Thread: Why your auto insurance is so high!

My state (Delaware) just added to their website a list of over 50,000 folks with outstanding Delaware capias warrants. The reason, as outlined in todays newspaper, was to make it possible for the public to assist law enforcement in bringing these folks in. A great idea, IMHO.

Unfortunately the site is very cumbersome in that you have to scroll through all the names, alphabetically listed, rather than a search that allows you to simply type in the last name of any given person.

While searching for a person with the last name GORDAN (a repeat criminal teenager, now 18, that stole...and totalled, my husbands pristine 1982 Nissan 280zx last year), I came across an amazing number of folks with the last name GONZALES. I was floored to see that 9 out of 10 (or more) were wanted for serious driving offenses. Driving without a license, without insurance, failure to register vehicle, fictious tags, DUI, ect.

Take a look for yourselves: http://state.de.us/deljis/WantedPublic/PersonG10.htm

I am SICK of paying ever escalating auto insurance rates because our elected officials prefer to turn a blind eye to the obvious. I am even more disgusted that I am FORCED to share the road with these reckless criminals, thanks to those same elected officials.

DEMAND A CHANGE, NOW...EVEN IF YOUR ELECTED IGNORE YOU!

wow that's an amazing website, I noticed that the only races on there were whites and black well where's hispanic or etc?

I am not trying to be racist or anything because I am sure a lot of the crimes on there were by all races but how many were by hispanics or illegals?

Hispanics, Latinos, et al, are all classified as white by Delaware law enforcement entities...with nary a complaint from the perps..or their supporters.

The insistance on a separate classification only occurs when there is a positive spin. Ironic..no?

A lot of Puerto Ricans have moved to the U.S. . A friend of mine who was transferred from the US to the FBI station in P.R. told me that the Ricans drive crazy there. That would account for so many Gonzalez's (I'm assuming that a common sirname in P.R. in addition to Mexico, which is also a driving nightmare).

It all comes down to cultural norms. As a foreign law professor told me one time, the US by far is the most lawful society in the world. Other countries have laws but the people don't necessarily follow them, or enforce them.

A friend of mine who was transferred from the US to the FBI station in P.R. told me that the Ricans drive crazy there.

In America a drivers license and insurance are REQUIRED to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Comprende?

http://state.de.us/deljis/WantedPublic/PersonR15.htm

Originally Posted by greyparrot

Hispanics, Latinos, et al, are all classified as white by Delaware law enforcement entities...with nary a complaint from the perps..or their supporters.

The insistance on a separate classification only occurs when there is a positive spin. Ironic..no?

Wow, now THAT is an interesting bit of information. Is this with all such law enforcement stats? Does not take much imagination to see how THAT skews the stats in favor of all other minorities and against caucasian people. The ratios of crimes commited by blacks versus those commited by caucasians would APPEAR to be closer.. and all other minorities would seem to have a ZERO crime rate while caucasians took the rap not only for the ones they commit, but the ones commited by non-black minorities.

That is offensive to anyone with a sense of fairness. And it is institutionalized racism.

Thank you DonQuixote! I am not known for my ability to make a point... so your help was especially appreciated.

The link and article below have reminded me of another thread on uninsured drivers - but this one has to do also with drunk drivers. I've been meaning to share this thread with Alipac. No, I am not a member of or in no way affiliated with MADD; however, I posted a news article some time ago on uninsured and DWI hispanic drivers from a local North Carolina news link. The thread below reminds me of it and I believe has some bearing on the current thread on uninsured drivers. Not to mention, that I also checked out the link and noticed all the "Gonzales" surnames. I also checked out other alphabetical listings in this thread and there are a huge amount of hispanic surnames and they are all classified as "white" as far as I can see. Not only are the largest source of illegal aliens in the USA of hispanic origin, namely Mexican, but hispanics seem to be the largest source (for their % of the population statistics) of not only uninsured drivers but drunk drivers as well.

http://www.madd.org/news/0,1056,2551,00.html

Cultural Impact"

by Julie Hagen and Betty Swinners

DRIVEN magazine, Fall 2001

Most everyone in this country is familiar with the phrases "Don't Drink and Drive" and "Designate a Driver," and understands them as lifesaving messages. Unfortunately, these messages are not always understood or embraced by all.

Adelita Avila knows how critical it is for MADD to reach out to and educate the Hispanic community about preventing drunk driving and to provide assistance when tragedy strikes.

In 1993, Avila sat at the hospital bedside of her 4-year-old son, Craig Bennett Jr., as he lay in a coma because of a drunk driver. Avila is a native of Mexico, and her then second grade English reading skills and understanding level prevented her from comprehending what the doctors were telling her about her son's condition. Even more frustrating was that the language barrier prevented her from being able to fight for justice in the court system. And, she was not alone. Avila met other Hispanic families who were grappling with the aftermath of a drunk driving crash-many of whom understood less than she did.

What she soon learned about the impact of drunk driving on Hispanics was disheartening.

"A lot of the crashes were caused by their own family members," Avila recalls. "And these families were shocked that something like this could happen. But it was of no surprise to me.

"In Mexico, the culture is very much a drinking culture. After a hard day at work, it is normal to end the workday by drinking beer. At social events - celebrations, spending time with family, visiting friends - it is commonplace to drink, for the men in particular. And drinking alcohol starts early for male Hispanics because as early as age 12, drinking alcohol is seen as a "rite of passage" to becoming a man.

