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Kansas City News Today Kansas City Front Page is a weekly news publication spotlighting attractions, jobs, events, business and hotels in Kansas City. |
KANSAS CITY NEWS TODAY - Tuesday June 1, 2010  US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood Thanked for His Leadership in Making Bicycling and Walking Safer and More Accessible WASHINGTON, DC, (kansascityfrontpage.com), June 1, 2010 - City of Independence Parks & Recreation Department, Kansas City Bicycle Club and Urban Kansas City Community of Cycling were among hundreds of organizations from around the country who joined together to thank U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today for his leadership in making bicycling and walking safer and more accessible. Washington Area Bicyclists Association, a signatory on the letter, joined the group to present a thank you poster from local bicyclists, many of whom attended the event. Secretary LaHood has raised the profile of bicycling and walking as an important component of our nation's transportation system - which will improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, create more livable communities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create more opportunities for Americans to be more physically active. The US Department of Transportation's new Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation recommends that state and local governments give equal priority to walking and bicycling as other modes of transportation and ensure safe, convenient and interconnected transportation choices for people of all ages and abilities. "The DOT is committed to providing the kinds of biking and walking opportunities people want to see in their communities," said Secretary LaHood. "Bike and pedestrian paths are part of a cleaner, greener future for American transportation. I want to thank everyone at America Bikes, Safe Routes to School National Partnership, Transportation for America, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, and the many other advocacy groups who are helping us make that future a reality." "Across the country people are biking and walking more. Americans want more investment in these cost effective transportation solutions that reduce congestion and air pollution, and offer healthy alternatives." Said Randy Neufeld, President of America Bikes, "We are ready to work side by side with Secretary LaHood to achieve his vision of a bike friendly America." "Forty years ago, nearly half of children walked and bicycled to school. Today, less than 15 percent of children do so - because parents are concerned about traffic speed and volume, distance to school, and lack of safe sidewalks and bike lanes," said Deb Hubsmith, Director, Safe Routes to School National Partnership. 'Secretary LaHood's leadership is critical to ensuring that state and local governments focus on improving the safety and accessibility of walking and bicycling, so that more children and their families can make the healthy and active choice for their trip to school." 38 Million American Drivers May be Unfit for Roads KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), June 1, 2010 - A newly released survey has found that nearly 1 in 5 licensed drivers - roughly 38 million Americans - would not pass a written drivers test exam if taken today. Kansas drivers ranked first in the nation (82.3 percent average score); New York drivers ranked last (70 percent average score). The sixth annual survey polled 5,202 licensed Americans from 50 states and the District of Columbia, gauging driver knowledge by administering 20 questions taken from state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) exams. Additional questions explored distracting habits such as texting while driving. Overall, findings indicate a number of licensed Americans continue to lack knowledge of basic rules of the road; the national average score decreased to 76.2 percent from 76.6 percent in 2009. Eighty-five percent could not identify the correct action to take when approaching a steady yellow traffic light, and many remained confused by safe following distances. "It's discouraging to see that overall average test scores are lower than last year," said Wade Bontrager, senior vice president, GMAC Insurance. "American drivers need to make safety a top priority and be aware of the rules of the road at all times. The National Drivers Test allows everyone to brush up on their driving knowledge with a brief refresher course." When analyzed regionally, the results reveal that drivers in the Northeast may not be as road-rule savvy as their Midwestern counterparts. The Northeast had the lowest average test scores (74.9 percent) and had the highest failure rate (25.1 percent). The Midwest region had the highest average test scores (77.5 percent) and the lowest failure rates (11.9 percent).v Results also indicate that the older the driver, the higher the score. Males over 45 earned the highest average test score. Males also out-performed females overall in terms of average score (78.1 percent male versus 74.4 percent female) and failure rates (24 percent female versus 18.1 percent male). Additional questions from the survey reveal drivers conduct a variety of distracting behaviors behind the wheel; approximately 1 in 4 participants admitted to driving while talking on a cell phone, eating and adjusting the radio or selecting songs on an iPod. However, only five percent reported they text while driving. Overall, a significantly higher percentage of females than males reported engaging in the following distracting situations: conversation with passengers, selecting songs on an iPod or CD/adjusting the radio, talking on a cell phone, eating, applying make-up and reading. Missouri Insurers Implement Reform Early for Graduates KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), June 1, 2010 - Under the new federal health care reform law, Missourians will soon be able to keep adult children up to age 26 on their health insurance policy. While this requirement doesn't take effect until this fall, the Missouri Department of Insurance says at least seven major health insurance companies in Missouri have announced they'll implement the change sooner. UnitedHealthcare, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, Coventry and Humana will allow adult children to stay on parents' policies before the federal deadline. These companies hold approximately 66 percent of the licensed health insurance market in Missouri. "These major health insurers are making this change so that 2010 college graduates won't lose their health coverage after leaving school," said Insurance Director John M. Huff. "I commend these companies for going beyond what's required in the new law to help Missouri parents and young adults." Consumers with questions should contact their employer, health insurance plan, the Department of Insurance Consumer Hotline at 1-800-726-7390 or visit insurance.mo.gov.   The Kansas City Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Kansas City area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 2007 - 2010 Moore Design Group. |
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