By berryinsurance on January 27, 2011
If you live in the New England area, you’ll know what I mean; driving in the winter months is particularly dangerous and challenging for a few different reasons. The increased danger is due to; icy road conditions, inexperienced motorists, and extremely high snow piles blocking vision.
With records amounts of snowfall in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, winter weather conditions, as well as, the rising height of snow banks is a concern. MassDOT has a snow removal team consisting of more than 3900 workers, which is fully utilized when needed, to ensure safety on the roadways. But what about the huge snow piles? Although the roads are clear, the limited visibility caused by snow banks is dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians. High snow banks make it impossible to check for oncoming traffic without inching out into the road.
Obviously, MassDOT does not have the time and/or resources for snow removal everywhere in order to avoid visibility issues; but some towns are taking matters into their own hands. The Town of Franklin, Massachusetts clears snow from the center of town so that business can continue business as usual. Locals are being encouraged to spend their money within downtown Franklin, and the Franklin Police make this possible by giving patrons a place to walk and enjoy the shopping experience, even in this weather.
Knowing that February is the usually the snowiest month in New England is a little intimidating for Massachusetts residents after the winter 2011 we have already had this season, but just remember it will be summer soon enough!
For more information about this topic, or if you have any questions about our Partners Program or any of your Massachusetts insurance needs, our agents at Berry Insurance would love to help! Call us at (800) 941-3317, visit our virtual insurance office at http://www.berryinsurance.com/ or stop by one of our locations in Franklin and Quincy, MA.
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By berryinsurance on October 5, 2010
After the September 30th Safe Driving Act was passed in Massachusetts, we’re now reminded again of driving safety, only this time the message is directed at employers. Every day millions of employees are using their car for work purposes – sales calls, errands, bank deposits, etc. And with smart phones and other new technologies available to drivers, the car has now become some employees’ mobile office.
According to a recent study by the CDC, car crashes are the leading cause of workplace injury and death, and results in $99 billion in lost productivity. So to encourage employers to adopt safe driving practices and policies, the Network for Employers of Traffic Safety (NETS), an organization made up of large employers, working together to prevent work-related traffic accidents, has designated October 4th-8th as Drive Safely Work Week.
Employers are encouraged to eliminate dangerous driving practices through the use of cell-phone bans and driver safety policies. Not only does this help encourage safe practices in the workplace, but it also will help you reduce your commercial fleet insurance premiums. Less accidents = better pricing!
Not sure how to get started? Give Berry Insurance a call! We can provide you with sample policies that you can begin enforcing at your business today.
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For more information about this topic, or if you have any questions about our Partners Program or any of your Massachusetts business or commercial auto fleet needs, our agents at Berry Insurance would love to help! Call us at (800) 941-3317, visit our virtual insurance office at http://www.berryinsurance.com/ or stop by one of our locations in Franklin and Quincy, MA.
You can also find us on all your favorite social networking sites!
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Posted in All Posts, Business, Misc, Workers Compensation Insurance, Workplace Injuries Tagged berry insurance, CDC, commercial auto fleet, drive safely work week, free insurance quote, insurance franklin ma, insurance quincy ma, ma insurance quote, mass insurance quote, massachus insurance quote, Massachusetts, massachusetts business, massachusetts employers, NETS, netwrok for employers of traffic safety, reckless driving, safe driving act, workplace injury
By berryinsurance on September 2, 2010
With hurricane season upon us here on the East coast, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) wants Massachusetts residents to understand what to do in case of a natural disaster. Usually when natural disasters hit, panic overwhelms communities because citizens are not prepared. Staying calm and having a plan when faced with a challenge is imperative. Being prepared with an emergency evacuation plan allows for proper/timely migration for you and your family from affected areas.
What do you have that you’d want to protect? Some of the most popular responses range from family, homes, businesses, boats, and even animals. Below are some tips to protect what’s yours in case of a hurricane.
