Crash Toll in Nebraska Likely to Hit 5-Year High

Nebraska’s highway safety administrator says the number of folks who died in Nebraska crashes in 2014 most likely will be the highest number in 5 years.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that as of the morning of Dec. 31, 2014, 221 men and women had died in crashes. That’s the highest number because the 223 in 2009. Due to the fact of the holiday, officials couldn’t give the final toll for 2014.

Nebraska highway safety administrator Fred Zwonechek says he expects the price of fatalities per million miles traveled may be reduced than last year, even so. He expects the miles driven to be greater than 2013 since fuel rates have dropped beneath $ 2 a gallon in some parts of Nebraska. Plus, mild weather for Christmas, Thanksgiving and Labor Day led to a lot more trips for people.

Copyright 2015 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material could not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Crash Toll in Nebraska Likely to Hit 5-Year High

Vehicle insurance coverage costs at two-year high

Vehicle insurance costs have hit a 2-year higher, according to MoneySuperMarket information.

Typical premiums are now at their highest levels because December 2012, following 3 months of steep increases.

It tends to make typical costs 10% far more pricey than they have been this time last year and £25 far more pricey than in October.

Even though the graph beneath shows a steady decline overall since March 2011, the price tag inflation in the last 3 months could signal greater prices next year.

Kevin Pratt, our insurance professional, said: “Motorists have benefited from competitive pricing in the insurance coverage market place lately, but it looks like low fees are a thing of the past, as motoring cover has been steadily creeping up because August this year.

“Premiums in November averaged out at £456, the highest we’ve noticed since December 2012 when premiums had been at £465. Premiums are 10% greater compared to this time last year, and are increasing rapidly – November saw an uplift of £25 from October.

“Although typical premium rates aren’t at the record levels we saw in the initial quarter of 2011, it is worrying that we have observed automobile insurance coverage premium inflation running at a greater level that we saw then. Nevertheless, according to our information, premium prices do rise towards the end of the year but if this inflation continues, we could see typical premiums break the £500 mark in 2015.”

As automobile insurance costs continue to rise, it is more crucial than ever to shop about for your cover, and guarantee you are receiving the ideal policy for your income.

Many drivers are getting stung on renewal charges, which are frequently much more costly than options on the industry, so it truly does pay to shop about for cover to find the ideal value cover for you. The average saving made by drivers using MoneySuperMarket is £237.

Vehicle insurance coverage costs at two-year high

Vehicle insurance coverage prices at two-year high

Car insurance coverage rates have hit a 2-year higher, according to MoneySuperMarket information.

Typical premiums are now at their highest levels because December 2012, following 3 months of steep increases.

It tends to make typical costs 10% a lot more high-priced than they had been this time last year and £25 much more costly than in October.

Although the graph below shows a steady decline all round because March 2011, the price inflation in the final 3 months could signal greater rates next year.

Kevin Pratt, our insurance specialist, stated: “Motorists have benefited from competitive pricing in the insurance coverage marketplace lately, but it appears like low expenses are a point of the past, as motoring cover has been steadily creeping up since August this year.

“Premiums in November averaged out at £456, the highest we’ve observed since December 2012 when premiums have been at £465. Premiums are 10% larger compared to this time last year, and are growing rapidly – November saw an uplift of £25 from October.

“Although average premium prices aren’t at the record levels we saw in the first quarter of 2011, it is worrying that we have observed auto insurance coverage premium inflation operating at a higher level that we saw then. Nonetheless, according to our information, premium costs do rise towards the finish of the year but if this inflation continues, we could see typical premiums break the £500 mark in 2015.”

As car insurance costs continue to rise, it is much more essential than ever to shop about for your cover, and ensure you’re obtaining the best policy for your cash.

Many drivers are being stung on renewal fees, which are often much more expensive than options on the marketplace, so it really does spend to shop around for cover to find the ideal value cover for you. The typical saving produced by drivers using MoneySuperMarket is £237.

