Latest Personal Auto Headlines

All the headlines from our Personal Auto Topic Page, ordered by recency.

A Passion for Learning Is Driving Force for J.M. Wilson’s Galecka

Dec 16 2019 // One the things Kristy Galecka loves about the property/casualty insurance industry is there’s always an opportunity to learn something new.Like many others, Galecka “fell into” the insurance business when...

Fitch Sees Stronger Commercial Lines But Weaker Auto, Workers’ Compensation Results Coming

Dec 16 2019 // The U.S. property/casualty insurance sector should see small improvements in underwriting profits in 2019 and 2020, thanks largely to commercial lines price increases, Fitch Ratings predicts in a new report.But personal...

Driver Privacy Concerns in Auto Insurance. There’s an App for That.

Dec 13 2019 // Apps that let you book a ride to work or borrow a car for your next vacation are feeding into a revolution in auto insurance — while also raising some privacy red flags.Data on everything from how frequently a car is...

Michigan House Votes to Ban Drivers Under 18 from Using Cellphones

Dec 13 2019 // Drivers younger than 18 would be prohibited from using cellphones except for emergencies under legislation approved by the Michigan House.Michigan now bars drivers with a learner’s or intermediate permit –...

Safety Groups Argue Curtailing Impaired Driving Requires Moving Beyond Fines, Jail Time

Dec 9 2019 // Efforts to curtail impaired driving and related accidents by repeat offenders on the road should address the underlying problems prompting the unsafe behavior, according to a new report from state highway officials and the...

Tesla Driver Who Hit Two Cars in Connecticut Says He Used Autopilot

Dec 9 2019 // The driver of a Tesla says the car was on autopilot when it struck a police cruiser and a disabled vehicle on Saturday in Connecticut, according to State Police.State Police said troopers responded to Interstate 95...

Fitch Sees Stronger Commercial Lines But Weaker Auto, Work Comp Results Coming

Dec 6 2019 // The U.S. property/casualty insurance sector should see small improvements in underwriting profits in 2019 and 2020, thanks largely to commercial lines price increases, Fitch Ratings predicts in a new report.But personal...

Video Shows Lyft Driver Dragging Woman from Car in California

Dec 2 2019 // Los Angeles police say they’ve cited a Lyft driver for misdemeanor battery after video showed him dragging a passenger out of a car.Alessandra Ward says she suffered a black eye, bruises and a possible concussion...

Oregon High Court Rules .09% Not Enough to Convict for Drunken Driving

Nov 27 2019 // The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that a driver whose blood alcohol content registered .09% nearly two hours after he was stopped should not have been convicted of drunken driving. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the...

Video Shows Lyft Driver Dragging Woman from Car in California

Nov 22 2019 // Los Angeles police say they’ve cited a Lyft driver for misdemeanor battery after video showed him dragging a passenger out of a car.Alessandra Ward says she suffered a black eye, bruises and a possible concussion...

Groups Seek Consensus on What to Call Newfangled Driver Assistance Technologies

Nov 20 2019 // Four consumer and safety organizations—AAA, Consumer Reports, J.D. Power and the National Safety Council—are urging all organizations, automakers and the media to adopt standardized naming for advanced driver...

U.S. Safety Agency Faults Uber, Driver in Probe of 2018 Autonomous Car Crash Death

Nov 20 2019 // A U.S. safety agency on Tuesday faulted Uber for inadequate attention to safety and decisions in the company’s autonomous vehicle development in an investigation into the first-ever death involving a self-driving...

Texas On-Demand Delivery Service Now Providing Commercial Auto Insurance to Drivers

Nov 19 2019 // Favor, the Texas-based on-demand delivery service, is now providing its entire Runner community of over 80,000 contract delivery drivers with commercial automobile liability insurance coverage during every active delivery...

Connecticut Woman Sues Uber After Driver’s Sexual Assault

Nov 19 2019 // A Connecticut woman who says she was sexually assaulted by her Uber driver last year has filed a lawsuit against the ride-sharing app.The Middletown Press reports the lawsuit filed by the 22-year-old woman in Milford...

A Passion for Learning Is a Driving Force for J.M. Wilson’s Galecka

Nov 18 2019 // One of the things Kristy Galecka loves about the property/casualty insurance industry is that there’s always an opportunity to learn something new.Like many others, Galecka “fell into” the insurance...

Fixing Ride-Hailing Will Take Fewer But Better Drivers, More Money: Viewpoint

Nov 13 2019 // Your mother probably told you never to get in a car with a stranger. The multibillion-dollar global ride-hailing industry depends on your ignoring her. If they want to earn that trust, though, companies need to rethink the...

Uber’s Self-Driving Car That Killed Pedestrian Lacked Tech to Detect Jaywalkers

Nov 7 2019 // Uber Technologies Inc.’s self-driving test car that struck and killed a pedestrian last year wasn’t programmed to recognize and react to jaywalkers, according to documents released by U.S. safety...

New Oklahoma Law Allows Use of School Bus Cameras to Ticket Drivers

Nov 6 2019 // New legislation in Oklahoma that allows law enforcement to use cameras on school buses to track down drivers who illegally pass stopped buses went into effect on Nov. 1.House Bill 1926, by Rep. Dell Kerbs (R-Shawnee) and...

More than 5K Minnesota Motorists Cited for Using Cellphones While Driving

Oct 28 2019 // State officials say more than 5,000 citations have been issued to drivers in Minnesota since a hands-free law took effect in August. The new law makes it illegal to use a cellphone while driving. Department of Public...

Idaho City Bans Handheld Phone Use While Driving

Oct 28 2019 // One of the largest cities in Idaho has banned the use of a hand-held phone while driving.Meridian’s city council approved the ordinance last week, prohibiting the use of hand-held devices any time a vehicle is in a...