Tuesday, April 26, 2011

New York Among States With Highest Gas Prices

With gas prices constantly on the rise, you may want to think twice about that road trip and opt for a "stay-cation" close to home.  New Yorkers are paying some of the highest gas prices in the country along with seven other states.  Check out this AP article below from ABC News.

Gasoline Rises to $3.87 Per Gallon

Gas pump prices continue to climb, hitting $3.87 per gallon on Tuesday, though experts say the national average should fall as Americans drive less.
Retail gasoline prices have increased for 35 straight days. They're above $4 per gallon in California, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Alaska and Hawaii.
Pump prices, which have followed oil higher this year, got another boost on Tuesday after three Texas oil refineries lost power. Oil analyst Tom Kloza says the shutdowns may have cut off 300,000 barrels of daily production.
Gasoline futures increased 3 cents to $3.3097 per gallon in morning trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Benchmark crude rose 5 cents to $112.23 per barrel.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Wear Your Seatbelt for a Chance to Win a FREE Vacation from William Mattar!

Do you buckle up when driving or riding in a motor vehicle?  If you answered "Yes," then you could enter for a chance to win a FREE trip for four people to Fern Resort in Ontario.

Wearing a seatbelt can mean the difference between life and death. That is why our firm has the William Mattar Buckle Your Belt Program, a 4Safety initiative.  For all the details visit mattar.com.  If you promise to wear your seatbelt every time you are traveling the roads, then you can enter into a drawing to win the trip to Fern Resort or one of many other great prizes including Darien Lake season passes, Pizza Plant gift certificates, Rochester Knighthawks & Rochester Americans tickets, a gift basket from Capello Salon, and more!

Remember, seatbelts help save lives.  So, 4Safety, buckle your belt!


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

New Technology Disables Cell Phone Capabilities While Driving

Distracted driving is becoming more and more common nowadays.   One of the most dangerous ways to become distracted while driving is by using a mobile device.  Here at the Law Office of William Mattar we have several safety initiatives, one of which encourages people to avoid texting while driving.

Numerous states have passed laws prohibiting hand held cell phone use while driving.  Check out the below AP article from ABC News that talks about a new type of device that disables cell phone capabilities while a car is in motion.

RI Lawmaker: Device Can Stop Texting While Driving 

Rhode Islanders caught texting and driving would have to install device to jam phones in car 

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press

PROVIDENCE, R.I. April 5, 2011 (AP)

Rhode Island may enlist some high-tech help in the fight against texting while driving: a device that jams most cell phone capabilities when a vehicle's engine is running.

A state lawmaker has proposed legislation to require those caught texting while driving to install such a device. The equipment is wired to a vehicle's engine and alerts the driver's cell phone when the engine is on. Software installed on the phone then disables texting or email capabilities. Phones without the software aren't affected.

Several companies manufacture the technology. Rhode Island would be the first state to require its use for those found in violation of a texting-while-driving ban. A House committee plans to review the proposal Wednesday.

"Texting while driving is such a dangerous thing to do," Rep. Charlene Lima, D-Cranston, said. "This would make sure a person who has been found guilty of doing this won't do it again."

The idea occurred to Lima after she watched a segment about the technology on a morning news show. She said the idea is a natural extension of ignition interlock technology, which prevents those convicted of drunk driving from operating their vehicle if they've been drinking.

Lima said she also wants to require the devices on police and fire vehicles and in the driver's seats of buses and other public transportation.

If lawmakers endorse Lima's proposal, the state will be able to choose from several products in a burgeoning field.

Taser International Inc., the maker of the Taser stun gun, launched a technology two months ago that allows parents to control children's cell phone use while driving. The system prohibits texting or emailing while the phone user's car is moving. It can be modified to only accept phone calls from certain numbers, or to block all calls while the car is moving. Calls to 911 are still allowed.

"We have a number of people at the company that have teenage drivers at home and it made them want to look into this," said Doug Fallon, project manager at Taser. "Traffic collisions are the No. 1 killer of teens. Cell phones are a big problem. This takes that temptation away."

Taser's product retails for $249.95, with a monthly $14.95 service charge.

Competing products detect when a phone is traveling at high speeds and automatically disable texting and emailing abilities. Another works by detecting when a vehicle is put in gear.

But even manufacturers acknowledge the technology isn't perfect. Virtually all the products will only work with the user's phone and car. The technology doesn't work on iPhones or most older-style cell phones.

"It's a solution, but it's not foolproof by any means," said John Fischer, CEO of Try Safety First Inc., a company that developed its own version of the technology. "A smart kid could uninstall it."
Rhode Island outlawed texting while driving two years ago. Violators now face an $85 fine.


http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=13298953
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