With the rise of mobile device usage, distracted driving is a significant problem.  Here's a look at some alarming statistics:

• Each day in the United States, approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.
• During daylight hours, approximately 481,000 drivers are using cell phones while driving. 
• Nine percent of drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash.
• Hand-held cell phone use while driving is highest among 15- to 29-year-old drivers. 
• Distracted Driving claimed the lives of 3,450 in 2016.
• Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving blind at 55-mph for the length of an entire football field.​

​Texting while driving is as serious as driving while intoxicated. Don’t text while you drive. Tell your teenagers not to text while they drive. Tell your friends not to text while they drive. As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s campaign says: “Stop The Texts. Stop The Wrecks.” 

Use our resources in the articles and links below for more information and tips on how to protect your family and your business.   

DROWSY DRIVING: HOW TO STAY ALERT

ROAD RAGE AVOIDANCE AND SAFETY TIPS

DEFENSIVE DRIVING SAFETY TIPS

Nine Americans die each day and more than 1,000 are injured due to drivers being distracted by a mobile phone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That equates to 3,285 lives lost and almost 400,000 lives altered annually for the sake of a phone call, text message or other mobile phone use.

These numbers are even more shocking when you consider that, with the exception of Montana, every U.S. state, district and territory places some constraint on texting and/or cellphone use while driving.

Apple and Google have decided to take a proactive approach to keep drivers safe. Apple’s iOS 11 operating system for the iPhone and Google’s Pixel 2 for Android both feature a “do not disturb while driving” app that mutes incoming calls, texts and notifications.

Here’s a look at how to get them set up and what you can expect when you enable this feature:

Activation of "Do Not Disturb" Safety Feature
First, it is important to know that neither feature is enabled automatically.

With the Apple version, if a user has iOS 11, they receive a prompt the first time the app detects the motion of a car or connects to the vehicle’s Bluetooth signal. The feature is turned on by tapping “Turn On While Driving.” If you do not receive this prompt, the feature can be activated in the Control Center under “Customize Controls.” Tap the plus sign next to “Do Not Disturb While Driving.” You can then swipe up from the bottom of your screen and tap the car icon to enable the feature.
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The Google safety feature, used on the Pixel phone, requires activation through the Settings Control Panel. To activate, users select Sound in the Control Panel and then “Do Not Disturb Preferences.” Under the Automatic Rules section, users tap “Driving.” Once these steps are taken, the rule should be turned on at the top of the screen.

Notifications & Operation
After activation, both apps turn on automatically when they detect the motion of a vehicle or connection to the car’s Bluetooth. Both apps silence the phone and leave the screen dark when in driving mode. Users can customize settings to allow alarms or messages from favorites or priority lists.

The iOS 11 app responds to people trying to contact you by sending a message that you are driving. The person on the other end can then text “urgent” to break through the block. The iOS 11 app also automatically detects the use of a hands-free device and allows calls to come through.

The Apple feature will allow you to continue to use navigation and will show turn-by-turn directions on your screen.

Passenger Use
Passengers don't have to worry about their cellphones being silenced. Either of these applications can be turned off from the settings menu. In the iOS version, a pop-up also appears on your screen. Tapping “I am not driving” returns the phone to normal operation mode.

Parental Controls
With the iPhone app, parents can lock the ‘Do Not Disturb While Driving” function on their children's phones, requiring a password for access. This prevents teenage drivers from turning it off and adds to peace of mind for parents.

Distracted driving accounts for far too many deaths and injuries on America’s roads. At highway speeds, a car travels more than the length of a football field in just five seconds. The average text message takes seven seconds to compose and send.

Activating the “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature on your phone is a smart way to increase your safety on the road.

Visit Selective’s Distracted Driving Dangers page for more tips and resources on reducing your risk on the road.

Don’t have a Pixel2 or iPhone? Many carriers offer apps that enable drive mode on your phone. Check your carrier’s website or app for more information.
 

Parents will be the first to tell you children are naturally curious creatures. All of us are to a certain degree, regardless of age, and some more so than others.

Though there are several potential explanations for why this may be the case, curious teenagers' inclinations may derive from the personality traits associated with attentiveness, researchers believe. As an example, during situations when teens receive text messages, they may feel the need to respond to said texts right away, regardless of whether the situations they're in warrants it or may be inappropriate.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers. Six teens die each day from motor vehicle injuries. One of the more troublesome aspects of driving distracted is despite motorists' understanding of its dangers, many do it regardless. 

