How Do You Ride? What Everyone Needs to Know about SUV Safety

(ARA) - America is sport utility vehicle crazy. SUVs now account for one in four vehicles on U.S. roads, and their rising popularity is accompanied by alarming increases in rollover incidences and related fatalities. And, male drivers between the ages of 17 and 27 are almost two and a half times more likely to die in an SUV accident than the national average.

These and other sobering facts caught the attention of the 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. As a result, the 53 jurisdictions have joined forces to launch the ESUVEE Safety Campaign. This $27 million, yearlong national education program consists of a variety of strategic events and initiatives designed to reduce SUV rollover incidences, particularly among younger male drivers who are most vulnerable to such incidences.

The ESUVEE Safety Campaign highlights four critical tips for driving SUVs that can mean the difference between life and death:

* Handling: SUVs possess a higher center of gravity than passenger cars, which contributes to a great risk of rollover. Incidences of rollover can be exacerbated by speeding, abrupt maneuvers, inattentiveness, tailgating, recklessness, aggressiveness or impaired driving.

* Loading: The center of gravity of an SUV is affected by the number of people carried, as well as the amount, weight and distribution of cargo. Overloading the vehicle or the overhead cargo rack raises the center of gravity, increasing the risk of rollover.

* Tires: Tire size, pressure and maintenance are keys to SUV safety. Drivers should monitor each of these elements, and take them into account when loading and driving an SUV.

* Seat belts: Perhaps the most preventable cause of death in the event of an SUV rollover is ejection from the vehicle. Eighty percent of deaths in SUV rollovers occur because occupants are unbelted.

The SUV Safety Campaign is anchored by its mascot, ESUVEE, a 16-foot long, 10-foot wide and 12-foot tall beast that serves as a focal point of the Campaign. ESUVEE is also the star of the Campaign's Web site, www.ESUVEE.com, a source of tips and information about safe operation and maintenance of SUVs. Throughout the year, the Web site will also provide information on upcoming events where ESUVEE can be seen, such as SUV Safety Days in individual states.

"Driving SUVs like ordinary cars invites disaster. Awareness of SUV safety - especially stopping rollovers - can mean survival to countless Americans," said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. "Smart drivers can save lives with some simple steps: avoid speeding, sudden maneuvers, and overloading. Our education campaign targets young men, who may be most vulnerable and most difficult to reach. If you think this message is hype, look at the numbers - thousands of young Americans killed in rollover crashes every year."

"SUVs can give you a sense of invincibility, but if you lose control they become very dangerous due to their weight and high center of gravity," said David Champion, senior director, Auto Test Department, Consumer Reports. "To reduce SUV rollover risk, choose one that has not tipped in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tests, has performed well in Consumer Reports tests, and is equipped with electronic stability control."

The ESUVEE Safety Campaign's initiatives promoting the safe use of SUVs are framed by the question "How Do You Ride?" The question is meant to provoke SUV drivers and passengers to consider how to make themselves safer in an SUV. For more information, visit www.ESUVEE.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Credit 101: What Your College Kid Should Know about Managing Money

(ARA) - There are a number of difficult conversations parents have with their children along the path to adulthood. One topic that parents rarely tackle is money management, but having a heart-to-heart about money and how to manage it may save your child from financial heartache down the road.

Today, the average annual cost of an education at a public university is more than $10,000 and at a private university it is upwards of $27,000, according to The Princeton Review. In addition, graduates typically accrue more than $3,260 in debt on a total of six credit cards, according to the latest figures from student loan provider Nellie Mae. While students today are inundated with offers of credit, many don't fully understand the power of credit or its long-term impacts.

Now, more than ever, it is imperative that parents discuss the basics of the credit process and share money management tips with their children.

Knowing the nuts and bolts of credit and the benefits of successful money management provides a solid foundation from which your child can grow as his or her income and financial responsibilities increase.

With this in mind, here are some helpful tips:

Start off on the right foot. If you have not filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the first step in the federal financial aid process for the upcoming school year, do it now. Federal student aid is a great way for college students to gain funding for their educations and includes low interest loans that are not required to be paid until after graduation. If you have to pay for school, one of the best techniques to escape with as little debt as possible is through this process. The fastest way to file a FAFSA is online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

Which credit card is right for you? As your child enters the world of credit, it is important to understand the basics of the industry as well as the most appropriate type of credit card for his or her potential spending needs. Discuss interest rates, how they work and the impact they can have on credit in the short and long term. Help your child create a budget and make sure they are aware that credit is not just "free money," but must be paid and has repercussions if not.

Know the consequences. In addition to explaining the credit card industry, be sure to make clear how these convenient pieces of plastic fit into the bigger picture. Make your children aware that late payments on credit cards now or even possessing too many cards can affect whether or not they will be able to afford their dream home in 10 years.

Be alert. Discuss the methods and tools that will allow your child to better manage money. For example, give your child the gift that will educate and protect, Equifax Score Power. This resource affords users instant, online access to their credit scores and Equifax Credit Reports and provides a detailed explanation of the report, which helps students understand how lenders view credit history and how their actions may affect their score in the short and long run.

For more credit management tips, visit www.equifax.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Internet Phone Service is Here

(ARA) - You may have heard of VoIP, but what is it exactly, and should you really care? Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is simple when called "Internet phone service." But for some reason someone decided it should be called an acronym. But once you get past the need of understanding how Internet phone service sends your calls over your high-speed connection, the nifty part is that it reduces home telephone bills by hundreds of dollars every year.

