Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under. Child safety seats and safety belts, when installed and used correctly, can prevent injuries and save lives. Unrestrained children are more likely to be injured, suffer severe injuries and die in motor vehicle crashes than children who are restrained.

It is best advised to learn these safety tips for your child’s safety in every ride:

* Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip.
* Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a back seat. A back seat is generally the
safest place for a child to ride. While air bags can save lives, kids riding in the front seat can
be seriously injured or killed when an air bag comes out in a crash. Even with advanced air
bags or no air bags, the back seat is safer for children.
* Never put a rear-facing child in a front seat with an active frontal air bag.
* Choose the right child safety seat or safety belt for your child’s size and age. Make sure you
have the right seat for your child.
- Infants should ride in rear-facing safety seats as long as possible, until they are at least 12
months old and weigh at least 20 pounds.
- Children who are at least 1 year old, weigh 20 to 40 pounds and can no longer ride in
rear-facing seats should ride in forward-facing child safety seats.
- Children over 40 pounds should be correctly secured in belt-positioning boosters or other
appropriate child restraints until the adult lap and shoulder belts fit correctly, usually around
age 8.
- Once the vehicle safety belts fit children, both lap and shoulder belts should be used
correctly.
* Install and use your child safety seat or safety belt according to the manufacturer’s
instructions and your vehicle owner’s manual.
* Ensure your child safety seat has not been recalled.

Source: Passenger Safety

1. Ensure that all accessible external doors and windows are fitted with locks and the keys removed and hidden from view. This is a basic security measure, especially in places where you’re new and anybody can just break in your room.

2. Check with the landlord that previous tenants no longer have any keys. The previous tenants might come back and just enter without your permission. They might not have clean intentions. To avoid this, make sure that they had surrendered their keys to the landlord.

3. If in shared accommodation check the room door can be locked. It might not be safe with many people in one building. And it’s not always safe when you’re sharing your accommodation with someone you’ve just met. Privacy also comes into play, and a lock on your door may just help.

4. Join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme and meet the neighbours. If there are any on your new place, join them! Other than being a great way to meet new people and make new friends, you’ll also be able to keep up with the different dangers in the area and security measures to employ.

5. Arrange for a friend to visit the property regularly if you are away to remove any mail and put it in a safe place. Don’t forget to provide them with a contact number. If you have to go somewhere, like go back home to your parents’ house for an occasion, have your friend take care of things for a while. It’s important that people will think that there is still someone present in the property to avoid burglary and break-ins.

6. Check outside lighting does work and leave lights on in the house during darkness using a suitable timing device. Lighting and timing devices have proven to be a burglar’s enemies.

7. Remove any valuables from show and put in a safe place, hidden from view. If you don’t them stolen, then better to keep it hidden safely.

8. Whenever you leave your home always lock all doors, even if it’s only for a couple of minutes. Don’t think that a few minutes isn’t enough for a burglar.

9. If the property has a garden, check access is secure. Burglars sometimes use the garden as a hiding place. Check whether anyone can possibly use the garden as a tool for hiding and check for any entrance and exits.

10. Ensure you have the household insurance policy details and a contact number handy in case a claim has to be made. Check in detail what the insurance covers in the likely situation that belongings will be stolen.

Source: Easier Finance

The device, half the size of a cigarette pack, can be wired into anything that moves - truck, car, shipping container - to head off nearly every conceivable type of disaster.
It can be programmed to stop a drunk or unauthorized driver from starting a vehicle, for example, or detect and shut down a truck that has been hijacked, locking the thief inside and alerting its owners.

Powered by GPS tracking, wireless communication, and a Linux-based operating system, Astrata is the brainchild of Martin Euler and Tony Harrison, a British accountant and an Irish technology executive, respectively, who bet that the need for tracking and security devices would grow exponentially after 9/11.

Course correction
Astrata can detect a gasoline tanker that veers one block off its route, thwarting attempts to use it as a bomb. Security giant Group 4 Securicor puts it in armored cars in Indonesia.
Driver ID system
Astrata can be programmed to start only after the driver passes a breathalyzer test and presses a thumb for identification. A video camera can record the driver’s activities. Singapore’s Civil Defense Force is using the camera and thumb ID system in its hazmat trucks.
Speed tracker
Once Astrata detects a stolen (or speeding) vehicle, it can slow it to 5 mph or stop it completely. One commercial client uses the device to monitor how fast its truck drivers are going and how aggressively they drive. The box also tracks when the trucks are moving, so drivers can’t pad overtime claims or moonlight with company property.
Instant holding cell
Doors and windows can be locked remotely, trapping would-be terrorists, thieves, or reckless drivers inside. The device can also be programmed to flash hazard lights, blare the horn, notify headquarters, and summon police.

Source: Business 2.0 Magazine

Identity thieves are targeting your car. Follow these simple tips to be protected.