Vehicle insurance coverage prices at two-year high

Vehicle insurance prices at two-year high

Car insurance prices have hit a 2-year high, according to MoneySuperMarket data.

Average premiums are now at their highest levels since December 2012, following 3 months of steep increases.

It makes average prices 10% more expensive than they were this time last year and £25 more expensive than in October.

Though the graph below shows a steady decline overall since March 2011, the price inflation in the last 3 months could signal higher prices next year.

Kevin Pratt, our insurance expert, said: “Motorists have benefited from competitive pricing in the insurance market recently, but it looks like low costs are a thing of the past, as motoring cover has been steadily creeping up since August this year.

“Premiums in November averaged out at £456, the highest we’ve seen since December 2012 when premiums were at £465. Premiums are 10% higher compared to this time last year, and are increasing rapidly – November saw an uplift of £25 from October.

“Although average premium prices aren’t at the record levels we saw in the first quarter of 2011, it is worrying that we have seen car insurance premium inflation running at a higher level that we saw then. However, according to our data, premium prices do rise towards the end of the year but if this inflation continues, we could see average premiums break the £500 mark in 2015.”

As car insurance prices continue to rise, it’s more important than ever to shop around for your cover, and ensure you’re getting the best policy for your money.

Many drivers are being stung on renewal costs, which are often more expensive than alternatives on the market, so it really does pay to shop around for cover to find the best value cover for you. The average saving made by drivers using MoneySuperMarket is £237.

Vehicle insurance prices at two-year high

Automobile insurance prices at two-year high

Auto insurance coverage costs have hit a 2-year higher, according to MoneySuperMarket data.

Average premiums are now at their highest levels given that December 2012, following 3 months of steep increases.

It makes average prices 10% a lot more high-priced than they had been this time final year and £25 a lot more costly than in October.

Even though the graph beneath shows a steady decline overall given that March 2011, the value inflation in the final 3 months could signal larger prices next year.

Kevin Pratt, our insurance expert, stated: “Motorists have benefited from competitive pricing in the insurance coverage industry lately, but it appears like low costs are a thing of the past, as motoring cover has been steadily creeping up since August this year.

“Premiums in November averaged out at £456, the highest we’ve noticed given that December 2012 when premiums have been at £465. Premiums are 10% higher compared to this time final year, and are increasing quickly – November saw an uplift of £25 from October.

“Although typical premium prices are not at the record levels we saw in the 1st quarter of 2011, it is worrying that we have observed car insurance coverage premium inflation running at a larger level that we saw then. Even so, according to our data, premium prices do rise towards the finish of the year but if this inflation continues, we could see average premiums break the £500 mark in 2015.”

As vehicle insurance coverage costs continue to rise, it’s far more essential than ever to shop around for your cover, and ensure you’re receiving the ideal policy for your funds.

Many drivers are becoming stung on renewal charges, which are usually a lot more expensive than options on the marketplace, so it genuinely does spend to shop about for cover to find the very best value cover for you. The average saving produced by drivers making use of MoneySuperMarket is £237.

Automobile insurance prices at two-year high

Honda Expands Airbag Recall Nationwide, Takata Tests Show High Defect Rates

Hiroshi Shimizu, Takata’s senior vice president of global quality assurance, testifies prior to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on December 3.

With Takata denying a federal request to recall more of its driver’s-side airbags, Honda has agreed to do so by expanding its regional recalls and calling all automakers to help a third-party audit that would speed up parts testing and properly determine the shrapnel-shooting airbags.

As of last Wednesday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had provided Takata till midnight last night to expand the recall and had pressured half of the 10 impacted automakers to do the exact same. Even though NHTSA maintains that passenger-side airbags do not pose a coast-to-coast dilemma, Takata senior vice president Hiroshi Shimizu rebuffed NHTSA’s claims that numerous million driver’s-side airbags now demonstrate a national safety threat.

“Based on the information we are collecting from the area, the data nevertheless support that we need to stay focused on the area with higher humidity,” Shimizu said in a hearing these days to the Residence Committee on Energy and Commerce.

