Allstate's Best Drivers Report tackles winter hazards
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- Published on 28 December 2016
- Written by The Peorian
As New Year's Day, one of the deadliest days on the roadi, approaches, Allstate's America's Best Drivers Report®ii reveals motorists in certain cities are safer drivers when making their way through winter weather road hazards.
Allstate's report finds that when factoring precipitation with auto property damage claim frequency, Brownsville, Texas, has the safest drivers.
"As you wrap up the busy holiday season and look forward to ringing in 2017, please use extra caution, especially on dangerous evenings when hazards like drunk drivers and winter weather are prevalent," said Glenn Shapiro, Allstate's chief claims officer. "While celebrating this joyful time, it's important to remember what matters most – our loved ones and neighbors – and to protect them by driving carefully through precarious conditions on the roads."
Allstate discovered the following are the top 10 safest-driving cities, when factoring auto property damage claims with precipitation, as measured by NOAAiii:
|
Safest Drivers Rank with Precipitation |
City |
NOAA Average Precipitation (inches/year) |
Average Years Between Collisions |
Accident Likelihood (Compared to national average of every 10 years) |
| 1 | Brownsville, Texas | 27.4 | 14.6 | -31.4% |
| 2 | Kansas City, Kan. | 39.1 | 13.6 | -26.3% |
| 3 | Cape Coral, Fla. | 55.9 | 12.9 | -22.3% |
| 4 | Madison, Wis. | 37.3 | 13.3 | -24.7% |
| 5 | Port St. Lucie, Fla. | 63.7 | 12.5 | -20.1% |
| 6 | Huntsville, Ala. | 54.3 | 12.7 | -21.4% |
| 7 | Olathe, Kan. | 41.9 | 12.4 | -19.6% |
| 8 | Wichita, Kan. | 32.6 | 12.5 | -19.7% |
| 9 | Boise, Idaho | 11.7 | 12.8 | -22.1% |
| 10 | Springfield, Mo. | 45.6 | 11.8 | -15.4% |
"Wintry weather creates hazards as we go about our holiday errands and get-togethers, but it's also important to recognize that the year-round problem of drinking and driving spikes on New Year's Day," said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Jan. 1 is the deadliest day on the road for crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver, pedestrian or bicyclist. It's also the deadliest day of the year for passenger vehicle occupants. If you're celebrating with alcohol over the holidays, make the proper arrangements ahead of time to get home safely. And buckle up on every trip as more traffic brings more crashes of all kinds."
The U.S. Department of Transportation says that from March 2015 to February 2016 Americans drove 3.15 trillion miles, an increase of more than 3 percent over the previous 12 months and the largest year-to-year increase in over two decades.iv According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 35,000 roadway fatalities occurred last year, the highest count since 2008.v
Allstate's 12th annual America's Best Drivers Report® underscores the company's commitment to helping to make roads safer for its customers and other drivers. Using property damage claims reported between January 2013 and December 2014, the report ranks America's largest 200 cities by auto property damage claim frequency, to determine which cities have the safest drivers. Brownsville, Texas, also tops the list – followed by Kansas City, Kan., and Madison, Wis., in second and third respectively – when just considering claim frequency without precipitation.
Allstate's report also provides insight into braking habits in more than 100 cities across the country, using hard-braking data culled from Allstate's Drivewise® offering, an innovative technology that enables consumers to monitor their driving habits to improve safety and gain rewards.vi
Visit www.allstate.com/BestDriversReport for complete 2016 results. To help keep precipitation from causing a collision, Allstate offers these tips:
- Get your vehicle ready for extreme weather. Prepare yourself for dangerous situations. Ensure your headlights and brake lights are in working condition, along with your tires, heater, defroster, brakes and windshield wipers, and that you have enough windshield wiper fluid.
- Respect the weather. Take extra care if you encounter ice, snow, fog, rain or other dangerous weather conditions. Increasing following distance, traveling at slower speeds and accounting for the extra stopping time winter weather requires are all good ways to avoid collisions.
- Keep your full attention on the road. Make sure you're 100 percent focused on the road, especially with slick streets and potentially dangerous conditions.
- Stay calm in a skid. If your vehicle begins to slide or skid, don't panic. Look down the road in the direction you want to go and gently steer in that direction. Don't slam on the brakes. That will upset the vehicle's balance and make it harder to regain control. Instead, just release the accelerator until traction returns.
- Keep an emergency kit in your car. Make sure you have the tools you need to protect yourself, should a problem arise. Pack a kit with gloves, boots, blankets, flares, a brush, water, jumper cables, a flashlight and something for traction, such as sand or kitty litter.
- Make sure you are prepared for any roadside mishap or car failure. Download Allstate's Good Hands Rescue® app and get on demand roadside assistance when and where you need it from the Apple Store or Google Play Store, or via the mobile website at m.GoodHandsRescue.com.
Allstate also strongly urges drivers to plan ahead and always find a sober ride home before partaking in holiday festivities. If you see another person drunk, take their keys or report them to authorities if they are already on the road. For more tips, visit The Allstate Blog or contact an Allstate agent.