In protecting your family, be sure to make an emergency action plan. An emergency action plan designates a specific safe area, where all family members will meet if separated. A contact person should also be established so that all members of a family understand what to do, where to go, and who to call in case of an emergency.
Protecting property, such as a home or business, begins with having recent pictures of the interior and exterior of your home or building. An inventory of your personal belongings is also recommended. Business owners should discuss an action plan with employees, so that panic does not occur. All loose items should be secured because of high wind speeds, and computer data should be backed-up in case of a power outage. During hurricanes electricity is often lost, which can cause a power surge. To avoid this, unplug all sensitive electric equipment.
Pets are often considered a part of the family, but in an emergency, they can often be the last thing on your mind. The State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team assists in getting animals to safety in emergency situations. Animals are often taken to nearby shelters to be taken care of if injured, or kept until their owners come to claim them. Having a tag on your animal is imperative during times of emergency, mostly because this is the only way that Massachusetts shelter employees know an animal is up to date on their shots, and to whom they belong. Also, knowing a few pet friendly hotels in the area could be very beneficial in case of an emergency. Planning ahead makes natural disasters more manageable!
For more information about this topic, or to get some answers about your current insurance situation, please visit our virtual insurance agency at www.berryinsurance.com, stop by one of our locations, or give us a call at (800) 941-3317.
Posted in All Posts, Business, Homeowners, Misc, Personal Protection, Uncategorized, Workplace Injuries Tagged auto, berry insurance agency inc, Disaster relief, franklin, home, hurricane tips, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Animal Response Team, Massachusetts Emergency Managment Agency, MEMA, natural disaster, Plan, quincy
By berryinsurance on August 26, 2010
Not only in New England is texting while driving a major problem; it’s a national crisis affecting everyone on the road! Driver distractions can be classified into three categories – visual, manual, and most dangerous, cognitive. Cognitive distractions, such as texting, cause a driver to multi-task, lessening their ability to concentrate and focus on driving, as seen in this video clip.
Do you ever feel like you’ve been driving and don’t remember how you got from point A to point B? This happens because drivers perform some tasks when driving without consciously knowing it, such as beginning to break at the sight of a yellow light. Cognitive distractions, such as texting while driving, require the brain to multi-task, which prevents the brain from fully focusing on any single task. These distractions prevent your brain from concentrating, which results in “looking at”, but not actually “seeing”, up to 50% of your driving environment. This is referred to as “inattentive blindness” and inevitably leads to accidents.
Each state has their own regulations about texting while driving, but here in Massachusetts (as of October 2010); texting is illegal for all drivers when operating a motor vehicle. Will some drivers still text, even though it’s illegal? You betcha! Thankfully, a mobile guardian has been created to help prevent drivers from the common distractions of their phones, and hopefully help return safe driving practices to the road.
TextArrest is a software company that established an application (or app) for smartphones. This app limits texting capabilities on a phone while a vehicle is in motion. At 5mph, the app automatically kicks in and does not allowing texting while the vehicle is in motion. This app can be used for business fleets or for personal use (can we say, teen drivers?). There are a variety of plans available that can be viewed and purchased on TextArrest’s website.
While not available as of yet, TextArrest is actively working to partner with insurance companies willing to offer discounts for this having the TextArrest app on their cell phone. Regardless of the potential future discount, the TextArrest app can save you money today on your Massachusetts auto insurance by reducing accidents caused by texting while driving.
For more information about this topic, or to get some answers about your current insurance situation, please visit our virtual insurance agency at www.berryinsurance.com, stop by one of our locations, or give us a call at (800) 941-3317.
Posted in All Posts, Auto, Business, Laws, Misc, Personal Protection, Uncategorized, Workers Compensation Insurance, Workplace Injuries Tagged app, auto, auto accident, berry insurance agency inc, business fleets, cell phone bans, cognitive distractions, discounts, distractions, home, Law, massachusetts auto insurance, multi task, new england, smartphone, smartphones, teen drivers, TextArrest, Texting while driving