1. Pay for Extra Driver Training
If you can afford it, consider investing in additional behind-the-wheel driver education for your teen. As we discussed in our third installment, the state of driver’s ed in the United States is absolutely deplorable and shows no sign of improving. There are a lot of reasons for this, not the least of which is the absence of a national standard. Instead, each state makes its rules. Because of this, there is a wide disparity in the quality of driver training from state to state. We specifically recommend an “active” setting (where your child actually gets behind the wheel and drives) versus a classroom setting, since the latter is mainly book learning, while the former teaches your child the real-world driving dynamics of an automobile. There are a number of racing schools and low-cost programs around the country.

2. Have Your Child Drive You Crazy
Well, not literally. What we mean here is, once your child receives her learner’s permit, have her drive everywhere possible — to the store, school, the bowling alley, wherever — with you in the passenger seat, of course. It’s crucial that your child gets as much “wheel” time as possible before going off on her own. Remember, nothing gives a better understanding of the dynamics of a motor vehicle than repeated exposure to the actual driving experience.

3. Talk to Your Child as You Drive
Continuing the theme above, communicate with your child as you travel together. Turn off the radio and talk to him about safety hazards you encounter along the way. Remember this one point: By the time your teen reaches driving age, you’ve most likely been driving him around for 15-plus years; you have much to impart. Remember, too, that body language and hand signals can be as effective as spoken directions. For instance, if you see a car nosing out of a driveway, a simple gesture in that direction can alert your teen driver to the potential danger. Also, remind yourself of the safety hazards you notice in your own driving, and communicate these to your child as you travel. Some common themes: watching downhill speed, spotting trouble ahead, braking sooner rather than later. Remind your child that defensive driving is all about anticipation.

4. Don’t Rant, Yell, Scream or Shout — Until You Get Home
As much as you may want to, it’s best not to overreact while on the road with your teen driver. Wait until you get home. Then you can yell all you want. Seriously, there’s a safety reason for this. Studies have shown that an emotionally charged conversation compromises driving performance, reducing attention span and increasing distraction. If your child does something wrong on the road, make a mental note to discuss it when you get home, or, if you find the infraction serious enough, have her pull over and take over the driving for her. Whatever you do, do not yell or rant at your child while she drives. This could be dangerous for both of you.

5. Review Your Driving Session
Along these same lines, consider a brief review of the day’s driving once you return home. As gently and calmly as possible, discuss potential problems and solutions, dangers you encountered on the road and things to pay attention to in future trips.

6. Meet Your Child’s Traveling Companions
The social aspects of teen driving cannot not be underestimated. The sudden freedom of mobility acts like an elixir to some teens. Be sure to monitor your child’s comings and goings, doing the best you can to keep track of his companions. A number of factors influence teen driver safety. Besides the usual culprits of drugs and alcohol, other issues, such as speeding, bravado and failure to wear seatbelts, account for thousands of lost teen lives every year. Equally significantly, a recent study found that a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers was three times as likely to die in a fatal wreck than one driving alone.

7. Remind Your Teen Driver About the Risks
Be the most annoying parent you can be. Remind your child frequently of the inherent dangers of operating a motor vehicle with anything less than 100 percent concentration. Insist that she not operate a car while drunk or high — and, equally important, that she not ride with a driver similarly intoxicated. If necessary, make yourself available for emergency pick-ups.

8. Choose a Safe Car
The type of car your teen driver operates can be a matter of life and death. Choose one in good working condition, with solid crash test scores and a strong record for reliability. If shopping for a used car, closely inspect tires and brakes, belts and hoses, and other systems that can influence the safety or dependability of the vehicle.

9. Ride Periodically with Your Teen
Continue to ride with your teen driver from time to time, reviewing safety tips and monitoring his driving skills. Bad habits can crop up at any time, but are especially prevalent in the beginning years of driving. Best to nip them in the bud. Frequent, ongoing drive-alongs are the best way to keep tabs on a teen driver’s progress. Remember that the first few years are absolutely crucial in establishing solid driving habits, which can then lead to a lifetime of safe driving.

10. Have Your Child Share Insurance and Other Costs
Since driving is a privilege and not a right, consider having your child share in the cost of operating the vehicle. This will not only teach her responsibility, but will also give her a dawning realization that nothing is free. It might also translate into better driving skills.

Source: Teen Driver Safety Series Part Five from Edmund.com

- The “Freight” hijacking - which a commercial vehicle is hijacked, is not only to secure the vehicle, but also its cargo, which can be of substantial value. Frequently, the cargo is of more interest to the hijacker than the truck.

- The “Transport” hijacking - which the vehicle is taken for the express purpose of using as transport during other crimes such as drug trafficking, burglaries, bank robberies and gun running. The vehicles are probably later cannibalised for spare parts or simply dumped.

- The “Showmanship” hijacking - in which a gang operates out of egotistical bravado, acting on the “this is a cool thing to be doing” rationale. Peer group pressure is very high and individuals may be coerced into more dangerous and daredevil approaches, being labelled as a ‘sissy’ if they do not. Thus intimidation, violence and vandalism is associated with the crime.