About IIHS
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the losses — deaths, injuries and property damage — from crashes on the nation's roads. The Institute is wholly supported by auto insurers.
Molly Crusen Bishop: Pioneers and Log Cabins
- Details
- Published on 22 December 2016
- Written by Molly Crusen Bishop
The census of 1810 said the Illinois territory had a population of around 12,000 people. At the time Illinois was an undeveloped land with the indigenous people and a few French and other immigrant settlers.
Illinois had a very harsh climate with limited resources and supplies for folks relocating to the western portion of the country at that time.
The War of 1812, in the Illinois territory, featured battles between U.S. soldiers, settlers, and Native Americans that changed the landscape and population of Illinois drastically. The indigenous Native Americans were left as a non-threat to the pioneers who soon headed to the middle and northern parts of Illinois in droves. There were later skirmishes called the Winnebago War of 1827, and the Black Hawk War of 1832, permanently leaving Illinois a place for pioneers to settle safely.
Pioneers coming in the early 1800s came west in wagons and sometimes owning tents. Food was scarce, salt supplies were low, and medical care was pretty much non-existent. There were barely any mills of any kinds, but the land was healthy prairies, forests and fertile river valleys, which obviously a draw to the new settlers.
They owned oxen or horse drawn wagons, and they literally used the North Star to guide them through the wilderness. They packed everything they owned inside the wagons, including their children. They would have to unhitch their animals to let them graze, and prepare meals on a campfire, all these arduous. The berries found by chance would have been collected in wooden pails, and preserved in earthen jars.
Illinois was made a state in 1818 and by 1820 its population topped 55,000. Peoria County was established in 1825, having very few inhabitants and just a handful of random structures made from logs. Downtown Peoria was a lot of marshland, as well.
On Christmas day in 1833, a man named Isaac Underhill came to Peoria and landed by boat on the edge of the Illinois River. He stayed at a miniature two-story wooden building at the corner of Main and Washington Streets called the Peoria Hotel. Underhill stated that he saw seven framed houses and a few log tenements.
Underhill purchased several lots located on Washington Street for $40 per lot from one of the Peoria County Commissioners named Mr. Aquilla Wren.
The first Peoria county jail was built in 1834 and was also made of logs. It stood along an alley between Main and Hamilton Streets, and Monroe and Perry Streets. It was around sixteen feet square and was fourteen feet high.
The marshland areas were drained, bringing in experts on land draining, leaving them in a position of power and wealth. Real estate, agriculture, and later distilling and brewing also brought and made the wealthy in Peoria. The population of Peoria went from a little over 1,100 in the early 1840s to over 50,000 by the turn of the century in 1900.
Peoria’s settlers and pioneers developed a tiny pioneer village with wooden structures and log cabins into a boomtown along the Illinois River, with mansions built all over downtown Peoria, and later up along the West and East Bluffs.
In the next few articles I will tell some of the stories of the indigenous Native Americans, and the pioneers and immigrants. That will include the story of Mr. Isaac Underhill.
Survey: There's no place like home for the holidays
- Details
- Published on 21 December 2016
- Written by The Peorian
More than two-thirds of Americans believe there's no place like home for the holidays, according to a new survey from TD Bank.
The 2016 TD Bank Holiday Giving Report showed 67.1 percent of those surveyed said they would rather spend the holidays with extended family than at a resort with a partner or close friends (32.9 percent). The survey was of 1,502 U.S. respondents aged 18 to 65+ via Google Surveys.
The survey also found that the spirit of holiday giving is alive and well. More than half of those surveyed (56.5 percent) reported that they engage in some form of charitable activity over the holidays, including:
- Volunteering as a family (9.2 percent)
- Donating some of the children's gifts (9.9 percent)
- Shopping for charitable gifts as a family (15.9 percent)
- Donating while shopping (21.9 percent)
In fact, only around one-third of respondents (36.3 percent) said they don't engage in any form of charity during the holidays.
"I find it heartwarming to see how many Americans believe in giving back to those in need," said Michael Carbone, regional president at TD Bank. "This is a core conviction I share with TD Bank and my own family. I firmly believe that charity should begin at home and be a full-family affair."
Gifting on the wane – except for millennials
Holiday décor may hit shopping malls earlier each year, but that's not translating into universal gift giving. In fact, nearly one in three respondents across all age groups (32.1 percent) said they don't buy holiday gifts.
Despite being saddled with student loans, millennials appear to be the most generous of the lot: Fewer than one in four (23.7 percent) said they don't purchase holiday gifts.
Nonetheless, the vast majority of respondents still receive holiday gifts. Fewer than one in five respondents across age groups (19.5 percent) said they don't receive holiday gifts. And for those gregarious millennials, only 14.5 percent go without.
What to do with those unwanted gifts
Marking another win for charitable giving: More than a quarter of respondents across age groups (25.5 percent) said they donate their unwanted gifts to charity. Here are other ways respondents deal with unwanted gifts:
- 20.2 percent secretly return unwanted gifts
- 18.9 percent re-gift
- 16 percent keep the gifts to display when the gift-giver visits (this number jumps to 26.8 percent for respondents aged 18 to 24).