Here are some tips and topics to discuss with your teenager about the importance of not driving distracted. 

• Minimize the amount of activities going on in the car. Reducing the number of passengers you allow your teen to have in the car can lower the distractions.
• Encourage your teenager to turn their phone off, use an app to block notifications, or give their phone to a passenger while driving. There are many options that will shut off their ability to text or use their phone while driving. 
• Get your teen in the habit of choosing what music will be played for the entire duration of the trip, and tell them to not change the station or playlist while driving.
• Set an example. Do not let your teen see you texting and driving, or participating in any other distracted driving dangers. Do not call or text your child when you know they are driving.
• Teach your child the importance of pulling over when it's essential to use their device. 
• Talk to your teen about Taking the Pledge, vowing to always pay attention to the roads when driving and to put cell phones on silent mode. 
• Set rules and boundaries that have consequences if they are not followed. Driving is a privilege, could be taken away if your child uses their phone while driving.
• Explain the laws to your teen and outline the legal consequences if they do not follow them. 
• Show your teen videos about distracted driving and share with them scary statistics. It is important that they understand the reality of what can happen if they drive distracted. 

It's important to discuss all of these tools and tips with your teen to help prevent them from driving distracted.

Before kids jump onto their sleds and find the nearest snow-covered hill, below are some important sledding safety tips from KidsHealth.org that you can share with the young ones in your life.

• Wear sensible winter clothing — hats, gloves or mittens, snow pants, winter jacket, snow boots — but avoid scarves or any clothing that can get caught in a sled and pose a risk of strangulation.
• Wear a helmet to prevent head injuries – multi-sport and bicycle helmets are good options.
• Sleds that can be steered are safer than flat sheets, snow discs and toboggans.
• Select a hill that's not too steep and has a long flat area for kids to glide to a stop.
• Avoid sledding on driveways, hills, or slopes that end in a street, drop off, parking lot, river or pond. And stay away from areas that have trees or fences.
• Sled on snowy surfaces rather than icy surfaces, which could make for a hard landing.
• Don’t overload sleds with too many children – one person at a time is best.
• Make sure young sledders stay in well-lit areas under adult supervision.

 
Sled safely this winter.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than drivers 20 and older.
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Here are some important driving tips to help your teenagers navigate the roads safely.

Avoid Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is one of the most prevalent causes of auto accidents in the United States. Distraction comes in many forms, may it be playing with the numerous gadgets inside modern cars or texting, distracted driving is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.

Teach your teens that when in control of a vehicle, the road is the only thing to focus on.

Don’t Drink and Drive
Peer pressure impacts all teens and can lead to them drinking and driving. A recent study at Texas A&M University found that even small amounts of alcohol could have a significant effect on both mental and motor skills. One drink is one too many.

Drive Defensively
No matter how skilled and attentive a young driver might be, other drivers may be less so. While keeping control of their own vehicle is paramount, remind them to expect the unexpected from others. Young drivers should practice defensive driving habits so they’re prepared to react to any dangerous situations that arise.

Buckle-Up
Wearing a seat belt is not only legally required, but it can save your life. Studies have found that up to 60 percent of teens who were killed in automobile crashes failed to buckle up. There are some myths about seat belts being harmful. Don’t believe them and educate your teens and require that they wear their seat belt  everytime they’re in the car.

Don’t Drive Drowsy
Teens must be aware that if they become too tired or start feeling drowsy, they should pull over to the side of the road and rest or swap drivers. Being overly tired can lead to physical and mental impairments, similar to being medicated or intoxicated. In extreme cases, drivers will unknowingly take micro-naps. It's better to be late than to risk their lives, and the lives of others on the road.

These tips are important for teens to know as they get their license. For more detailed information and additional safe driving tips for young drivers, click on the links in this article or talk to a driver’s education professional.

On National Grandparents Day, we are reminded of the many good things grandparents do for us and our children. Whether our own grandparents or our children’s grandparents, it’s important to be mindful of the practical concerns regarding their well-being and provide assistance if needed. Checking in on their insurance coverage and helping make sure their policies are appropriate for their needs can help protect them.

Where are your grandparents living?
Your grandparents’ living arrangements will affect their insurance needs. Independent living senior housing units can be either owned or rented. If rented, they function in many ways like any other apartment complex and may require your grandparents to have a renters policy to protect their belongings as well as provide liability coverage. If the residence is owned, a condominium policy would be advisable.

