Auto Insurance Company's Study Finds Under 30s Using iPods While Driving, Increasing Risk

A press release from the Australian auto insurance company NRMA Insurance about a recent research study finds that nearly half of all drivers under 30 use mp3 players, such as iPods, while driving.

The insurer claims that searching for songs or adjusting playlists can make the devices more distracting than a CD player or radio. NRMA recommends creating playlists beforehand, so you're focused on the road instead of on choosing tracks. 

Worst of all, 17% actually wear headphones when they're driving! Doing so makes it extremely likely that they won't hear traffic signals or even emergency sirens. Being distracted for as little as one second can result in a car accident causing bodily injury, death, and/or skyrocketing auto insurance premiums.

Although the research was done in Australia, I would expect these statistics to be similar in the United States and other similar cultures, given the general risk-taking of many young drivers worldwide.

Affordable Health Care Resources for Uninsured

The Orlando Sentinel recently highlighted community health care clinics, which provide health care services to the uninsured. Otherwise, many of these individuals would either go to the emergency room for minor ailments or go without treatment entirely.

Most clinics either treat all comers for free, or charge fees on a sliding scale depending on the patient's income. The clinics are run either by private groups or by state or county governments. They tend to serve a role similar to a family doctor, handling minor illnesses or primary care. Care that requires a specialist (e.g. mental health treatment, vision and dental care) , however, is far harder to come by for the uninsured. And people with chronic, life-threatening conditions such as cancer are in an even worse state, because there is only so much the clinic can do.

Clinics often serve a limited number of patients per day and have long waiting lists for care. If at all possible, finding basic coverage with low health insurance rates is ideal. However, free health clinics are a good resource in the mean time.

MassMutual Offers Free Life Insurance in Vermont

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) has expanded its free LifeBridge program to Vermont residents. It offers $50,000 in life insurance that would be paid into a fund for the education of a person's children if the covered individual passes away.

Eligibility requirements:

• Must be a parent or legal guardian
• Earn under $40,000 per year
• Between the ages of 19 to 42

The life insurance money can be used for a variety of educational expenses, including college tuition, tutoring, pre-school fees, or other related expenses. Signups took place at local YMCA locations.

A total of 10,000 LifeBridge policies have been written throughout the country over the past seven years, and just six have been paid out. Therefore, it doesn't cost MassMutual a lot of money but gives them good press.