There's more good news for those who fear material excess: Many families appear to be striking the right balance when it comes to how much to give their children over the holidays. Nearly half of respondents across age groups (46 percent) said the kids in their families receive just the right amount of gifts (the percentage jumps to 64.2 percent for those aged 18 to 24). Nonetheless, more than a third of respondents (36.3 percent) indicated that gift giving is over the top, while 17.7 percent don't exchange gifts at all.
"I come from a large extended family; my son tended to get a lot of gifts growing up," said Carbone. "That's why we've developed a family tradition. Each of us selects at least one of our gifts to donate to charity. I'm delighted to see that so many Americans agree that the holidays are not just about giving, but giving back."
About the Survey
TD Bank surveyed 1,502 U.S. respondents aged 18 to 65+ via Google Surveys. The survey was conducted across Google's network of news, reference and entertainment sites, providing free access to respondents in exchange for free access to premium content and credits for Google Play.
42 Million Americans Face Hunger This Holiday Season
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- Published on 22 December 2016
- Written by PRNewswire
Families and friends will gather across America in the days to come to celebrate the holiday season and to look forward to the new year of 2017. But for the 42 million people in our nation who face hunger—including 13 million children—the holidays are often a struggle.
Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, distributes meals to more than 5 million people each week through a network of 200 food banks that provide food and groceries to 60,000 food pantries, soup kitchens and other emergency feeding sites.
Feeding America wants everyone to consider nine facts about hunger in America:
- 1 in 9 children in North Dakota face hunger. Sadly, North Dakota has the lowest incidence of child food insecurity in the United States. (Map the Meal Gap 2016)
- 1 in 8 Americans lack consistent access to adequate amounts of nutritious food. (USDA, Household Food Security in the United States 2016)
- 1 in 7 Americans live at or below the federal poverty level, $24,250 for a family of four. (U.S. Census Bureau)
- 1 in 6 children in the U.S. are identified as food insecure. (USDA)
- 1 in 5 households that receive SNAP benefits (formerly food stamps) have no other household income of any kind. (USDA)
- Feeding America will distribute the equivalent of more than 4 billion meals to low-income Americans this year.
- 3 million households in rural America struggle with hunger. (Map the Meal Gap 2016)
- Nearly 2 million people spend more than 8.4 million hours each month volunteering at a food pantry, soup kitchen or other agency served by the 200 food banks that are part of the Feeding America network.
- Every single $1 donated to Feeding America will help us provide the equivalent of 11 free meals. Every $1 donated to Feeding America helps us provide 11 free meals to people at risk of hunger during the holidays and year-round. Find out how you can help by visiting feedingamerica.org.
About Feeding America
Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Survey: Having kids adds to enjoyment - and stress- of the holidays.
- Details
- Published on 21 December 2016
- Written by The Peorian
More than half (56 percent) of parents put too much pressure on themselves to make the holidays perfect and nearly a third (29 percent) say their 'Polar Express' runs out of steam before the holidays arrive, finds a new survey of parents.
The survey conducted by 360 Public Relations and Mom Generations found that while nine in 10 parents look forward to the holidays and say they enjoy them more now that they have children, three-quarters of parents report that having kids in the picture makes the holidays more stressful.
The Holiday Highs and Lows
We all have that crazy uncle or aunt. Still, spending time with family is what parents like best about the holidays. That's followed by decorating, spending time with friends, holiday parties and cooking/baking.
What are the most stressful parts of the holidays for parents?
Try shopping, traveling, entertaining, cooking/baking and the overwhelming number of school events.
Managing Holiday Stress
Parents surveyed employ some key strategies to manage holiday season stress, among them starting early.
More than one-quarter (28 percent) of parents report getting an early jump on the holidays, with 57 percent making their shopping and other lists in early fall; for some, even before back-to-school time. Very few parents (less than 3 percent) say they don't make lists.
When all else fails, parents bring out the eggnog: a full half (50 percent) of parents report drinking more during the holidays.
How can brands help?
"As a working mother of three young boys, I know first-hand how stressful the holidays can be – from the myriad of school events, to last-minute shopping, cooking and late-night wrapping," said Caroline Pierce, director of 360PR's MomSquad. "Brands can quickly become holiday heroes by listening and providing solutions to parents, not simply adding to the clutter, and by enabling and accentuating more moments of pure joy and family fun."
With only one percent of parents reporting that they enjoy shopping during the holidays, it's imperative for retailers and brands to transform the holiday shopping experience to one that's more fun and easier.
Offering simple short-cuts (free gift-wrapping, for example), rewards (a gift-with-purchase just for mom and dad – after all, parents have wish lists, too), and resources to help parents get and stay organized (leveraging social media) are all potential wins for brands.
Shopping and Social Media
Millennial moms have 3.4 social media accounts and spend 17.4 hours per week on their social channels, on average. Three quarters of parents report that Facebook is the social media platform they use most frequently, followed by Instagram (16.6 percent).
Survey Methodology
"A Parent Perspective on the Holidays" survey was conducted online with 300 U.S. parents of children ages 0-18. 360 Public Relations designed and fielded the survey in collaboration with Mom Generations during the period August-November 2016.
