Declarations
Fuel Economy or Safety?
“More people may be looking at small pickups because of rising gas prices. Unfortunately, they won’t find many that afford state-of-the-art crash protection. Most earn dismal ratings for protecting people in side crashes, and all but the Tacoma and Frontier lack electronic stability control, which is a key feature in preventing crashes. Until they improve, most small pickups aren’t good choices for people looking for safe transportation.”
—Adrian Lund, president of the Institute for Highway Safety, commenting on the results of its latest test of side crashes on small pickups.
Entrepreneurial Risks
“Today’s landscape is ever changing, entrepreneurs are often exposed to higher and more complex levels of risk. But it doesn’t require a maverick, risk-seeking personality to be a successful business owner; it needs dedication, perseverance and ambition.”
—Ed Donnelly, Hiscox USA president, commenting on his company’s study, “DNA of an Entrepreneur,” which surveyed small business owners on entrepreneurship and risk, and sheds some light on the characteristics that make up a successful entrepreneur, particularly in the current business climate. In all cases, the survey showed small business owners are adept at managing risk.
Unsafe Truckers
“We have a major public safety problem, and we haven’t corrected it.”
—Gerald Donaldson, senior research director at the Washington-based Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, commenting on an Associated Press report that shows hundreds of thousands of tractor-trailer and bus drivers in the United States carry commercial driver’s licenses despite also qualifying for full federal disability payments, and some of those drivers have suffered seizures, heart attacks or unconscious spells. The problems threatening highway travelers persist despite years of government warnings, and hundreds of deaths and injuries blamed on commercial truck and bus drivers who blacked out, collapsed or suffered major health problems behind the wheels of vehicles that can weigh 40 tons or more.
Contingency Plans
“The insurance marketplace has been distorted by the growth of contingent commissions coupled with a lack of transparency among most producers.”
—Steve McGill, chairman and chief executive officer of Aon Risk Services, in testimony given to a joint hearing in New York of regulators, who are considering proposals to reform the compensation practices of insurance agents and brokers.