Category Archives: Health & Safety

Emerging Risks, Health & Safety

I.I.I. Report: Marijuana legalization raises concerns about drugged driving

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The “green gold rush” shows no sign of slowing.

Most recently, New Jersey legislators reportedly announced a bill that would permit recreational marijuana. If signed into law, New Jersey would join ten other states and D.C. that currently permit recreational marijuana. More than 30 states and D.C. also permit medical marijuana programs of some kind.

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But as legalization spreads, concerns about driving under the influence of marijuana continue unabated.

Today, the I.I.I. has published a report that examines the current state of the issue.

“A rocky road so far: Recreational marijuana and impaired driving” dives into the hazy questions surrounding marijuana impairment: its effects on driving abilities, how traffic safety might be impacted, and how states are grappling with the issue of “stoned driving.” (Download the report here.)

Unfortunately, there are still many unknowns when it comes to stoned driving. Marijuana impairment degrades cognitive and motor skills, of course – but marijuana-impaired driving is an evolving issue with many questions and few concrete answers. Legalization is still relatively recent. Data are still being gathered. How to understand and measure marijuana impairment are still open questions.

Do the rates of marijuana-impaired driving increase following recreational legalization? Answer: probably. Does marijuana-impaired driving increase crash risks? Answer: probably, but we still don’t concretely know to what degree. What about traffic fatalities – do those increase after legalization? There’s evidence that traffic fatalities could increase following legalization, but there is still quite a bit of discussion about this issue.

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There is active research, discussion and debate being conducted to answer these and other questions. As more states legalize recreational marijuana, forthcoming answers will become ever more critical to help best guide public policy and traffic safety initiatives.

To learn more, download the report here.

Health & Safety

Sidewalk liability: are you covered?

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A friend of mine likes to say that New York City is so expensive that just leaving your apartment will cost you $20. It cost me $100 to leave my apartment the other day – in fines for leaving a piece of furniture by the curb on a day not designated for “bulk trash removal.”

I get it: leaving bulky trash all over the sidewalk for days on end is an antisocial thing to do, especially in a crowded city. I wouldn’t have felt great about myself if a kid had somehow tripped and hurt herself on my discarded garbage.

My landlord could also have landed in legal trouble had that happened. That’s because NYC law makes property owners responsible for keeping sidewalks “reasonably safe” and clear of debris (with some exceptions). “Reasonably safe” also includes shoveling snow and ice – something I’m always grateful for after the occasional NYC blizzard.

New York is not alone. Many jurisdictions across the country put the onus on property owners for maintaining sidewalks, including clearing snow and ice (even if the sidewalks are city property).

If you’re a property owner, it’s important to check your city or homeowner’s association codes to see who is responsible for what. If you rent, you should also check your lease. Some leases make tenants responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks.

Let’s say you do live in a city where you’re responsible for keeping the sidewalk safe. What happens if someone slips and suffers injuries on your sidewalk?

Homeowners insurance could provide some coverage. Depending on the case, there could be coverage for liability and for some medical payments to the injured person. But an insurance company could deny coverage if the homeowner knew about an unsafe sidewalk and did nothing to fix it.

And liability payments can get expensive quickly. That’s why some people will also buy optional “personal umbrella liability coverage,” which has a higher payment cap than standard homeowners.

Renters insurance also provides liability coverage. But whether the tenant or landlord is responsible for a slip and fall on a sidewalk would depend on the terms of the lease and local ordinances.

The upshot is: check if you’re responsible for the sidewalks outside your home. It’s also a good idea to chat with your insurance agent to see if you have the appropriate coverage to protect you from liability costs.

Health & Safety

How Insurance Covers Skiing Accidents

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If you’re skiing like this guy, you should have health insurance

The holidays are over. It’s time to exercise. If you live in snowy climes, that means it’s time to go skiing.

But flying down a mountain at high speeds on a pair of sticks is…not safe. Between 2006 and 2016, an average of 38 people died skiing or snowboarding each year in the U.S.

And ski injuries are much more common than deaths. So how does insurance cover skiing accidents?

Health insurance: If you are injured in the U.S., your personal health insurance should cover your medical expenses, depending on the specific details of your policy. What if you need to get airlifted out because of a medical emergency? Your health insurance might help cover that, but you should check with your insurance company.

Travel insurance: Your personal health insurance may not cover all your medical expenses if you get injured abroad. (Again, it depends on your policy, so call your health insurer to make sure). That’s where travel insurance can come in handy. Make sure your travel insurance covers emergency medical assistance. This could cover situations like being airlifted off the mountain after a ski accident.

Homeowners insurance: What if you accidentally injure someone else on the slopes? Your homeowners insurance may kick in to cover some of the liability you incur. Ditto renters insurance. But different states determine ski accident liability differently, and your homeowners insurance doesn’t cover everything, so talk to your agent to find out what your coverage is.

Personal umbrella liability: Liability payments can be expensive. That’s why some people will buy a personal umbrella liability policy, which is basically extra liability insurance. It will cover some types of liability your homeowners insurance excludes – and will also cover higher payments, sometimes up to $1 million (homeowners is often limited to $300,000).

What about the ski resorts themselves? They will typically have a commercial insurance policy to cover their liability and property damages. Ski resorts could face liability claims from injured skiers for poor slope maintenance, ski lift accidents, or accidents in, say, the ski lodge.

Stay safe out there!