident case that killed one of his passengers.
According to the Modesto Bee, 27-year-old Ryan Honnette has been arraigned on charges including driving with a blood alcohol percentage of 0.08 percent or more, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. The accident that he has been charged in relation to took place on October 18th. Honnette was driving a Ford Excursion with four passengers inside. As he approached the Highway 132-Lake Junction, Honnette seems to have lost control of the vehicle. He tried to get the vehicle back on track, and over-corrected. The SUV rolled over. 25-year-old Matthew Miller, who was sitting in the back seat, was thrown out of the SUV. He suffered severe injuries, and was taken to the hospital where he died a while later. The other passengers in the car escaped with minor injuries. Honnette walked away without any injuries.
Honnette was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. His blood alcohol level was apparently 0.15 percent. He was just a few months away from finishing his police officer training, and was placed on paid leave as a result of the drunk driving accident. He is currently looking at a sentence of more than 10 years, if convicted.
This is a classic example of a man throwing his life and career away in one instant of lunacy. You would expect Honnette to be more aware of the dangers of drunk driving. As a police officer in training, he likely had access to DUI offenders who were looking at punishments ranging from license suspension to prison time. Yet, he chose to get behind the wheel too drunk to drive anyway. His blood alcohol levels were almost twice the legal limit, which makes you wonder what exactly he took home from his police training program.
This sort of behavior would be intolerable from an average motorist – from a man of the law, it’s completely unacceptable. Honnette deserves the strictest punishment he can get for his negligent behavior.
By Law Article
July 12th, 2009 at 09:02pm
Under Drunk Driving Law
An El Cajon, California man will stand trial in a drunk driving accident case that occurred in July of this year. 35-year-old Shannon Shimp is charged with two counts each of murder, as well as gross vehicular manslaughter in the deaths of Ian Kinney and Joseph Warren Edwards.
The accident took place on Highway 78 on July 22nd. 19-year-old Tessa Medearis was in a Lexus with her boyfriend, 19-year-old Ian Kinney. A pickup driven by Shimp attempting to pass three vehicles skidded out of control, and into the westbound lanes. It crashed into the Lexus, which was also westbound, ending up on top of the car. Ian was killed instantly. Also killed was Shimp’s passenger, 58-year-old Joseph Warren Edwards. Both men died at the scene. Ian left behind his parents, while Edwards is survived by his wife.
Tessa suffered moderate injuries, and had to be extricated from the wreckage. After the accident, Shimp, who had suffered injuries in the car accident, was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries, and then arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was found to have been driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.19 when tests were conducted two hours after the car accident.
On Wednesday, Tessa appeared in court to testify about the car accident that killed her boyfriend. The Superior Court Judge ruled that there were grounds for a trial. There will be a hearing on December 3rd to decide on a date for the trial.
For the two families that lost the most in this tragedy, it seems like justice gets nearer every day. They have had to face the pain of losing their loved ones though no fault of their own.
California has a multi-pronged approach to dealing with the DUI menace. Not only does it have some of the most severe drunk driving laws in the country, but it has also had a significant amount of success in bringing down accident rates in the state, through better awareness programs for motorists, stronger checks and monitoring of drivers, as well as graduated licensing programs for teens that encourage them to be fully educated before they are allowed to drive on their own. The stringency of these laws has led to criticism from groups who believe that license suspensions and the focus on passing breath tests, are unfair. When we continue to have drivers like Shimp who think nothing of tanking up with alcohol that’s more than twice over the legal limit, it’s clear that these criticisms are baseless.
By Law Article