The Nine Safest Cars

THE NINE SAFEST CARS
Every year the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety tracks driver fatalities in various car models. Shockingly, no driver was killed in a crash in a record nine (9) 2011 model-year vehicles!
The death rate for drivers of these cars is 0%:
Audi A4 4WD
Honda Odyssey Minivan
Kia Sorento 2WD
Lexus RX 350 4WD
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class 4WD
Subaru Legacy 4WD
Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4WD
Toyota Sequoia 4WD
Volvo XC90 4WD
But the worst vehicles had death rates of 46 or more per million miles. The Kia Rio, which had an overall death rate of 149, was the most deadly in this study.
IIHS has changed their crash testing to be more realistic. Most car accidents are not full on types where a car hit a wall squarely. Those spread the energy of the impact out much better, and people survive them more frequently.
However, in the newer so-called “offset crashes” the car hits a pole or a vehicle at an angle, concentrating the forces in a smaller area.  Car manufacturers like Toyota, Honda and Volvo have clearly stepped up to meet that challenge.
Deaths are falling across the board. For 2011 models, for example, there were 28 driver deaths per million miles, a huge decrease from 48 in 2008-2009 models.
With car safety increasing like this, it may be that accident lawyers may one day be out of work!

FIVE NEW YEAR’S (LEGAL) RESOLUTIONS

Here are five (5) LEGAL resolutions can help yourself and your family.

1.    Shoot a video. Make a videotape of all of your household goods, just by walking through the house and opening closets and attics. If you suffer loss due to tornado, fire, theft or earthquake (optional coverage) you can easily fill out claim forms. You will be housed in an apartment or hotel your insurance company places you in, and you can just play and pause the video. See Proverbs 27:23. Be sure to store the video with family or friends and not in your home!

2.    Buy more UM coverage. UM stands for Uninsured/Under-insured Motorists coverage. On your car, you should carry at least $100,000.00 of this coverage. It is very cheap, compared to what you may receive. It only pays you, your family or those in your car if they are injured or killed by an unknown, under-insured or uninsured motorist. See 1 Timothy 5:8. It is vital. If you do nothing else, do this.

3.    Check your credit. You can do this for free, courtesy of our government, once per year per agency at www.annualcreditreport.com.  And never co-sign!  See Proverbs 17:18. This credit check will help you spot identity theft and open cards you may have forgotten about.

4.    Check your house and land for hazards. Are there rotten trees overhanging your driveway? Do you have a good fence around your pool? Is your dog properly secured?  Are your steps solid, and your stair railings tight? Are there holes in your yard? Is there plenty of lighting available at night? If you have cattle, are your fences in good shape without overhanging limbs or unlocked gates? See Exodus 21:33. Even though you are not automatically liable for injuries on your property, an ounce of prevention stops most injuries.

5.     Do you have life insurance? Many do not. It is common for grief-stricken widows to have to work two jobs to pay the funeral off. Is that your plan for your loved ones? See Proverbs 13:22. Buy insurance, and term is usually cheapest.

These few pointers may make a real difference for you this year. And, they are not nearly as hard as a resolution to lose some weight!