Figures

444

Oklahoma had 444 fewer accidents, and nine fewer fatal wrecks, involving teenaged drivers in 2006 than it did in 2005, according to State Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City. Leftwitch attributed the reduction in accidents to the state’s graduated drivers license for teens. The law says all new drivers under the age of 18 must have a graduated driver license, which limits the hours a student can drive on the road. It also restricts the number and ages of passengers allowed in a vehicle with a teenage driver. The restrictions are removed after a year with a clean driving record.

289

The panel in charge of a federally funded buyout of homes within the Tar Creek Superfund Site in Oklahoma has enough money to purchase about 289 homes and businesses, even though about 700 homes, businesses and public-use facilities could qualify. The Lead-Impacted Communities Relocation Assistance Trust has suspended buyout offers until additional federal money becomes available. The fund has about $18.8 million on hand but needs $30 million more to fully fund the two-year plan. The former lead and zinc mining hub has been on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund list for two decades. AP.

51%

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner James Donelon won 51 percent of the vote on Oct. 20 and was re-elected as head of the state insurance department. Elected as Louisiana’s new governor was Republican Congressman Bobby Jindal who won with 54 percent of the vote.

14

In 2006, Arkansas experienced the lowest rate of job injuries and illnesses in private industry in 14 years — 4.4 per 100 full-time workers. By contrast, the Arkansas Labor Department said the rate in 2005 was 5.0, the highest in 12 years. The study was conducted by the department and the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, and did not include fatal injuries and illnesses. Safety seminars conducted by the Labor Department, Insurance Department and the Workers’ Compensation Commission, have been cited as being at least partly responsible for the improved rate.