VoIP has been around for years. In the beginning Techno-wizards were talking across the Internet to other computer users, buying special microphones and loving the science of making it all work. But recently the technology has grown up.

The bottom line -- Internet phone service is now as good as your "regular" phone line. It is easy to install and the high-speed Internet connections necessary for service are more widely available throughout America.

This new technology is much easier than it sounds. You have regular phone numbers, use regular phones and dial regular numbers. You can make and receive calls to and from any phone in the world, just like you do now. Set-up is simple. All you need is a high-speed Internet connection and an adapter that you plug into your cable or DSL modem and you're set.

Cutting your phone bill in half is no exaggeration. Prices have been dropping into the mid $20s for a month of unlimited phone service. Many big phone companies are still selling a month of unlimited long-distance and local calls for $50 month. And they charge for additional services, such as voice mail, that are being tossed in by some Internet phone companies at no extra cost.

The best VoIP offer is an all-inclusive deal from SunRocket, a company started by two telecom executives who left MCI to "build a better phone company." Paul Erickson, SunRocket's CEO says "the company is committed to making it simple and risk-free for consumers."

SunRocket is offering an entire year of home phone service for $199 -- with no "gotchas" -- no hidden charges, activation fees, contracts, or the usual "surprises" you find on your regular phone bill. A year of unlimited phone service has never been offered in this country before -- especially at a rate of less than $17 per month. That is for all of your local and long distance calls, with some international calling included as well. And not to be overlooked is the benefit of a second phone number that comes with the service.

Pay once, and don't worry about it again for an entire year. And even if you decide to cancel after the initial 31-day guarantee, the company says you can get a refund for any unused months if you are not satisfied at any time.

So now the only question is do you buy it as a gift, or buy it for yourself? You might even want to call it a New Year's resolution to save some money . . . talk more with friends . . . or just get rid of your monthly phone bill. But whatever the reason, my guess is that VoIP will be the telephone technology for the household in the years to come. There is no reason why it shouldn't be.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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Family / Pets

Making a Difference: Ways to Lower Dropout Rates in America's Schools

(ARA)- While dropout rates in America have been on a slow, but steady decline, kids leaving school is having devastating effects on our schools and our communities. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the high school dropout rate in 2001 (the most recent year for which data is available) was nearly 11 percent, with that rate even higher among minority youth. This high rate of dropouts across America has been shown to negatively affect our schools' ability to provide adequate education programs. It also impacts our communities negatively, especially when you consider what can happen when these kids are not in school.

So what can a parent, teacher, community leader or school administrator do to make sure the schools in their community don't contribute to this high national dropout rate? Leslie McCarley, services director for No Disposable Kids, says there's a lot you can do. "With thousands of high school dropouts and expelled kids in our nation, society needs to be concerned about preventing situations that become unsafe for them and for others," says McCarley. "We can stop the trend with well trained teachers, school staff and community members willing to capture and re-capture the academic interests of wayward youth."

Many schools across the country have stepped up to the plate to combat expulsion and dropout rates, under the realization that these statistics affect both a child's and a school's ability to succeed. At Whitehall Schools, in Ohio, the district realized it had a problem. Educators, administrators and parents knew that there were too many disruptive, non-achieving and at risk students being lost to suspensions and expulsions. In fact, in just one year, the district faced a devastating statistic of 353 suspensions in one year. That added up to 1,622 lost days (not to mention lost revenue) which led administrators to try some radically different approaches, one of which was No Disposable Kids.

The No Disposable Kids program, commonly referred to as NDK, came to Whitehall Schools and taught the district early intervention strategies for handling difficult students. The program uses the time-tested approaches of its parent organization, Starr Commonwealth, which has provided troubled youth with strength based tools to turn their lives around for more than 90 years. NDK taught staff, administrators and teachers…anyone working with students, how to de-escalate crisis situations, create a safe and predictable school environment and learn management skills that promote positive student behavior.

"We are in our third year delivering NDK training to Whitehall Schools," says NDK trainer Randy Copas. "In that time, dropout and expulsion rates have plummeted to zero and the district has a graduation rate of 90 percent. I had one building principal share with me that his 'principal referrals' had gone down from over 270 one year to 70 the next year after having only one school counselor trained. On top of that, test scores in reading, math and science have improved dramatically district wide."

"The difference is that all students are treated fairly with the respect they deserve, regardless of what their background is," adds Copas. "When students feel they are treated fairly, they are more apt to listen and learn from adult guidance. When applied appropriately, the NDK philosophy creates an environment where all students can thrive."

At the start of the 2004-2005 school year, No Disposable Kids launched school training at Kalamazoo Public Schools in Michigan. School administrators were concerned about how to develop pro-social discipline strategies that maintain students in the classroom, resolved issues respectfully, and minimized the use of punitive measures to address inappropriate behaviors. After receiving a grant from the Stryker-Johnston Foundation, Kalamazoo Schools enlisted the help of NDK began their work. While the training is still in its beginning stages, it has already proven to make a difference through results that benefit children. "Many teachers and school staff are already embracing the training," says McCarley. "The concept is that positive relationships must be developed with students if they are to advance in their academics. NDK is designed to reverse the trend of expulsions and dropout rates, approaching all children as having value, while simultaneously drawing down school costs and providing taxpayers with some relief."

For more information about the training programs of No Disposable Kids, which has worked with schools and community groups throughout the country, visit their website at www.ndk.org or call (800) 315-8640.

Courtesy of ARA Content

From the category: Making A Difference