Declarations

A gateway crime
“Research indicates that auto theft is a gateway crime that potentially leads adolescents to more destructive behavior. … This program explores the relationship among the parties involved when an auto theft occurs and the impact the theft has on the offender’s family and the individual victim, and the long term effect this illegal activity has on the community as a whole.”

— Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon commenting on a new program designed to educate middle and high school students about the consequences of auto theft. The program is sponsored by the Louisiana Automobile Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (LATIFPA), a division within the Department of Insurance. It is being made available to schools in areas where there are high rates of juvenile auto theft and auto-related criminal activities. Around 7,000 students will participate in the program in this school year.

Helmet or no helmet?
“If a truck pulls out in front of you and runs a stop sign, how is that helmet going to prevent an accident?”

— Steve Rector, state coordinator for ABATE Iowa, a motorcycle rights’ group, asked this question in response to recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board that states require motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Currently, 20 states require riders to wear protective helmets, Twenty-seven states only cover some riders, typically those under 21. In six states that repealed their universal laws beginning in 1997 — Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Florida and Pennsylvania — helmet use plummeted following the repeals. Louisiana reinstated its mandatory requirement in 2004. In 2006, motorcycle deaths increased for the ninth straight year in the U.S., to 4,810 motorcycle deaths, compared with 4,576 in 2005. AP

Cross-border trucking
“Mexican trucks and drivers must meet safety standards that in many respects are higher than the standards for their U.S counterparts. ”

— John Hill, head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration responding to a proposal by U.S. Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., to strip funding for a program that allows Mexican carriers full access to America’s roadways. The senators say there are no guarantees that Mexican trucks are safe. The program allows up to 100 trucks to travel anywhere in the U.S.

Working together
“I am extremely excited to see this settlement come to fruition…. It shows what the states can do working together in a collaborative effort to protect consumers and maintain a strong regulatory system.”

— Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Julie Benafield Bowman commenting on a settlement between United Healthcare Insurance and 36 states and the District of Columbia over alleged claims-payment services violations. Arkansas was one of the states leading the settlement negotiations. Under the settlement, United Healthcare will pay up to $20 million to the states; Arkansas stands to receive more than $224,000.

Topics Auto Louisiana Mexico Arkansas