FOR $4.99 YOU CAN STOP YOUR TEEN FROM TEXTING AND DRIVING
Moms: How much is your child's safety worth to you? You probably can't put a number on it. Texting while driving is a serious problem - the statistics are mind-boggling. As of 2010, as many as a whopping 30% of accidents were caused by someone using a phone, and studies have shown that texting while you're behind the wheel at 35mph places you at even greater risk than driving drunk at the same speed. That blows my mind, I just can't wrap my brain around it. Our children have grown up immersed in new technology, and they are learning to drive with phones in their hands. The solution to this is two-fold - first and foremost, set a good example. Keep the phone out of your hand while you're driving. As of 2008 adults were just as guilty as our teens were, but those numbers are changing due to many national awareness campaigns. Second, invest in technology that puts you in control of your teen's safety. For a mere $4.99 per year you can download the Ask Patty Mobile [Read More]published May 26, 2011 at 5:31pm CDT
ASK PATTY GOES MOBILE WITH MOBILE TATTLETALE!
Ask Patty is always watchful for the hottest things that you, our readers, are going to be crazy about, and now we've partnered with our first mobile app. This smartphone app doesn't help you decide where to eat, or connect you to all your social media, nor does it have anything to do with birds, angry or otherwise. This app has only one purpose - to stop texting while driving. Intrigued? I thought you might be. Hit the jump for details. Okay, so here's how this works: This is an app for moms with teen drivers. Today's teens have learned how to drive a car with a phone in their hands, and distracted driving statistics nationwide are terrifying. Lives are being lost, and laws against cellphones while driving don't help the problem. Why? Because they don't deter drivers from using their phones, they just force them to hide them while driving, causing a more severe distraction than simply using the phone would be. This app, which retails for $4.99 per year, is ins [Read More]published April 18, 2011 at 4:45pm CDT
WHY OBAMA CAN’T MAKE KIDS HEALTHY (A DIFFERENT TAKE ON THE NUTRITION BILL)
Pens don’t make change, actions do. A few days ago, President Obama signed a nutrition bill. Also known as the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act 2010. People ooh andamp; awed. Yay! We have ANOTHER bill. This will make the obesity crisis diminish. And we won’t have starving kids. Wait a minute. Hold the Gingerbread Latte! Are we supposed to think that because a bill is signed everything is now going to be okay? It took years of poor choices, not moving and#40;as in getting activeand#41;, replacing farms with white picket fences and ugly supermarkets, and eating food from cans, packages and crappy drive thru’s. So a piece of paper andamp; a pen andamp; a president will change all that, eh? I can hear the critics now “it will help” or “its a step in the right direction”. And a bunch of other stuff. Here is my point. Yes, I actually have one -or perhaps two I have been advocating a healthy lifestyle for years. Since I was a kid I have always been active. Smiling. Eating food from trees [Read More]published December 17, 2010 at 9:15pm CST
SUPPORT THE BIRTH CONTROL MATTERS CAMPAIGN FOR CONTRACEPTION WITH NO CO-PAYS
Birth Control Matters is an effort to make birth control available with no copays so that all women can use the method that works best for them and to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. Affordable prescription birth control is an essential part of health care for millions of women. The average woman spends 30 years of her life trying to avoid getting pregnant. More than one-third of women voters in America have struggled with the cost of prescription birth control at some point in their lives, and, as a result, have used birth control inconsistently. No copays for birth control is the single most important step we can take to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. The new health care reform law represents the single biggest opportunity to advance women’s health in 45 years. To make this opportunity a reality, the law must require health plans to provide prescription birth control to women with no copays, as part of the prevention provision. This would be a h [Read More]published December 17, 2010 at 7:49pm CST
TIPS FROM 21ST CENTURY INSURANCE: HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON!
The holiday season is full of family, fun, and goodwill, but it has a darker side. The number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities skyrockets faster than eight tiny reindeer. Spirited Statistics: On average from 2001 to 2005 and#40;the last year that complete data is availableand#41;, about 40 percent of all traffic fatalities during the Christmas and New Year holiday period have occurred in automobile crashes where at least one of the involved drivers was under the influence of alcohol. That is compared to about 28 percent of all fatalities during the rest of December. During the December - January holiday period, young drivers and#40;ages 16 to 20and#41; and adult male drivers and#40;ages 21 to 34and#41; are involved in a high number of alcohol-related accidents. On average, the number of fatalities per day for New Year’s Day is much higher and#40;almost twiceand#41; than that for Christmas Day and for the rest of December.* Protect yourself, your children, and your vehicle by insurin [Read More]published December 9, 2010 at 5:55pm CST
BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING NHTSA TWITTER PARTY 12/9 -- PLEDGE TO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!
