You'd likely panic, as did several motorists (along with everyone else in New York) on July 31, 2004. A five-car pileup resulted, and nearly five years later, the lawsuit against the tiger's trainer has finally been settled.

Josip Marcan will pay $935,000 to two drivers, an off-duty New York police detective and a Queens woman, who suffered serious back injuries during the event.

Benz. Smith says that she has proof that Burress' insurance expired three days before Burress rear-ended her vehicle. She is asking for $15,000 for medical bills, lost wages and damages to her car.

This month, Burress will be in court for another car problem. He reportedly leased a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche from a car dealer in exchange for appearing at publicity events, but the car dealer says Burress neither showed up to sign autographs nor returned the vehicle. On top of that, New York City police seized the car after Burress let someone else use it.

A jury will decide how much Burress will have to pay for damages to the vehicle.

“modern” while driving: reading a newspaper.

Earlier this month, an Anaheim woman was behind a driver she spotted reading the Wall Street Journal on the eastbound Santa Monica Freeway. Jessica Bradshaw wrote the rolling reader a letter, and it was published in the Los Angeles Times as follows:

"To the driver of license plate 5WS----:

"I saw you the other day on the 10 East, sir. I was behind you for close to five minutes wondering why on Earth you weren't keeping up with traffic, why your brake lights kept coming on, and why you didn't flinch when half a dozen people cut you off
It was when you swerved just a bit to the left, and then just a bit to the right that I became worried enough to pass, but the true horror of the situation didn't set in until I began making my way around you.

"You see, you were reading the Wall Street Journal. You may not remember the day, but I'm sure you remember the act, as it looked practiced enough.

"I had been wondering if you were on your phone or texting on a Blackberry or some such, but then the Wall Street Journal flapped across your windshield -- no wonder you kept such distance betwixt yourself and the cars in front (and pulling in front) of you -- and suddenly I was more afraid of you than of the possibility of another car-to-car shooting on an L.A. freeway.

"You were engrossed, sir, and as I made my way along the express putting distance between us, I caught sight of you a few more times in my rearview mirror, still reading your paper.

"When did our populace become so self-absorbed as to believe that the Journal is more important than the safety of others (regardless of your own investing habits, Mr. 5WS----) and so ridiculously overconfident to think we can safely navigate hundreds of pounds of steel while reading the paper/talking on the phone/texting our friends? You, sir, are a prime example of our American foolhardiness, with your utter disregard for your fellow man.

"Please, put down the paper . . . for the sake of every commuter on the 10 East."

* * *

We’re not sure if the offender saw the letter, but let this be a lesson to us all: keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.

Red cars are ticketed for speeding more often than non-red cars

Sure, it seems plausible. Red cars are flashier, thus attracting more attention of police officers, right? A St. Petersburg Times reporter once decided to conduct a study to find out. He tallied up the number of vehicles that passed through a certain spot at a certain time, took note of what color each vehicle was, then checked the police station’s stack of issued speeding tickets.

He found that the local vehicle population was made up of about 14 percent red cars, and they received about 16 percent of the tickets, which is fairly close. Gray cars, on the other hand, accounted for only 6 percent of the population, but received 10 percent of the tickets. Meanwhile, the 25 percent that were white cars only received 19 percent of the tickets.

Still, according to police across America, it’s not the color of the car, it’s how the driver is operating it. So whether you drive a red car or a striped-and-polka-dotted one, follow the traffic laws and you shouldn’t have to worry!

Thieves can break into cars with 'code-grabbers' that record keyless entry codes through signals in the airwaves

A few stories have circulated on the Internet about this one. Say you’re walking into the store and chirp-chirp, you lock your car with the button on your keychain. You return 10 minutes later to find that your mp3 player, laptop and cell phone charger are all gone! Strangely, there’s no evidence of forced entry, no broken glass and not a scratch or dent anywhere. Could this really happen?

Well, maybe, but don’t worry, we’ll explain.

First of all, if your car is mid-1990s or newer, you don’t have much to worry about. That’s because the keyless entry systems for those vehicles are technologically advanced enough to use random, rolling code, unlike earlier systems that used fixed codes. Thus, the chances of a thief being able to “grab” the code is virtually impossible.

However, it is true that a very determined thief with both the technology and time to crack a code could possibly do so. But he (or she!) would need a vast amount of knowledge about the system, and hours, maybe days, to create a similar device to steal your code. Not exactly the M.O. of an average parking-lot pilferer.

Obviously, a good way to prevent your car from being broken into is to use common sense and hide your valuables from plain sight.

Seat belts cause as many injuries as they prevent

This statement is a resounding FALSE. We’ve all seen movies in which someone is trapped and dies inside a burning vehicle because the seat belt won’t unbuckle, and of course, this unfortunately can happen.

Still, deaths by car fire (or by drowning in a car) are miniscule. Facts show that it is far safer to buckle up every time you get in a car. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

“Most crash fatalities result from the force of impact or from being thrown from the vehicle, not from being trapped. All studies show you are much more likely to survive a crash if you are buckled in. Ejected occupants are four times as likely to be killed as those who remain inside.”

And remember, in California, the fine for a seat belt violation is between $80 and $91, and up to $350 for not properly restraining a child under 16. So click it, or ticket!

NEW SURVEY FINDS BAD ECONOMY HAS MANY CONSIDERING CHANGES TO INSURANCE POLICIES
Homeowners Misinformed on Insurance Policies and Pondering Cuts

Westlake Village, Calif., Jan. 13, 2009 Many Americans are facing financial struggles and considering making changes to their insurance policies, according to a new national survey of homeowners by Trusted Choice® and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. Almost twenty-four percent of those surveyed, representing about 39 million homeowners, say they have made changes to their insurance coverage because of the troubled economy, leaving them vulnerable to serious financial loss.

Although a large percentage of homeowners are considering finding ways to cut insurance costs, they are also unaware of what their homeowner’s policy covers in the event that they rent their home or must leave the home unattended.
 
For the survey, respondents were asked if they had made or were considering making changes to their auto, home, life or health insurance policies. Sixty percent of households that had either made changes or were considering making changes, blamed the country’s current economic situation.

“It is imperative that homeowners understand their insurance needs and rights, but this survey shows that many don’t,” says Steve Brooks, founder and president of Brooks Insurance Services, Inc. in Westlake Village, a Trusted Choice® agency. “We advise they consult with their Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent to discuss their current policies and to ask questions when faced with difficult or temporary housing situations.”
 
“In tough economic times, people look for ways to trim household expenses, but cutting back on insurance coverage may leave them open to even bigger financial hardship. It is particularly dangerous to make these decisions without the help of an agent, because, as this research shows, many consumers do not fully understand their coverage,” adds Brooks.  

Look For the Sign of the Trusted Choice

Thousands of Trusted Choice® insurance agencies offer you a broad selection of insurance policies, companies and financial services, customization of coverages for home and business, and advocacy support. These firms are committed to providing excellent customer service. They also benefit from access to many leading insurance companies. We are proud to be a Trusted Choice® agency.

Steve Brooks Insurance Services, Inc. is a full service, Independent Insurance Agency, offering California Automotive Insurance, California Homeowners Insurance, as well as Renter, Condo and Earthquake coverage. We have access to the products and services of over 20 A+ Rated Insurance Companies.