Six of 13 small cars recently evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earn the TOP SAFETY PICK award, and none earn a poor rating in any of 4 tests. This is a turnaround from a few years ago when small cars struggled to earn top safety ratings. The new tests include hybrids and gasoline-only models that are among the most fuel-efficient vehicles available in the U.S. market.
The ratings are based on performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations. Cars that earn the top rating of good in each test and have available electronic stability control (ESC) qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK. Winners are the 2012 Ford Focus and Honda Civic, along with the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, Lexus CT 200h hybrid, Nissan Juke, and Toyota Prius hybrid. The Civic, CT 200h, Elantra, Focus, and Prius have at least one version with a government fuel economy rating of at least 40 miles per gallon on the highway. The Dodge Caliber, Honda CR-Z and Insight hybrids, Nissan Sentra and Versa, Scion xD, and Suzuki SX4 also were rated but didn’t earn TOP SAFETY PICK.
A good fit is easier than ever to find when shopping for a booster seat, new ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show.
A record 31 seats have been designated BEST BETS, meaning they correctly position a vehicle safety belt on a typical 4 to 8 year-old in almost any car, minivan, or SUV. Prices for these top-rated seats range from less than $15 to several hundred dollars.
Metcalf Institute for Marine & Environmental Reporting presented The Grantham Prize for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment to James Astill of The Economist at the 2011 Grantham Prize Awards Ceremony. Astill received US$75,000 for “The World’s Lungs: Forests, and How to Save Them,” a commanding 8-part special report on the state of global forests and the rising threats they face from human exploitation and climate change.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/grantham/51097/
Jewellery News Asia (JNA), main organiser of the JNA Awards, is confident of a strong turn-out for its inaugural event, with top leaders from the jewellery industry expected to make an appearance at the ceremony. Presented in collaboration with Headline Partners Rio Tinto and Chow Tai Fook and Honoured Partners The Israel Diamond Institute, KARP Group, Robert Wan Tahiti and Shanghai Diamond Exchange, the JNA Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, 20 September 2012, at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, during the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/57160-jewellery-news-asia-awards-ceremony
It’s an all too common tragedy: beloved pets lost or abandoned in the wake of a disaster. The Insurance Information Institute recommends that everyone have a disaster plan, but if you have pets, advance planning is key.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/insuranceinformationinstitute/51010/
Vehicles are doing a better job of protecting people in crashes, but a new crop of advanced technology aims to prevent many crashes from happening altogether. A new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) finds that one kind of advanced forward collision avoidance system is working to prevent about a quarter of the common low-speed crashes that happen in everyday commuter traffic.
The study of insurance claims found that Volvo XC60 midsize SUVs outfitted with a standard collision avoidance feature called City Safety are far less likely to be involved in low-speed crashes than comparable vehicles without the system. City Safety is designed to help a driver avoid rear-ending another vehicle in slow-moving, heavy traffic. Claims under property damage liability coverage — the insurance that pays for damage to vehicles that an at-fault driver hits — were filed 27 percent less often for the XC60 than other midsize luxury SUVs.
For more information: www.iihs.org
Sutter Neuroscience Institute, a recognized Center of Excellence, and CBR (Cord Blood Registry), the world’s largest stem cell bank, are launching the first FDA- approved clinical trial to assess the use of a child’s own cord blood stem cells to treat select patients with autism. This first-of-its-kind placebo controlled study will evaluate the ability of an infusion of cord blood stem cells to help improve language and behavior. The study is in conjunction with the Sutter Institute for Medical Research.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/57707-cord-blood-registry-stem-cell-trials-child-autism
Today's SUVs and pickups pose far less risk to people in cars and minivans than previous generations, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. Until recently, SUVs and pickups were more likely than cars or minivans of the same weight to be involved in crashes that killed occupants of other cars or minivans. That's no longer the case for SUVs, and for pickups the higher risk is much less pronounced than it had been.
Five weeks after accepting a prize delivery of one million Pop-Tarts® toaster pastries, Tyler Kozar, a student at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, unveiled an over the top display of pop art made from Pop-Tarts®. Held in the gallery at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Kozar’s creations include an assortment of Pittsburgh inspired artwork and a mixture of pieces ranging from 3D exhibits to life-size sculptures, fun framed displays and even a larger-than-life, 14-foot tall Tyrannosaurus Rex, the school’s beloved mascot. Kozar’s answer to the question, “How would you share one million Pop-Tarts®?” won him the grand prize in the Pop-Tarts® Pop-it-Forward™ Contest, which culminated last December.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/pop-tart/49546/
The list of winners of the Institute's TOP SAFETY PICK award is longer than ever this year, with vehicles in nearly every size category the Institute evaluates earning accolades. From minicars to sedans to pickups, consumers have a record number of choices among 2012 models.
In all, 69 cars, 38 SUVs, 5 minivans, and 3 pickups earn TOP SAFETY PICK. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute evaluations. The ratings, which cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes, help shoppers pick vehicles that offer the highest levels of crash protection. Because the federal government now requires all 2012 and later passenger vehicles to have electronic stability control to help drivers avoid loss-of-control crashes, ESC no longer is a requirement to win as it was in prior years.
The winners’ circle includes 18 new recipients for 2012, while 97 models that previously qualified for the 2011 award carry over to 2012.
Hybrids have a safety edge over their conventional twins when it comes to shielding their occupants from injuries in crashes, new research by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, shows. On average, the odds of being injured in a crash are 25 percent lower for people in hybrids than people traveling in nonhybrid models.
The new finding is more good news for green-minded drivers who don’t want to trade safety for fuel economy. Not so long ago, car buyers had to choose between the two because fuel-efficient cars tended to be smaller and lighter. Now, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to picking an environmentally friendly — and crashworthy — vehicle.
For more information, go to: www.iihs.org
The National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Insurance Information Institute and the National Consumers League have joined together to alert victims of Sandy to the potential for fraud by unscrupulous contractors. A 30-second public service announcement urges Sandy victims to be alert to potential fraud schemes by contractors who are only looking to take their money while doing shoddy repairs or no repairs at all. Victims are advised to avoid pressure tactics and contractors going door to door. “If you didn’t request it, reject it.” People who suspect that they’re being scammed can call 1-800-TEL-NICB to report it.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53843-nicb-alert-to-sandy-victims-potential-for-fraud-by-contractors-psa