Last year, more than 250 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods. Whether at a holiday party, a New Year’s Eve bash at a bar or reveling with friends, many of us will be on the road this holiday season. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Ad Council are reminding everyone that the best way to stay safe is to plan ahead and designate a sober driver before you head out for your festivities. Here are some ways to help spread the word that Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. Join a Twitter QandA on Thursday, December 9th at 2 PM ET. Follow the hashtag #buzzeddriving to get safety tips and prevention advice from NHTSA experts. You can follow the chat here: http://tweetchat.com/room/buzzeddrivingDesignated Driver Drink List — One of the most important things you can do before going out is designate a sober driver. If you’re throwing a party, make sure to offer non-alcoholic drinks for the sobe [Read More]published December 7, 2010 at 7:25pm CST
CAR CARE TOPS LIST OF THANKSGIVING PREPARATIONS
As Americans get ready for Thanksgiving, car care tops the list of pre-holiday preparations, according to a survey conducted by the Car Care Council. Both men and women say they are more likely to make sure the car taking them to Thanksgiving dinner is prepared for the trip and#40;66 percentand#41; than they are to iron tablecloths and#40;18 percentand#41; or polish silver and#40;12 percentand#41; in advance of the holiday meal. “Proper car care is important at all times, but is particularly critical during the busiest travel season of the year,” said Rich White, spokesman for the Car Care Council. “Yet, despite good intentions, the majority of motorists do not always follow through. The ‘Be Car Care Aware’ education campaign was launched to encourage drivers to perform proper vehicle maintenance. “Our survey found that 86 percent of drivers believe regular car maintenance is extremely important for their own and their passengers’ safety and 85 percent of drivers cite dependa [Read More]published November 24, 2010 at 6:04pm CST
TAKE YOUR DAUGHTERS TO THE POLLS!
On this election day, we thought this video – produced by the White House Project – was appropriate. If you’re a mom, consider taking your daughters to the polls. And daughters, ask your parents or older siblings if you can be their +1 in the voting booth. More information about The White House Project. [Read More]published November 2, 2010 at 6:35pm CDT
GHOULS AND GOBLINS MAKE HALLOWEEN DRIVING SPOOKY
Brought to you by Car Care Council For motorists, the spooky part about Halloween is that little ghouls and goblins often dress in dark colors and in costumes that cover their eyes, and some get so excited they simply forget road safety rules. To help keep trick-or-treaters as safe as possible, the Car Care Council reminds motorists to drive slowly, especially through neighborhoods, to be extra careful when entering or exiting driveways or alleyways, and make sure the vehicle’s brakes and lights work properly. Symptoms of brake problems are: the car pulls to one side during braking, the brake pedal pulsates when applying the brakes, the brake pedal feels “mushy,” there is a noise when stepping on the brake pedal, and the master cylinder repeatedly needs brake fluid. The brake system is the most critical safety system on a vehicle and any problems should be checked out immediately. Brakes are a normal wear item and eventually need replacement. Drivers should also ch [Read More]published October 31, 2010 at 3:10pm CDT
NATIONAL CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY WEEK - GET YOUR CAR SEAT INSPECTED
Did you know that three out of four child safety seats are improperly installed in vehicles according to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration? That's why we urge all parents and caregivers to attend the annual “National Seat Check Saturday,” on Saturday September 25 in their local area. As part of National Child Passenger Safety Week and#40;September 19-25and#41; many communities will have certified technicians available to provide free on-site child safety seat inspections. Check your local area for times and availability. It’s the responsibility of every parent and caregiver out there to make sure their children are safely restrained – every trip, every time. We're urging everyone to get their child safety seats inspected. When it comes to the safety of a child, there's no room for mistakes. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research, 8,959 lives of children under age 5 have been saved by the proper use of child restraint [Read More]published September 21, 2010 at 2:13pm CDT