To date, Takata has tested roughly 4000 inflators recovered from automobiles in “high humidity” regions of the south and Gulf Coast and mentioned that all of the about 400 driver’s-side inflators had performed as made. But of the remaining 3600 passenger-side inflators, Shimizu said that “less than 60″ had ruptured—which, at 1.67 percent of the sample, is a really high failure rate in manufacturing. NHTSA had sent a recall request to Takata final month right after a driver of a 2007 Ford Mustang outdoors of the regional recall was injured by a 2-inch metal shard. In the U.S., 4 folks have died from the defective Takata inflators—all of them in Honda vehicles—and at least 139 injuries have been reported across all automakers.

“The proof is the dilemma isn’t restricted to locations of absolute, high humidity,” NHTSA deputy administrator David Friedman mentioned at the hearing. Friedman mentioned he would pursue fines, which can run up to $ 7000 per day, if Takata does not comply with an expanded recall.

So far, only Toyota has seconded Honda’s request for outside testing but did not expand any of its recalls. Takata said it would kind an independent panel to scrutinize top quality checks, advocate very best practices at its facilities, and publish the outcomes at a later date. As element of NHTSA’s investigation, the organization has till December 5 to give the agency with specifics on its manufacturing processes and to reveal employee names who worked on the production line when the faulty airbags had been manufactured. All 10 automakers have also been ordered to submit test results from the regional recalls by December 5, therefore Honda’s cry for a group effort. Honda is under a separate investigation by NHTSA for omitting 1729 death and injury reports for much more than a decade, a dilemma the firm said right now was due to poor employee oversight, and for not specifically mentioning airbag-connected deaths and injuries in previous recalls.

In August, a 2007 Ford Mustang driver was injured by this 2-inch metal fragment from a faulty Takata airbag.

Despite months of testing—plus years of related investigations by Takata and Honda that stretch back to 2004—neither Takata nor the automakers have a definitive answer as to why the airbags are exploding shrapnel. Shimizu mentioned Takata is testing about 25 inflators per day and is at the moment on track to ship out 350,000 replacements per month and will ramp up to 450,000 by January. If every single automaker issues national airbag recalls, Takata has agreed to contract with suppliers Autoliv and Daicel to feed the demand.

Even though many of Takata’s present airbag inflators use the synthetic compound Tetrazole, Shimizu stated there was nothing unsafe about the ammonium nitrate utilized in the faulty inflators, only that “manufacturing processes and humidity handle in the plant” had triggered the difficulty. When Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) revealed comments from Takata engineers in 1999 who raised doubts about ammonium nitrate, which includes that it “predisposes this propellant to break apart” and that it could “blow up,” Shimizu stated he did not remember seeing them. Last month, a Takata official said the replacement airbag inflators had a revised chemical compound but have been still based on ammonium nitrate. Shimizu said the replacements have the identical propellant as prior to.

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“I’m really confident that items on the present production line ought to operate as created and are protected,” Shimizu said.

With regard to allegations that company workers destroyed information following discovering faulty airbags in 2004, Shimizu denied there was “any secret test” and stated the organization did conduct tests at that time associated to a separate difficulty in which airbag cushions have been tearing on BMW models.

Honda Expands Airbag Recall Nationwide, Takata Tests Show High Defect Rates

Crash-for-cash scams at record high

Think about you’re driving the young children to college when the vehicle in front suddenly slams on its brakes.

There is absolutely nothing you can do to keep away from a collision, so you crash into the back of the automobile. Of course, it could be a genuine accident. Possibly the driver stopped speedily due to the fact a dog ran into the road.

But the accident could also be deliberate – a so-known as ‘crash for cash’.

Deliberate accidents are at an all-time high, up by 51% final year.

Organised gangs are driving the improve in crash-for-money situations. So far this year, insurer Aviva reports a 21% rise in organised fraud more than 2013. The insurer now has much more than 6,500 suspicious injury claims linked to identified fraud rings.