At Selective, we can offer an additional coverage option for grandparents regularly residing in an assisted living facility. Selective’s Assisted Living Care Coverage is an endorsement to a family member’s policy that provides coverage for a relative of the insured family member who regularly resides in a living care facility. It offers contents and liability coverages as well as additional living expense coverage. Ask your agent for more details.

Keep in mind that flood insurance coverage typically requires a separate policy or an addendum to a renter’s policy, so it’s wise to consider flood risk.

Are they landlords?
Some grandparents may relocate without selling their home. Instead, they rent it for a source of supplementary income. Such a change in usage requires adjustment to their insurance coverages. If this situation were to occur, please contact your agent for more information.

Are they driving?
If your grandparents own a vehicle they obviously still need auto insurance which will include liability coverage. If they are concerned about damage to their vehicle for incidents such as a broken windshield or an accident with an animal, they would need comprehensive coverage. However, if they also wanted coverage for an automobile accident, they would need collision coverage. Please note that if the vehicle is financed or leased, comprehensive and collision coverage may be mandatory under the agreement with the lender or lessor. 
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To ensure proper coverage for your grandparent or relative, please contact your independent agent for more information. Don’t have an agent? Click here to find one in your area.

​People are living longer, fuller lives now than ever before. The average life expectancy has more than doubled since 1900, and, in fact, the lowest end of the current life expectancy range is now higher than the highest life expectancy during the 1800s.

Unfortunately, although people are living longer and medical science is helping us stay more active in later years,time eventually takes its toll. As we age, reflexes slow, chances of hearing impairment increase, and vision worsens. These are all aspects which we depend to be safe drivers, which means we must exercise a higher amount of caution and mindfulness in our driving habits.

In the interest of keeping safety on the road and helping all get the most out of the golden years, here are a few safe driving tips for older drivers:

Monitor and Protect Your Physical Health
Driving is as much a physical activity as a mental one. Aging can mean losing some strength and flexibility enjoyed in younger years. This can make it more difficult to turn the steering wheel or check blind spots.

Staying as active as possible and getting as much exercise as one’s physical condition allows goes a long way towards helping to stay competent and safe drivers. Physical activities also help lower stress levels and remain more mentally alert, both of which are a great help behind the wheel.

Be Aware of Fatigue
Older people tend to tire a little faster, both mentally and physically. Some of the most common medications prescribed to individuals in older age brackets can further exacerbate this increased proneness to fatigue as well.

One way to avoid overexertion is to plan trips ahead. Discussing the side effects of any medications taken with a healthcare professional is another important precaution.

Have Regular Hearing and Vision Tests
Both vision and hearing tend to slip away slowly. This means that abilities may not be as sharp as believed. Having vision and hearing checked on a regular basis and taking appropriate measures to correct any deficiencies helps keep everyone on the road much safer.

Be Aware of Your Limitations
Common sense asserts that more strenuous and intense activities enjoyed in youth shouldn’t necessarily be continued into later years. The same principle applies to driving, to avoid chancy situations when possible.

Increasing following distance, lowering speed, and driving more defensively serves all drivers well, but additionally try to avoid:

• Rush hour traffic--More vehicleson the road, more impatient drivers rushing around, and heightened stress levels are all good reasons to plan travels before or after high traffic periods.
• Driving at night—The limited visibility due to dark surroundings makes night driving riskier for all drivers to begin with, and then loss of night vision is a normal part of aging. Try to travel during daylight hours to lower the risk of having an accident.
• Inclement weather--Slick roads and limited visibility are no one’s friends. Unless it is absolutely necessary, try to avoid driving in foul weather.

​Getting older doesn't necessarily mean giving up freedom. It does, however, mean using experience and  precaution to compensate for the unique driving challenges that come with the natural aging process.

For the tens of millions of Americans who drive, gasoline price fluctuations are a sometimes puzzling aspect of life. Notably, drivers often wonder why fuel costs increase so significantly during the spring and early summer. This year, summer gas prices could reach the highest they have been in four years. 

The gasoline volatility standard, devised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is one of the biggest causes of this seasonal uptick. Knowing the ins and outs of this regulation will help drivers prepare for gas price hikes.

Federal regulations
Primarily, the difference between "summer-blend" and "winter-blend" gasoline stems from the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) standards. These regulations dictate that in summer ─ the "high ozone season" ─ all gasoline sold in America must have a RVP lower than 9.0 pounds per square inch (psi). Due to these strict regulations of RVP levels in the summer, it costs more to produce the gasoline than in the winter. 