- The “Operational” hijacking - which a group formally work together in a more structured way. They usually have experience in car theft and have established contact within the motorcar underworld who will receive and pay cash for stolen vehicles or spare parts. They also often have information with regards to the international black market, e.g. The movement of stolen cars into South Africa’s neighbouring states.

- The “Syndicate” hijacking - which is the most organised of all and often has international connections. A network of hijacking groups is established with the overall co-ordinator syndicating out work so that he remains out of view in exactly the same way as the “drug barons” use pushers. This makes identifying and arresting the ultimate boss very difficult.

Additionally, a syndicate is often backed by a lot of money, especially if there are international links and makes full use of any potential to bribe the authorities in order to protect their operations.

Source: Hijacking

A short summary of statistics from the CDC:

* In the U.S. during 2004, 4,767 teens ages 16 to 19 died of injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes. During 2005, nearly 400,000 motor vehicle occupants in this age group sustained nonfatal injuries severe enough to require treatment in an emergency department (CDC 2006).

* The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash (IIHS 2006).

* In 2005, teenagers accounted for 10 percent of the U.S. population and 12 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths (IIHS 2006).

* The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers; the risk increases with the number of teen passengers (Chen 2000).

FACTORS ENDANGERING TEEN DRIVERS

Inexperience Though this may seem obvious on its face, it bears repeating. Young drivers simply don’t have the behind-the-wheel experience necessary to understand the dynamics associated with driving a motor vehicle. There’s a vast difference between riding in the passenger seat and being behind the wheel. Generally, when it comes to driving, age and experience lends a certain “street-savviness” to the endeavor. (Although this is not always the case. We see examples on the freeway almost every day of “seasoned” drivers who could use a refresher course.)

Bravado In the Shakespeare play “Henry the Fourth, Part I,” there’s a minor character called Hotspur. Hotspur, as his name implies, has a very short fuse — he’s always running around getting into other people’s faces, challenging them to duels, that sort of thing. He’s the embodiment of callow youth.

Something similar occurs when a young person gets behind the wheel of a car. They think they can slay any dragon, crush any obstacle. Young people are like that, which is why generals send them off to war to serve as cannon fodder. While this may be desirable on the battlefield, it’s dangerous behind the wheel of a car.

Speeding and Racing Teen drivers also have a tendency to drive too fast. This, combined with inexperience and bravado, sometimes leads them to make poor driving decisions.

Drugs and Alcohol As if things aren’t risky enough on our highways and byways, young drivers often mix alcohol and drugs with their driving. Consider the following:

In 2001, 26 percent of 16-20 year-old drivers fatally injured in crashes had blood alcohol concentrations of .08 percent or more. While teen substance abuse has been a concern for decades, mixing it with motor vehicles has particularly lethal side effects. It’s dangerous enough for teens to ingest substances that alter perception and reaction times; doing it behind the wheel of a car is almost suicidal. Statistics indicate that this activity shows some signs of abating, but the numbers are still too high.

No seatbelts Almost equally suicidal is the refusal to wear seatbelts. According to NHTSA, approximately 41 percent of young people who die in passenger vehicle crashes are not wearing seatbelts. Whether this harkens back to the “invulnerable youth” illusion or some other misapprehension of reality, it’s impossible to change Newton’s laws. An object in motion tends to remain in motion — i.e., if you’re not belted during an accident event you will go through the windshield.

On this point, we at Edmunds.com wish to issue a plea to all parents. The surest way to prevent your child from dying in an automobile accident is to be a good example and buckle your own seatbelt. They will follow suit. Children, like most human beings, learn through imitation.

Choice of Vehicle Because most young people have fewer resources than more mature Americans, they often drive older cars that may lack some of the latest safety equipment — airbags, ABS, traction control and the like. This makes them more vulnerable in accident situations. Second, because their vehicles are older, they may have more service issues that compromise their safety, such as worn brakes, tired shocks, bald tires, and so on. Lastly, to save money, young people often choose economy boxes and small pickups, which have smaller crumple zones and fewer safety features.

Too many passengers This last point is frequently overlooked, but has drawn attention recently. In a new study conducted by Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, researchers discovered that the risk of deadly accidents among young drivers rose sharply with each additional passenger.

The study, which looked at the driving habits of 16- and 17-year-old drivers, revealed a strong correlation between the number of passengers in a car and the risk of a fatal wreck. For example, a 16 year old with three or more passengers faces nearly three times the risk of a fatal wreck as one driving alone.

The study also found that young drivers are much more likely to engage in dangerous activates — drinking or using drugs, speeding, swerving, running red lights — when in the presence of their peers.

So serious is this correlation that several states, with California leading the way, have instituted passenger limits for young drivers. In the Golden State, for example, 16- and 17-year-old drivers must wait six months before legally carrying teen passengers.

Source: Teen Driver Safety Series from Edmund.com