Jason Preston of Blackfoot filed an insurance claim stating his motorcycle had been wrecked, and he had the damaged clothing one would expect after a crash.

Nevertheless, local investigators felt his story about swerving to avoid hitting an animal in the road last July was less than sincere, and now Preston is being sentenced up to 20 days in jail for insurance fraud and damaging insured property. (He almost had to spend four years in jail, but a judge suspended that sentence.)

What really happened? According to Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, 31-year-old Preston put his motorcycle in his truck, accelerated, and then pushed the bike off the back, to wreck it. Then his girlfriend dragged him down the road to cause the likely injuries.

Had Preston died during this stunt, we’re pretty sure he’d have been a top candidate for the Darwin awards.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that one local farmer, Jim Rexroth, has started an education and awareness campaign to help alleviate the problem. Specifically, he met with several officials from local organizations at Rexroth Farms, to have a discussion about road safety in planting season.

One of the participants, Mike Keiser, an engineering executive with Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation (PennDOT), pointed out that local drivers have to share the road, not just with motorcycles but “…a lot of different things.” He also believes that a little patience from everyone on the road can reduce the number of accidents, which totalled 92 crashes and 4 fatalaties involving farm equipment last year.

Farmers in Pennsylvania are allowed to drive their equipment on the roads, and generally do try to get out of the way, but they need people in cars and trucks to be more patient about allowing them to find safe places to pull over, Carl Shaffer, president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau advised. He added, “We’re aware we’re slowing down traffic.”

Rexroth added that farmers also need to spend the money to meet drivers half way, adding flashers and lights to their large equipment, and avoiding the roads during peak hours.

Sounds like a whole new form of defensive driving.

Supporters of the right to die by cracking their heads open on hot pavement (or rather, supporters of the repeal) believe this change was long overdue, and also believe it will boost tourism, but insurance companies and advocates of motorcycle safety say it will simply raise the cost of auto insurance for all motorists in Michigan, as well as lead to more motorcycle-related injuries and fatalities.

Under the new version of Michigan motorcycle law, bikers who are aged 21 or more, who have had motorcycle licenses for a minimum of two years or have passed a state-approved safety course may ride without protective head gear, but they must also purchase additional motorcycle insurance coverage – a minimum of $20,000 in first party medical benefits – in case they’re involved in a crash.

Why “quasi?”

Under Mississippi traffic laws, you’re allowed to drive your ATV on public property if you have a valid driver’s license or you’ve attended a state and federal government-mandated safety course, which is taught as a certification class, at least in Lee County, by the county extension course.

So what’s the problem?

Well, public property doesn’t specifically include public roads, but it doesn’t exclude them either. This means driving your ATV on the road is technically legal under state law, even though the federal government considers such vehicles for strictly off-road use.

According to Lee County Sheriff, Jim Johnson, it’s that gray area that is a point of legal contention. “Can you or can you not operate an ATV on a public street?” he asks, rhetorically.

He has reason to wonder. A wreck last Saturday too place on a public street, and involved four children, who were hurt when their ATV collided with a pickup truck on a county road. The vehicle in question? A 1998 Honda Fourtrax ATV. The 13-year-old driver never earned a safety certificate.

Johnson told the local press that even though the safety course advises against passengers on an ATV, state law doesn’t address it. As well, all ATVs are not the same. Small ATVs are only three feet tall, but have the same age requirement (a minimum of 16 years) under federal law.

Mississippi state law, however, has no such age stricture, so technically, the 13-year-old driver in Saturday’s accident could have taken the course and been certified.

Whatever the details, both Sheriff Johnson and local ATV dealer Russ Harrington agree that these are off-road vehicles, and should be treated seriously.

Also, Johnson says, a specific state law would be useful.

Peachtree is licensed to write insurance policies in thirty-eight states, even though most of its business is in Florida and Georgia, and it is this licensing that makes it an excellent “catch” for Personable. Currently, the company, which specializes in non-standard auto insurance, employes about four hundred agents.

The deal, which was approved by Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation, is part of a larger deal involving Personable Holdings’ acquisition of Smyrna, GA-based Network Holdings, Inc., and that company’s managing general agent, First Insurance Network, Inc.

Personable Holdings currently underwrites about $50 million of business in California, Flordia, Georgia, and Texas, and is seeking other acquisition opportunities, as well.

Personable Holdings underwrites $50 million in products in California, Texas, Georgia and Florida and is looking to make other acquisitions. The company has offices in San Diego and Irving, Calif., and in Atlanta, with more plans to open other offices.

These commercial insurance policies cover the vehicles used in business, including retailers, caterers, and contractors, but GEICO also provides general liability coverage and owners’ policies through GEICO Insurance Agency.

GEICO’s announcement did not specify the percentage of the decrease in rates being offered, nor has it said anything about plans to alter the rates for individual policies.

As always, it is our recommendation that insurance shoppers request quotes from three different companies, and do line by line comparisons before committing to a policy. This advice applies to both commercial and individual lines.

The bill, dubbed Kadyn’s Law, is a response to the death of seven-year-old Kadyn Halverson, who was killed by a pickup truck on her way to a school bus last May.

Under the new law, failure to slow down when a school bus has its flashers on, or to stop when the STOP arm is extended, may result in up to 30 days in jail and/or fines of up to $675. Currently, no jail time is possible, and the maximum fine is $200. The new law would involve increased penalties for multiple violations.

There’s also an increased penalty for motorists whose failure to comply with bus warnings cause serious injury: a maximum fine of $500 and a suspension of their driver’s license for up to 90 days. If a death occurs, those penalties are doubled.

It goes without saying that these increased penalties will likely make motorists’ car insurance costs skyrocket, as well.

Why is this law important? According to Representative Dennis Cohoon (Burlington), the state of Iowa sees about 625 people a year convicted of violating school bus warnings.

But how dangerous is it?

This month’s video gives you an idea: