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Here's a little information about what goes into the pricing of auto insurance.

1)The Use of a Vehicle - The use of the vehicle is one rating factor that is considered in pricing an auto policy. The difference between a car that is driven 1 mile to work compared to a car that is used for business use is one example. Normally a car that is driven 1 mile to work will have a lesser exposure, and a lesser rating factor, than a car that's used for business and on the road all day long. You'll find that vehicle usage is normally broken down into one of these catagories'; pleasure use; to work less than 3 miles; to work less than 10 miles; to work over 10 miles and business use. Each of these different classes carries a different weighted rating factor that is used to compute the car insurance premium

2)Vehicle Model Year and Type - The model year and type will have a direct effect on the cost of physical damage insurance on the car itself. Physical damage for your vehicle is made up of collision coverage and damage to your auto other than collision. In simple terms collision coverage will pay for damage that you sustain to your car from a collision, running into something or something running into you! While damage to your auto other than collision will pay for just about anything else that happens outside of wear and tear and maintenance issues. So why are these separated? Each of these coverage sections are rated independently and most insurance carriers will offer a variety of deductibles from which consumers can choose. Physical damage coverage on newer more expensive vehicles will cost more than older less expensive cars. Not too difficult!

3)The Driver - Age and experience of the driver play an important role in the cost of car insurance. A "youthful" operator will cost more than a "mature" operator. The reasoning being that a youthful operator has not gained the experience to handle hazardous driving circumstances thus creating a greater chance there will be an increase in claim activity and severity.

4)Credit Scores - Credit scoring, it seems, has taken over as the most important factor in the car insurance pricing structure. As in so many areas of our lives today your credit score means a great deal when it comes to pricing your auto insurance. Insurance carriers have fine tuned the impact credit has on the pricing of auto insurance. Many insurance companies now base their auto insurance premiums on "tiered pricing levels" dictated by each individual applicants credit score and utilize as many as 20 different pricing tiers. Remember, each insurance company deals with credit scoring in different ways, but do not underestimate this hidden pricing factor because it will make a big impact on your premium!

5)Claim Experience - Claims impact the acceptability and pricing of your car insurance. Let's just get to the bottom of it....when it comes to claims it's really about how much money has been paid out. Forget about who's at fault. Pay attention to the $ dollars $! Again, a simple concept, those who have no claims pay less in insurance. Those with many claims pay more.

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What Makes Car Insurance Expensive

Well..... it's really all about money in and money out. When an insurance company reviews their book of auto insurance clients they are looking for a few things;

1)Are we making any money - Are the claims being paid out by the insurance company greater than the money they are bringing in? Pretty simple, right? Well maybe it's not quite that simple but for this hub, I'm going to lay off the unique accounting system that all Insurance companies use and save that for another time.

2)What areas of our auto insurance program can we improve - That's code for where can we make more money?

3)Market share - They want to know how they stand in the market place. Are there small changes that can be made to improve their standing in the market place? Can they add product lines to attract more business?

All of these processes go into an insurance company's review of their business. From this information they will make decisions as to whether to increase rates overall, increase only segment rates by classes of business, adjust rating tiers to better reflect claims activity, back out of certain territories or forge into new areas and provide their products to a new client base.

So what makes car insurance expensive? A lot of things! From those individual rate factors we went through above like who's driving, what kind of car their using and their credit score to the decisions an insurance company makes about how they need to price their product.

In the next section I'm going to give you a check list you can use to make sure you're getting the best price for your car insurance.

Driving Test Tips - Things to keep in mind during your Driving Test

Here are some specific driving test tips to help you during your actual driving test.

When you get into the car with your examiner for the driving test:

-Adjust your seatbelt

-Adjust the mirrors

-Make sure the examiner has his seatbelt on!

-Start the car

-Release the parking brake

-Look behind you while backing out

This is what is expected of you while driving on the driving test:

-Follow inspector's instructions

-Bring your car up to speed in short amount of time

-Maintain a reasonable space cushion between the vehicles around you

-Apply your brakes smoothly

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-Stop behind the stop signs and/or before the white stopping line

-Do not let your car roll after you come to a complete stop

-Do not run a yellow light.

-Do not go past the speed limit.

-Avoid talking with the inspector while driving unless you are clarifying instructions

-Always use your signals for turning and be able to demonstrate hand sig-

nals

Your examiner is going to ensure that you have grasped the following skills and techniques:

-how to maintain a proper speed

-what lane you are suppose to drive in, and to turn into from the lane that you're in

-when and who to yield to, and what to do if they are yielding to you, such as at a four way stop

-when to go through a yellow light and when to stop for a yellow light

-how to back out of a parking space safely

-how to turn in to a perpendicular parking space from the right or left, such as in a mall parking lot

-how to parallel park on the right or left side of the street, and be able to safely pull out using your turn signals

-the proper way to park on a hill, with the wheels turned the right way and parking brake set

-how to work the parking brake, wipers and washer, heater and defroster, headlights, highbeams and parking lights, horn, and other instruments and to be familiar with the warning lights.

Do you have a teenage driver in the family? Or a youngster who is nearing the age when he or she can test for a learner's permit? Let's see if we can take a moment to put ourselves in the mind-set of a teen anticipating the privilege of driving.

Just for the sake of a mental exercise, stop for a second and imagine that your eccentric great uncle George flies a single engine airplane. You've just received word that he passed away from natural causes and has bequeathed the airplane to you! He always loved flying and thought everyone else should as well! In his will he specifies that once you get your pilot license you'll receive a cash inheritance of $1,000,000 that you can use however you wish.

Wanting to fly an airplane has never crossed your mind. In fact, climbing into the cockpit of a small plane and flying is a scary proposition. Maybe you're afraid of heights. Maybe you don't have time or the money to take on a major new learning process. Maybe you're a single parent and are terrified at the thought of crashing and leaving your kids without a parent. But you know the promise of having one million dollars will change your life in many favorable ways. So you decide, with great trepidation, to learn to fly. Right away you're faced with a

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whole host of questions.

How much training do I need? I don’t want to crash and burn! I want to stay alive to enjoy the $1 million. I need the best possible training!

How many hours of training do I need to be really safe? I don't just want to go for the minimum to get my license. I want to be safe!

Do I need to get a sport pilot license, a recreational class or a full private pilot's license?

Where do I learn to fly? What flight school? How do I pick the instructor? What kind of plane? How am I going to pay for all this?

How am I going to learn all those ground rules? Flight rules? What about that first solo flight?

Why did my great uncle put this huge burden on me? Couldn't he have just left me the million dollars without complicating my life?

Now...switch mental gears. Think about your teen getting a driver license and beginning to drive a car. Many teens, on reaching the age where they can drive, have an incentive to get their driver license that's at least as exciting -- from their point of view -- as inheriting a million dollars. It brings Freedom. It's a milestone on the road to becoming an adult. It lets him leave the school bus behind forever. It brings social acceptance and esteem. It gets her away from parents, so she can hang out with friends. It brings mobility and gives her control of her life that she's never had before. Freedom. Independence. Freedom. And more Freedom.

Do teens think about and question all the steps they will have to take to become a licensed driver? Do they consider how they can become safe drivers? Do they know, for example, that driving crashes are the Number One Cause of Death for 15-20 year olds? That one in four teens will crash during his or her first year of driving...that over 80 percent will crash in their first three years? Are they concerned that they might not survive the first year, even the first few months, of driving? Do they question how they will get training, who will provide it, who will pay for it, whether they'll learn what they need to stay safe and alive?

Probably not! Many teens assume that parents will provide the supervised driving time needed while they are at the Learner's Permit stage. They may think that they can learn to drive in a few days, or a few weeks at most. That they'll be as good a driver as you by the end of the month, if not sooner. That parents will pay for driver's ed – even though teens will tell you that it’s a do-nothing class...they're only taking it because parents insist. Because Mom and Dad save a few dollars on car insurance.

How you approach the driving experience with your teen is critical. Among experts in the field of learning theory, driving is considered a "complex task." One that requires not only excellent motor skills, judgment and decision-making

– but also the proper attitude, mindset and lots of practice time.

"How to Teach Driving Skills" cannot be summarized in a few hundred words. Yet there are some excellent resources that do answer the question in

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depth. One of these is the Collision Avoidance Training from Teensmart. Major insurance carriers invested several million dollars to have this program developed. It encourages best driving practices with parents and teens working together.

The American Driver & Traffic Safety Education Association is the professional association which represents traffic safety educators throughout the United States and abroad. They provide the basic curriculum guidelines used by many driving schools.

A family guide titled 911 for Parents highlights the major risk factors leading to crashes -- risks that can all be managed when parents and teens work together to understand factors are, then take steps to minimize them.

Finally, check with your state Department of Motor Vehicles for a list of approved driver training programs in your area. Visit those close to your home and interview the company. Ask how the school will work with you -- so you can do practice driving on the actual topics the school is teaching each session. After all, practice driving is required under Graduated Driver Licensing laws in most states. But just "driving around" with your teen is not nearly as effective as having him or her practice the very topics the driving school is teaching. Practicing skills that are critical to safe driving just makes sense.

Choose a driver's school that works with you. Driving is a skill that doesn't allow for very many mistakes. Don't take shortcuts getting your teen the best training you can arrange.

3. First Aid. History

The earliest instances of recorded first aid were provided by religious knights, such as the Knights Hospitaller, formed in the 11th century, providing care to pilgrims and knights, and training other knights in how to treat common battlefield injuries. The practice of first aid fell largely in to disuse during the High Middle Ages, and organized societies were not seen again until in 1859 Henry Dunant organized local villagers to help victims of the Battle of Solferino, including the provision of first aid. Four years later, four nations met in Geneva and formed the organization which has grown into the Red Cross, with a key stated aim of "aid to sick and wounded soldiers in the field". This was followed by the formation of St. John Ambulance in 1877, based on the principles of the Knights Hospitaller, to teach first aid, and numerous other organization joined them, with the term first aid first coined in 1878 as civilian ambulance services spread as a combination of 'first treatment' and 'national aid' in large railway centres and mining districts as well as with police forces. First aid training began to spread through the empire through organisations such as St John, often starting, as in the UK, with high risk activities such as ports and railways.

Many developments in first aid and many other medical techniques have been driven by wars, such as in the case of the American Civil War, which

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prompted Clara Barton to organize the American Red Cross. Today, there are several groups that promote first aid, such as the military and the Scouting movement. New techniques and equipment have helped make today’s first aid simple and effective.

2. Training

Much of first aid is common sense. Basic principles, such as knowing to use an adhesive bandage or applying direct pressure on a bleed, are often acquired passively through life experiences. However, to provide effective, life-saving first aid interventions requires instruction and practical training. This is especially true where it relates to potentially fatal illnesses and injuries, such as those that require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); these procedures may be invasive, and carry a risk of further injury to the patient and the provider. As with any training, it is more useful if it occurs before an actual emergency, and in many countries, emergency ambulance dispatchers may give basic first aid instructions over the phone while the ambulance is on the way.

Training is generally provided by attending a course, typically leading to certification. Due to regular changes in procedures and protocols, based on updated clinical knowledge, and to maintain skill, attendance at regular refresher courses or re-certification is often necessary. First aid training is often available through community organizations such as the Red Cross and St. John Ambulance, or through commercial providers, who will train people for a fee. This commercial training is most common for training of employees to perform first aid in their workplace. Many community organizations also provide a commercial service, which complements their community programmes.

Australia

In Australia, Nationally recognized First Aid certificates may only be issued by Registered training organisations who are accredited on the National Training Information System (NTIS). Most First Aid certificates are issued at one of 3 levels:

•Level 1 (or “Basic First Aid”, or “Basic Life Support”): is a 1-day course covering primarily life-threatening emergencies: CPR, bleeding, choking and other life-threatening medical emergencies.

•Level 2 (“Senior First Aid”) is a 2 day course that covers all the aspects of training in Level 1, as well as specialized training for treatment of burns, bites, stings, electric shock and poisons. Level 2 reaccreditation is a 1 day course which must be taken every 3 years, but CPR reaccrediation may be required more frequently (typically yearly).

•Level 3 (“Occupational First Aid”) is a 4-day course covering advanced first aid, use of oxygen and Automated external defibrillators and documentation. It is suitable for workplace First Aiders and those who manage First Aid facilities.

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Other courses outside these levels are commonly taught, including CPRonly courses, Advanced Resuscitation, Remote Area or Wilderness First Aid, Administering Medications (such as salbutamol or the Epi-Pen) and specialized courses for parents, school teachers, community first responders or hazardous workplace first aiders. CPR Re-accredidation courses are sometimes required yearly, regardless of the length of the overall certification.

Canada

In Canada, first aid certificates are awarded by one of several organizations including the Red Cross, the Lifesaving Society, St. John Ambulance, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and Ski Patrol. Workplace safety regulations vary depending on occupation. Many workplaces opt to have their employees trained in Standard First Aid (see below).

•Emergency First Aid: is an 8-hour course covering primarily lifethreatening emergencies: CPR, bleeding, choking and other life-threatening medical emergencies.

•Standard First Aid: is a 16-hour course that covers the same material as Emergency First Aid and will include training for some, but not all, of the following: breaks; burns; poisons, bites and stings; eye injuries; head and neck injuries; chest injuries; wound care; emergency child birth; and multiple casualty management.

•Medical First Responder (BTLS - known by different names among different Canadian organizations): is a 40 hour course. It requires Standard First Aid certification as a prerequisite. Candidates are trained in the use of oxygen, Automated external defibrillators, airway management, and the use of additional emergency equipment.

CPR certification in Canada is broken into several levels. Depending on the level, the lay person will learn CPR and choking procedures for adults, children, and infants.

CPR H.C.P. (Health Care Professional) also provides training on artificial respiration, the use of bag valve masks, and suction. This level of qualification is usually not offered to the general public.

Ireland

In Ireland, the workplace qualification is the Occupational First Aid Certificate. The Health and Safety Authority issue the standards for first aid at work and hold a register of qualified instructors, examiners and organisations that can provide the course. A FETAC Level 5 certificate is awarded after passing a three day course and is valid for two years from date of issue. Occupational First Aiders are more qualified than Cardiac First Responders (Cardiac First Response and training on the AED is now part of the OFA course) but less qualified than Emergency First Responders but strangely Occupational First Aid is the only one of the three not certified by PHECC. Organisations offering the certificate include, Ireland's largest first aid organisation, the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps, the St John Ambulance Brigade, and the Irish Red Cross. The Irish Red Cross also

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provides a Practical First Aid Course aimed at the general public dealing primarily with family members getting injured. Many other (purely commercially run) organisations offer training.

The Netherlands

In the The Netherlands first aid training en certification for lay persons are provided mostly by specialised (commercial) first aid training companies or voluteers of the "Dutch Red Cross" and the foundations "Het Oranje Kruis" and "LPEV". They offer a variety of levels in first aid training, from basic CPR to First Responder. Medical first aid must be provided by certified ambulance crews, physicians and in hospitals.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, there are two main types of first aid courses offered. An “Emergency Aid for Appointed Persons” course typically lasts one day, and covers the basics, focusing on critical interventions for conditions such as cardiac arrest and severe bleeding, and is usually not formally assessed. A “First Aid at Work” course is usually a four-day course (two days for a re-qualification) that covers the full spectrum of first aid, and is formally assessed by recognized Health and Safety Executive assessors. Certificates for the “First Aid at Work” course are issued by the training organization and are valid for a period of three years from the date the delegate passes the course. Other courses offered by training organizations such as St. John Ambulance, St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association or the British Red Cross include Baby & Child Courses, manual handling, people moving, and courses geared towards more advanced life support, such as defibrillation and administration of medical gases such as oxygen & entonox).

3. CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

Performing CPR.

The basic procedure for CPR is the same for all people, with a few modifications for infants and children to account for their smaller size.

PERFORMING CPR ON AN ADULT. The first step is to call the emergency medical system for help by telephoning 911; then to begin CPR, following these steps:

• The rescuer opens a person's airway by placing the head face up, with the forehead tilted back and the chin lifted. The rescuer checks again for breathing (three to five seconds), then begins rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration), pinching the nostrils shut while holding the chin in the other hand. The rescuer's mouth is placed against the unconscious person's mouth with the lips making a tight seal, then gently exhales for about one to one and a half seconds. The rescuer breaks away for a moment and then repeats. The person's head is repositioned after each mouth-to-mouth breath.

• After two breaths, the rescuer checks the unconscious person's pulse by moving the hand that was under the person's chin to the artery in the neck (carotid

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artery). If the unconscious person has a heartbeat, the rescuer continues rescue breathing until help arrives or the person

•begins breathing without assistance. If the unconscious person is breathing, the rescuer turns the person onto his or her side.