Crash-for-money fraudsters deliberately result in accidents, usually so they can claim compensation for whiplash.

So, the auto in front will all of a sudden slam on its brakes. Or it might accelerate away from site visitors lights or a pedestrian crossing only to then brake sharply.

Some criminals even disconnect their brake lights so you get small or no warning that they are about to cease.

‘Flash for cash’ is a much more recent phenomenon. Here, fraudsters flash their headlights at an innocent driver, apparently to let the vehicle out of a junction, or petrol station.

They will then speed up to result in a crash and blame the unwitting motorist.

Organised gangs choose their targets with care. They want to meet with as little resistance as feasible so they tend to pick on mums with youngsters in the auto and older drivers.

Some areas are also much more hazardous than other people. Birmingham and Luton are the UK’s crash for cash hotspots, according to Aviva.

North London is in third place.

In the past, Manchester was awarded the dubious honour of the number one slot, but it has dropped to 4th position soon after a number of effective prosecutions in the region.

An instance was a case earlier this week when 2 men had been jailed for their component in a scam which involved a vehicle braking sharply in front of a bus, with a clutch of bogus whiplash claims totaling £500,000 made by bus passengers as a consequence.

As well as the danger of genuine injury or worse, crash-for-money also hurts our pockets.

Fraud adds an estimated £400 million to the cost of automobile insurance coverage, or around £14 to every motor premium.

Fraudulent motor claims detected in Birmingham postcodes alone totalled more than £4.7m via August this year, so you can see the size of the difficulty.

Insurers want the government to take into account treating minor whiplash injuries with rehabilitation, as an alternative of money compensation.

Tom Gardiner, Head of Claims Fraud for Aviva’s UK and Ireland Basic Insurance coverage enterprise, said: “The fight against fraud begins with an successful deterrent. In addition to much more prosecutions and stronger sentences, we need to take away the monetary incentive for minor whiplash claims.

“We are asking the government to consider compensating quick-term whiplash with rehabilitation, as an alternative of money. Would crash for cash exist if there was no funds in it? We don’t consider so.”

• Remain vigilant. Keep alert and hold your distance from the vehicle in front.


• Be particularly watchful at roundabouts and slip roads.


• If you notice that the brake lights on the car in front don’t function, remain cautious.


• You need to also be suspicious if the auto in front slows down or speeds up for no apparent cause.


• Be wary, also, if the passengers seem unduly interested in you and your auto as they may well be searching for a very good time to induce an accident.


• A auto with obvious harm to the rear is one more inform-tale sign.


• If you are involved in an accident that you suspect is fraudulent, get in touch with the police right away and don’t admit liability to the other driver, passenger or anyone else.


• Note down the make, model and registration quantity of the other car as nicely as the time, date, place and climate situations.


• Note the complete name, address, date of birth and gender of the driver and passengers and the number of passengers in the other automobile, which includes their positions in the automobile.


• Record the names and speak to information of any independent witnesses.


• Take photographs or a video if you can, capturing any damage – or lack of it – to the other vehicle.


• It’s also worth noting regardless of whether the driver of the other vehicle or any passengers complain of injury.


• Some fraudsters are tutored by organised gangs, so you may well be on your guard if they seem overly prepared or read from a script.


• Do not neglect to contact your insurer immediately right after the accident to advise them of any suspicions.

Best 10 postcodes for ‘crash for cash’ by number of accidents:

1. Birmingham (B)


2. Luton (LU)


3. North London (N)


4. Manchester (M)


5. Leeds (LS)


6. Uxbridge (UB)


7. Harrow (HA)


8. North West London (NW)


9. Bradford (BD)


10.  Slough (IG)

Crash-for-cash scams at record high

Volvo Cars reveals 330 kW High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept

450 Horsepower Drive E

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• Triple Boost Technology takes Volvo’s 4-cylinder Drive-E Powertrain petrol engine to 330 kW (450 BHP)

Following the successful introduction of Volvo’s Drive-E Powertrain range in 2013, Volvo’s powertrain team once again demonstrates its technological leadership in emissions-reducing turbo technology.

