As if diabetes, cardiac problems and the inability to tie one's shoes aren't enough, DAIJIWORLD (West India's gate to the rest of the World) reports that obesity increases a persons chance of fatal injury while in a car. According to a study led by the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the obese tend to have a lower rate of seat belt usage– which translates directly into a higher fatality rate where accidents are concerned. The report could reignite the debate over seat belt extenders, which some manufacturers provide free of charge and some don't, for insurance reasons. (Reported by our own RF for The Detroit News/AP back in '04.) Not surprisingly, one of the sponsors of this research was State Farm. How long before we have to divulge our body-mass-index on insurance forms?
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Okay… Basically what they are saying is that people who don’t wear seatbelts have higher fatality rates.
Duh.
It just so happens that due to their “research” fat people wear seatbelts less than thin people. Is it then right to assume that anybody who is overweight doesn’t wear a seatbelt?
Adding assumptions to assumptions to justify jacking up somebody’s rates? Yup, sounds like the insurance industry. The only business where its okay to discriminate for whatever reason it can back up with questionable “research” and “statistics”.
This is sorta like those drivers who don’t wear belts but have a little “Fifi” dog in their laps, so they have a “Doggie airbag.”
In the UK if a driver dies in an accident and wasn’t wearing a safety belt they reduce the payout by around 50%.
The phrase ‘any excuse’ springs to mind!
mom?
Why don’t they take the money that they waste-I mean spend on these rediculous studies along with a reduction in CEO saleries and reduce rates to where they should be?
1996MEdition: I used to have one with a hardtop, not anymore.
In the UK if a driver dies in an accident and wasn’t wearing a safety belt they reduce the payout by around 50%.
Payout? What payout? Do you mean life insurance?