•If there is no heartbeat, the rescuer performs chest compressions. The rescuer kneels next to the unconscious person, placing the heel of one hand in the spot on the lower chest where the two halves of the rib cage come together. The rescuer puts one hand on top of the other on the person's chest and interlocks the fingers. The arms are straightened, the rescuer's shoulders are positioned directly above the hands on the unconscious person's chest. The hands are pressed down, using only the palms, so that the person's breastbone sinks in about1.5–2 inches. The rescuer releases pressure without removing the hands, then repeats about 15 times per 10–15 second intervals.

•The rescuer tilts the unconscious person's head and returns to rescue breathing for one or two quick breaths. Then breathing and chest compressions are alternated for one minute before checking for a pulse. If the rescuer finds signs of a heartbeat and breathing, CPR is stopped. If the unconscious person is breathing but has no pulse, the chest compressions are continued. If the unconscious person has a pulse but is not breathing, rescue breathing is continued.

•For children over the age of eight, the rescuer performs CPR exactly as for an adult.

PERFORMING CPR ON AN INFANT OR CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHT. The procedures outlined above are followed with these differences:

•The rescuer administers CPR for one minute, then calls for help.

•The rescuer makes a seal around the child's mouth or infant's nose and mouth to give gentle breaths. The rescuer delivers 20 rescue breaths per minute, taking 1.5–2 seconds for each breath.

•Chest compressions are given with only one hand for a child and with two or three fingers for an infant. The breastbone is depressed only 1–1.5 in (2.5–3.8 cm) for a child and 0.5–1 in (1.3–2.5 cm) for an infant, and the rescuer gives at least 100 chest compressions per minute.

New developments in CPR.

Some new ways of performing CPR have been tried. Active compressiondecompression resuscitation, abdominal compression done in between chest compressions, and chest compression using a pneumatic vest have all been tested but none are currently recommended for routine use.

The active compression-decompression device was developed to improve blood flow from the heart, but clinical studies have found no significant difference in survival between standard and active compression-decompression CPR. Interposed abdominal counterpulsation, which requires two or more rescuers, one compressing the chest and the other compressing the abdomen, was developed to improve pressure and therefore blood flow. It has been shown in a small study to improve survival but more data is needed. A pneumatic vest, which circles the

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chest of an unconscious person and compresses it, increases pressure within the chest during external chest compression. The vest has been shown to improve survival in a preliminary study but more data is necessary for a full assessment.

(L. Fleming Fallon, Jr., MD, DrPH)

4. Public safety and terrorism

Terrorism poses a grave threat to individuals’ lives and national security around the world. INTERPOL has therefore made available various resources to support member countries in their efforts to protect their citizens from terrorism, including bio-terrorism; firearms and explosives; attacks against civil aviation; maritime piracy; and weapons of mass destruction.

INTERPOL collects, stores, analyses and exchanges information about suspected individuals and groups and their activities. The organization also coordinates the circulation of alerts and warnings on terrorists, dangerous criminals and weapons threats to police in member countries. A chief initiative in this area is the Fusion Task Force, which was created in the aftermath of the 11 September attacks in the United States.

In order to help member countries report terrorist activity, INTERPOL has issued practical guidelines on the type of information required. Member countries are also encouraged to report on other crimes which may be linked to terrorism, such as suspicious financial transactions, weapons trafficking, money laundering, falsified travel and identity documents, and seizures of nuclear, chemical and biological materials.

The growing possibility of terrorists launching attacks with biological or chemical weapons is a particularly urgent concern. A dedicated bio-terrorism unit at the General Secretariat works to implement various projects with the close cooperation of INTERPOL National Central Bureaus and regional offices.

INTERPOL hosted two successful international bio-terrorism conferences in 2004 and 2005 which brought together hundreds of senior police officials and experts from specialised fields to share expertise and devise strategies to counter the threat.

5. Talking to Kids About Terrorism

Sadly, terrorism is part of our national reality. The September 11th anniversary and nightly news remind us how much our world has changed. We understand the unthinkable can happen, even on our own soil. This knowledge is chilling for anyone, but for children it can be especially terrifying. Our job as adults is to arm them with tools to face the modern world's realities. The best tools are communication and action.

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