Why only then? When the higher summer temperatures are in swing, gasoline evaporates faster and at greater volumes than in winter. This boosts carbon emissions and smog to levels deemed unsafe by the Clean Air Act and its various amendments, as noted by the EPA on its website. Gasoline refiners must ensure their product doesn't exceed the regulated RVP level. This rule applies until Sept. 15, around the time temperatures typically begin to drop.

For the exact opposite reason, gasoline's RVP should be higher in winter so that it evaporates in the cold and the engine runs properly.

Differences from state to state
While 9.0 psi is the federal RVP limit that no gasoline can exceed, the regulation doesn't keep states from enforcing an even lower maximum RVP, or requiring reformulated gasoline (RFG) that evaporates at an extremely low rate. The EPA mandates that state and local governments are tasked with the rule's specific implementation. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the following states (or portions thereof) differ from the EPA's standard:
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• California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Delaware use only RFG. So do portions of Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, New York and New Hampshire.
• A select few regions of Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Kansas and Michigan limit RVP to 7.0 psi.
• Areas in Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maine require gasoline with an RVP of 7.8 psi or lower.
  
  

All other states and regions observe the 9.0 psi rule. That said, cities or counties can request exemption from this requirement, as several Tennessee counties recently did, according to the EPA's website.

​One of today's hottest trends is also one of the oldest types of small business in the world: food trucks. Food carts have been with us since ancient times, when it was common to find vendors pushing carts through cramped city streets. In the modern era, food trucks, also known as “gut trucks,” can be found in a variety of locations. These serve anything from gourmet cuisine to specialty desserts and coffees.

At first glance, operating a food truck may seem easier than opening a regular storefront food business. But it's not without its pitfalls. Owning a food truck is a business with upside opportunity and downside risk, and should be approached as such.

Before investing thousands in your mobile kitchen, you may want to ask yourself a few questions to figure out if a food truck business is right for you.

There are definite advantages to starting a food truck business over a traditional restaurant. The mobility of the food truck can help the business owner find the right spot, since location can be vitally important for a young restaurant business. Like starting any endeavor, it pays to do your due diligence about a food truck business. Use this information will help you navigate the path of starting a food truck business.

Spring is a time of renewal and refreshment for so many aspects of our lives and households. It stands to reason that this season of new growth and great weather can also mark an ideal occasion to start cleaning out your car and taking care of any upkeep it may need. For those living in areas hit hard by the ravages of winter, spring auto maintenance will be particularly important. But, it can be beneficial to all motorists. 

Where should you begin? The specifics will depend on your car's condition, but we've got a few suggestions regarding typical areas of concern:

Weather-related issues and damage
While late March is finally starting to resemble the "out like a lamb" part of the month that's typically promised, the wear and tear of snow and slush is fresh in many of our minds. 

According to the contractors’ and homeowners’ information website Angie's List, leftover salt is perhaps the most unpleasant vestige of winter. If it's collected on and around the undercarriage, salt can cause serious rust unless it's addressed immediately, most optimally by a professional at a car wash. 

Brakes, batteries and alternators, hoses under the hood and timing belts can also accumulate significant damage from driving in the rough winter. If you don't have personal auto repair experience, it'll be best to take the car in to have these items checked and serviced.

Preparing for summer
Now that you'll be seeing warmer temperatures in spring and summer, it's also time to check up on the mechanisms that keep the engine cool. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), a nonprofit organization that certifies auto care professionals and sets vehicle standards, notes that the radiator should be flushed and refilled. You may be able to handle this yourself, using your car's manufacturer-issued service manual. 

ASE also notes you should be taking a look at your car’s air conditioning system. If there are any problems with it, you should leave this repair task to a trusted professional.

General automobile upkeep
Aside from the parts and systems of your car that are directly affected by weather, you should use this opportunity for any other maintenance tasks. The ASE recommends checking the light bulbs and wiper blades and replacing them if necessary. The former is particularly important, as a busted taillight or headlight are among the easiest ways to get yourself a traffic citation. Also, if it's been a while since you've gotten your oil changed, do so. It's one of the quickest automotive upkeep tasks to keep your car maintained properly.

If you were using snow tires and haven’t yet switched them out, give your standard tires a once-over. Check the pressure, looking for signs of under inflation, and also look for any damage to the treads. In the interest of being safe rather than sorry, get your car a new set of tires if you note either of these issues. If these aspects of the tires are in good condition, a simple rotation may be sufficient.