“When we launched the Drive-E powertrain family, our aim was to deliver the most advanced 4-cylinder engines in the industry based on emissions and fuel consumption relative to performance and drivability. We knew that the 242 kW in our petrol configuration was just a starting point. The 330 kW High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept, demonstrates this ambition and the versatility of the Drive-E Powertrains,” says Dr. Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at Volvo Car Group.

The 330 kW High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept is based on a set of technologies not usually found in a 4 cylinder engine. The engine utilizes 2 parallel turbochargers, which are fed by an electrically powered turbo-compressor. The compressed air from this unit, rather than being fed to the cylinders, is instead used to spool up the 2 parallel turbochargers. Fuel is fed by a dual fuel pump working at 250 bar pressure. With this kind of power density, this triple boost installation and unique fuel system, enables a very dynamic drivability without any turbo lag, compared to a mono-turbo.

“There are several high power small size applications where one large turbo is used to create a high level of power available from other manufacturers, but the driving experience suffers due to slow engine response. We felt that with our heritage of being among the first car companies to embrace and offer a broad range of turbo technology since 1981, that we could improve this,” says Michael Fleiss, Vice President of Powertrain Engineering at Volvo Car Group.

The High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept attracted the attention and involvement of Volvo Cars suppliers AVL, Denso and Volvo Polestar Racing at an early stage, which allowed theories and technologies from racing applications to be infused in the development process.

“This was a very exciting project as we pioneered a combination of technologies in the same application, and the result is a quite unique engine with its high power yet quick response. Above all, its compact size improves weight distribution between the front and rear axle and lowers the centre of gravity – 2 factors that have a significant effect on the handling, whether it is a race car or a street car,” said Mattias Evensson, Race Engine Director at Volvo Polestar Racing.

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“It may sound odd, but this 330 kW powertrain concept is an important part of the Drive-E development program. Down-sizing must offer customers attractive and usable power for broad scale emissions reduction to work. By developing compact powertrains we free up space and weight in the structure of the car, which can be used for electrification and even further emissions reduction. And that is our ultimate ambition,” concludes Dr. Mertens.

In South Africa, Volvo’s new Drive-E engines have been introduced across the range.

More about Volvo Cars’ DRIVE-E powertrains

Volvo Cars’ Drive-E range of powertrains takes efficient driving pleasure to a new dimension in which output and efficiency – rather than the number of cylinders – determine the quality of performance.

Why the big fuss?

With Drive-E, Volvo’s outgoing 8 engine architectures are gradually being replaced by only 2: a 4-cylinder Drive-E petrol engine and a 4-cylinder Drive-E diesel. These 2 engines can be configured to meet the power / output needs of the entire Volvo range.

Volvo Cars’ powertrain experts have developed the engines in-house. They are being built at Volvo Car Group’s high-tech engine plant in Skövde, Sweden.

Drive-E stats and facts:

• Replaces 8 existing engine architectures in 3 platforms.


• These engines are fully developed, tested and produced by Volvo.


• Developed by Volvo in Gothenburg and manufactured in Skövde.


• One architecture prepared for 2 fuels (Petrol and Diesel) in 8 power derivatives


• New 8-speed Auto gearbox produced alongside the new engines


• Complies with all 2013-2017 emission legislations Worldwide


• Reduces fuel consumption by 15 – 35%


• Delivers powertrain weight savings of 30-50 kg

Prepared for electrification

The Drive-E engines are prepared for future electrification from the start. Key components, such as the Integrated Starter Generator, can be connected easily – and the compact size of the 4-cylinder engines means that the electric motor can be fitted in the front or rear of the vehicle. The battery pack will be located in the centre of the car.

