The month of May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month, and this year, May 1 was also the inaugural Stop the Texts Day. On that day, a partnership that includes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the attorneys general from each state, the Ad Council, and various consumer protection agencies, a new campaign featuring public services announcements from such people as NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne went live.

According to the NHTSA, distracted driving is the top killer of American teenagers. In 2010, the last year for which complete data exists, more than 3,000 people were killed and 416,000 were injured as a result of distracted driving, including texting while driving.

The goal of Stop the Texts Day was to spread the message: “Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks.”

Speaking to the Coeur d’Alene Press, Maj. Ben Wolfinger of the Kootenai County Sheriff Department said he believes the law is a good idea, but thinks enforcement may be difficult since officers can’t always discern the difference between a person who is texting behind the wheel, and a person who is merely dialing their phone behind the wheel, the latter of which is NOT being banned in Idaho.

Nevertheless, the legislation was signed by Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter earlier this month, and Idaho is now the 37th state to enact such a law.

There is no word on whether Idaho drivers will have auto insurance repercussions for texting tickets.

Dubbed “Respect Your Ride,” the motorcycle safety awareness program includes boosted law enforcement activity, and police department-sponsored activities that promote safety and compliance with traffic laws.

Between April 1 and September 30th, police offers in Delaware will increase the number of patrols on those roads known to have higher numbers of bike crashes, and will enforce traffic laws, with a specific focus on both impaired motorcycle operations, and bikers who are speeding. There will also be an effort made to increase the number of people who comply with motorcycle insurance requirements.

The campaign also includes a public awareness package that uses bumper stickers, billboard ads, online spots and radio commercials to bring motorcycle safety into prominence, and remind those who drive cars that they share the road with motorcyclists. While the program runs all summer, the pinnacle event will be Motorcycle Awareness Day, scheduled to take place on April 28th, in Dover.

According to local statistics, Delaware lost 18 people in motorcycle crashes last year, while only eight people died in a similar fashion in 2010. Delaware wants to return to that lower number.

Senate Bill 1165 was authored by state Representative John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills), but had come under the scrutiny of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Arizona, Inc. (IIABA), which organization had brought up concerns that the bill, had it passed, might lead to drivers who actually HAVE insurance being subjected to towing and impounding, and that a liability issues might be created for insurance agents.

IIABA said that they were concerned about the estimated 200,000 vehicles in Arizona which have incorrectly reported VINs in the state database, and would therefore show up as being uninsured since proof of insurance is tied to the vehicle identification number.

This, the group said, could create liability for agents who may have mis-entered those numbers.

While the bill would not have changed the law that liability insurance is required, under the current system, drivers who are not carrying proof of insurance are issued a citation, rather than being subject to towing and impounding, and required to pay the charges associated with each.

Now, lawmakers in Massachusetts are considering legislation that would require motorists using tunnels to be protected by the owners of those tunnels. Yes, Massachusetts wants to require tunnel owners to protect the “traveling public” with insurance.

The bill would give the state’s Office of the Inspector General the power to decide what type of insurance and how much coverage an individual tunnel’s owner would have to have. In exchange, tunnel owners would have an annual due-date of September 30th to provide proof of coverage. Owners who fail to purchase coverage will have insurance force-placed by the state, which would then bill them.

Supporters of this legislation explain that the goal is to protect motorists who use privately-owned tunnels, and to cover damages or the cost of medical care if accidents occur.

I find myself boggling that there are enough privately-owned tunnels to make this legislation worth the bother.

But the U.S. government believes more should be done. In order to reduce the number of distracted driving fatalities, the Obama administration would like automakers to impost limitations on the types of vehicle technologies that allow texting and/or cell phone calling while a car is moving.

To this end, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has proposed a collection of voluntary measures that would create new safety guidelines for the hands-free entertainment, navigation, and phone calling systems that are nearly ubiquitous in modern vehicles.

Mainly targeted toward younger drivers, the safety measures in question include disabling any on-board electronic devices that a driver could use while a vehicle is in motion. This includes internet browsing, texting, and access to social media. It also represents a compromise: originally LaHood wanted GM, Ford, Chrysler and other automakers to restrict all hands-free communication devices as well as other dashboard electronics that have become popular options and key selling points.

The proposed guidelines are subject to a 60-day public comment period. Hearings, which will be held by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will begin in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. next month.

Why?

Well, Fremont’s rating was largely because it recently became part of The Auto Club Group’s existing agreement to pool reinsurance, as part of the former company’s acquisition by the latter last August.

But then, there’s the off-set: The Auto Club Group’s earnings have been gradually deteriorating over the last several years, partly because of poor underwriting decisions, and partly because of the inflated cost of medical treatment having a significant effect on the size of personal injury auto claims.

The ratings for the larger company reflect a combination of factors: its established position as an insurance leader in the state of Michigan, its modest five-year performance, its strong risk-adjustment capitalization, and the benefits it has gleaned from selling its products to AAA members.

Nevertheless, A.M. Best looks at The Auto Club Group and sees a company that has most of its business in a single state, which means any change in local insurance law could directly impact business. It sees that there’s a lot of competitive pricing among other companies in the Michigan insurance market, and the waning operating results don’t help.

For this reason, analysts say, even with an A rating, the overall outlook is negative.

Partially offsetting these strengths is The Auto Club Group’s deterioration in operating results in recent years and its concentration of business in one state, which exposes it to regulatory and legal changes, as well as significant price competition in its core markets. The deterioration in operating results in recent years was driven by increased underwriting losses and lower investment income, as well as the group’s exposure to regulatory and legal changes in Michigan.