"Also, in Mexico, traffic laws are quite different and the use of seatbelt restraints is almost unheard of. So, when you combine the Hispanic drinking culture with the lack of education on drunk driving prevention, you end up with tragic consequences."

Avila's experience pushed her to get an education so that she could help drunk driving victims and other Hispanics. Today, Avila is the bilingual victim advocate for MADD Metroplex in Dallas, Texas, where she works to educate and reach out to the Hispanic community.

A Population at Risk
According to research compiled by Dr. Catherine Clark of the Alcohol Policy Group in Berkeley, Calif., Hispanic drivers are more likely than Anglo drivers to consume more alcohol more frequently and have been shown to be more likely than Anglos to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level over .05 percent.

Hispanics also believed that it takes six to eight drinks to affect driving, while Anglos thought two to four drinks affected driving. Even more discouraging is that statistics show that the overall death rate due to motor vehicle crashes is higher among Hispanics than it is among Anglos or African Americans. And, Hispanic male teens are twice as likely as Anglo male teens to die in a car crash.

U.S. Census figures show the Hispanic/Latino population is the youngest and fastest-growing segment in America. This rapid growth, combined with a higher tendency to drive after drinking or ride with an impaired driver, is a recipe for death.

"The need to communicate lifesaving messages about drunk driving and underage drinking to the Spanish-speaking population is unquestionable," says Dr. Raul Caetano of the University of Texas School of Public Health and MADD national board member.

"We must develop communication tools and prevention programs that employ a variety of strategies directed at the individual, community leaders, community groups and official institutions."

Dr. Caetano's extensive research into drinking patterns and alcohol problems among Hispanics and other ethnic groups continues. "Much remains to be done, and the outcomes of such work would be beneficial to not only members of minority groups, but to the general population as well."

A Lifesaving Strategy
Forming the plan to effectively communicate with Hispanics will be a multi-layered effort beginning with a strategic alliance between MADD and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America.

"Mitsubishi Motors understands the best way to protect drivers and passengers is not only through safety advances in our vehicles, but also through teaching responsible driving behavior," says Gael O'Brien, vicepresident of corporate communications for Mitsubishi Motors. "We are so pleased to partner with MADD on an important initiative and help drive home MADD's message to communities across the nation."

A pilot program called "Pass the Keys - Pasa las Llaves" will be used in four MADD chapters in high-density Hispanic/Latino areas: Los Angeles/Orange County, Dallas, Miami and Chicago. Each site will have a Hispanic/Latino Advisory Council, composed of Latino community leaders, MADD volunteers and Mitsubishi Motors executives. The Council is charged with helping
develop ways to connect with the Hispanic population in its specific city and address distinctions among Spanish-speaking people to deliver MADD's lifesaving messages.

Margaret Collins, executive director of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex Chapter, has already begun work with Mitsubishi Motors to reach out to the Hispanic community. "Mitsubishi's support enables us to take our safety message into more Latino community events focusing on Hispanic culture and family. We have already increased our number of bilingual volunteers by
50 percent."

MADD Miami-Dade Chapter
President Susan Isenberg is wellversed in the challenges ahead. "The Spanish-speaking population makes up 41 percent of Miami's citizenship and is over-represented in death and injury caused by impaired driving crashes. We are currently producing Spanish-language public service announcements for television and banners to be displayed throughout the county. With Mitsubishi's help, we'll be able to enhance our present efforts and create new ways to impact the community."

Bridging the Gap
Impacting the Hispanic/Latino population is the focus of a communications handbook funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The handbook, titled "Tradiciones: A Guide to Understanding La Comunidad," offers tools and resources for MADD members and advocates while explaining the importance of Hispanic/Latino culture, language and family.

Building coalitions with national Hispanic/Latino organizations is another critical component in connecting with the Hispanic community.

Raul Yzaguirre, president of the National Council of La Raza, and actor Edward James Olmos have both agreed to serve on MADD's National Advisory Board, which will recommend ways the MADD organization can more effectively achieve its mission. Also, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), at its recent national convention, passed a resolution to join MADD's efforts to prevent underage drinking.

Each facet of MADD's Hispanic/Latino outreach initiative is designed with emphasis on family and outreach in a culturally relevant way. Financial support from organizations such as Mitsubishi Motors and NHTSA as well as MADD supporters make it possible for MADD to begin integrating its lifesaving message into the Hispanic/Latino society.

YUP! Out here in Colorado we just went from No Fault to Tort....our Governor, the wimpy Bill Owens who refused to support the amnedment to end bi-lingual education, promised us he would enforce the law he signed that would ensure that EVERYONE had insurance! Well, several articles I have read said the medical costs are skyrockting from these accidents where people carry not enough medical coverage....ILLEGALS?

Perhaps....I do know this an ex U of Colorado Quarterback was badly injured in accident with a hit and run ILLEGAL and there are several other high profile cases here too about this. Cops stop the illegals they have no insurance nolicense and they let them go...remember our MAYOR in Denver who has the illegals in his restaurant and the Denver Newspapers who say what a great guy he is....I will never vote for him!

Illegals don't wear seat belts much either because they don't in Latin America. Well, too many of US don't either but I do and you should too and BTW STATE FARM gave LA RAZA the $8 million donation a few years back remember? I should dump them and Wells Fargo Should not I?