Downsizing without compromises

Volvo Car Group is highly confident that the focus on 4-cylinder Drive-E powertrains is the right way to create the desirable blend of power, drivability and fuel efficiency.

*Descriptions and facts in this press material relate to Volvo Car Group’;s international car range. Described features might be optional. Vehicle specifications may vary from one country to another and may be altered without prior notification

 

 

#MADEFORYOU

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Volvo Cars reveals 330 kW High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept

Property investors at record high numbers

According to data from Australia’s largest mortgage broker AFG, property investors are well and truly behind the driving wheel, with a record 40.3% of home loans processed by AFG in September being on behalf of investors. The 40.3% figure is an increase on the previous all-time high proportion of 40.0% recorded in May this year.

AFG claim that strong overseas investor activity is contributing to this trend.

“With countries like Canada making it more difficult for overseas residents to invest in property, very strong demand from investors can be expected this spring,” said Mark Hewitt, AFG General Manager of Sales and Operations. “The concern however is for first home buyers. Historically, this segment has comprised around 15% of all the loans we process, but in recent months this figure has fallen into single digits.”

Indeed, AFG reports that first home buyers fell to a record low of just 8.4% of new home loans processed in September.

High investor demand is something firmly in the sights of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), with  Malcolm Edey, Assistant Governor (Financial System) commenting to the Senate Inquiry into Affordable Housing this week that strong growth in investor activity, which is significantly outpacing the growth in household incomes,  has contributed to the housing and mortgage market activity becoming unbalanced. The RBA is currently discussing with APRA steps that might be taken to reinforce sound lending practices, particularly for investor finance.

Stay tuned!

Property investors at record high numbers

Kentucky Mayor Attacks High Gas Costs by Opening City-Run Fueling Station, Gets Accused of “Socialism”

Proper as we’ve lost all faith in our leaders, the people operating Somerset, Kentucky, have proved that government can actually do some thing excellent for the folks it represents. In 2 words, here’s what they have accomplished: Inexpensive gas!

Somerset, situated about 130 miles southeast of Louisville, refurbished a shuttered municipal gas station and opened it to the public last Saturday. Following complaints from some of the city’s 11,000 residents about unfairly higher gas rates in the course of the summer, Mayor Ed Girdler decided to run his own station. City officials told the Related Press that gas stations in surrounding regions have usually been charging 20 to 30 cents much less per gallon and that a city-run gas station would bring far more individuals to Somerset, which draws vacationers heading to Lake Cumberland. Nearly immediately right after the Somerset Fuel Center opened with a $ 3.36-per-gallon cost, the key private gas stations a half-mile away reduce rates by about 10 cents to try to match it.

The 10 pumps—all regular grade, plus a single for compressed natural gas—are owned and operated by Somerset and the prices set by the mayor’s workplace. To keep charges low, the fuel comes from a nearby refinery, there’s no candy for sale and no bathrooms, and the 10 attendants (to deal with money) are city personnel on rotation from other departments. The city spent $ 75,000 to upgrade the pumps and set up credit-card machines, and that is it.

“We’re not placing anybody out of enterprise, we’re just attempting to lower costs,” station manager Melody Price tag told us. “Everyone out here is content.”

But although drivers adore it to the tune of 300 fill-ups per day, nearby gas station owners and petroleum groups are grumbling over the city’s power play, even crying “socialism.” Girdler says he does not care to make a profit and is charging only adequate to cover fees. But there’s no telling how low cost it’ll stay. As opposed to practically every other state, Kentucky’s gasoline excise tax varies with the average wholesale expense of fuel. Just this month, the tax shot up from 28.7 cents per gallon to 31.1 cents and probably will change again during the fall.

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Though a single tiny station in Kentucky is not exactly fodder for a Venezuelan-style government gas monopoly, it does raise questions about how—or if—municipalities can compete in private spaces. Count on the subsequent Somerset city-hall meeting to be packed.

Kentucky Mayor Attacks High Gas Costs by Opening City-Run Fueling Station, Gets Accused of “Socialism”